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[OCLUG-Tech] Dvorak stuff [was: USB keyboard remapping]

  • Subject: [OCLUG-Tech] Dvorak stuff [was: USB keyboard remapping]
  • From: Jeff East <JeffEast [ at ] ncf [ dot ] ca>
  • Date: Mon, 03 Oct 2005 02:00:14 -0700
> [gr]    Just out of curiosity, how good would the Dvorak layout be 
> for a two/three fingered typist such as myself? I'm right-handed, 
> so I imagine a RH layout would be best, right? 

    Just to second guess :), but do you mean that you have less than 
10 fingers?  There are the Dvorak-RH and Dvorah-LH layouts, originally 
created for the one handed, ideally 5 fingered typist.  The single 
hand only roams half the traditional keyboard.  I've not tried it, but 
it's supposed to be one-hand friendly in terms of shift-control-alt 
keys.

    Of course there's been some interest in applying the idea to 
handheld computers, to allow touch typing on a small device with less 
key area.  The reason we haven't seen it is because of the inertia a 
potential customer would have against learning a new typing method.

    I don't need labelled keycaps to type, but when flying a WW2 
simlator with a joystick in one hand, I sometimes have to flail for 
individual keys ("G" for landing gear) because I don't have Dvorak 
keycaps.

    I switched to Dvorak mostly because I got work (carpentry) and 
play (Linux) related carpal tunnel, bad.  After getting the surgery on 
both hands I lucked out and got a good "tented" ergo QWERTY keyboard 
cheap, and read about how Dvorak is easier on the hands.  I can't be 
scientific about Dvorak, but I now *hate* traditional keyboard shapes, 
and would never own one again.  I say let's go further and get rid of 
the staggered rows - another mechanical typewriter legacy.