Keyboards - Dvorak or Qwerty?

Posted by Cliff on Wednesday October 6, 1999 @10:47AM from the the-quest-for-faster-typing-speeds dept.

A voice from the mass of Slashdot Anonymous Cowards asks: "A friend of mine has been using a dovark keyboard for about 3 months. He says that his that it has increased his speed almost double. From what I understand the qwerty keyboard was designed to slow people down when they used type writters. Now, since they are on computers, why is the world (US) not using them ? Do you think it is worth using it. I work as a computer tech. if I go to fix some guys computer, is he going to look at me strange becuase I can't type on a qwerty keyboard. I wanted to see everyones opinion on this one. " Um. Are you going to look at me funny because I can't type on a Dvorak keyboard? Do they even make Dvorak keyboards for computers? If so, where can I find such a beast?

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Again? by eldamitri · 1999-10-06 06:05 · Score: 5

QWERTY, Dvorak and More discussed just a few days ago
The Myth of QWERTY discussed in April

"there once was a big guy named lou
Test drive a Dvorak keyboard by ChrisDolan · 1999-10-06 06:13 · Score: 5

Here's how to set up your Unix machine to try out the Dvorak layout. You need X windows to do this.

First, print out a picture of the Dvorak layout. A GIF and a PDF version are on Marcus Brooks' page.

Now, follow these instructions IN ORDER (or you'll have trouble changing back to Qwerty). Download the following xmodmap scripts:
Qwerty and Dvorak

Then, make an alias to change back and forth easily:

% alias asdf 'xmodmap ~/dvorak.xmodmap'
% alias aoeu 'xmodmap ~/qwerty.xmodmap'

I chose the alias so the same four keys are typed in either Qwerty or Dvorak mode. So just type "asdf" to toggle between them. Then you can decide for yourself and avoid all the flame-ridden commotion. :)