Dvorak Headcount

[Menisk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am skeptical of the dvorak layout for three reasons. 1: The arguments used to prop it up are largely based on a false premise about the purpose of the QWERTY layout. It was not, as is popularly proposed, designed to slow down typists. It was designed to avoid keybar clashes in mechanical typewriters. 2: Almost all of the 'scientific' evidence supporting it's purported superiority is provided by it's creator. 3: While all the world's fastist typists use it, all of them also say they aren't substantially slower on QWERTY.

From experience I can tell you it's so much nicer to type on. I do so much of my typing on the home row and move my fingers so much less. From experience I can tell you it really is amazing. Skepticism is understandable, but the layout was designed to fast and comfortable without having to think about jamming type bars and so many people find they are faster because of the extra efficiency. Even if you don't gain much speed it is much more comfortable purely because of the massively decreased finger travel. The only thing that doesn't work in its favor is the fact it hasn't been widely adopted because everyone is too used to QWERTY and won't switch to something unfamiliar.

 

[krmathis]

I have tried it and decided that it was not for me.
It simply did not go well with the Norwegian language, and the fact that QWERTY are the standard everywhere else.

 

[El_Doug]

I am a dvorak user, but only as a 1-handed layout.

Upon enrolling as an accounting major, I actually found it necessary to buy a separate standalone usb numeric keypad for data entry. instead of constantly moving my right hand about, I decided I should learn to type 1-handed, with my left hand.

Why did I choose the dvorak left-hand-only layout? probably because i knew id have to learn how to type all over again anyways (to use a single hand), so I chose the more "elite" format

I cannot speak for those who use the proper 2-handed dvorak, as I do not have any experience using it - to me, qwerty is the way to go, only inasmuch as every single computer on the planet uses it :/

 

[Arlekiin]

I have always been aware of the reason for QWERTY's existence.
Maybe because I have owned a real typewriter . No QWERTY is not that much slower as I mentioned before but it is easier for your fingers.
And strangely it does make sense to use it. However QWERTY is everywhere at the moment and for that reason it might not be the right choice for everyone.

As for QWERTY being more used because its better might not be true.
History is full of products that are both good and have been pushed aside because of commercial interests. As an example steam engines come to mind.
At some point in history there was a choice between gasoline engine and steam engine but the gasoline engine won.
Steam engine is actually much better choice because of its effectiveness and if one would use condenser's etc you dont have to change water at all etc.
I believe there was an experiment few years back where some dudes extracted top speed of 170 mph which is not bad at all.

Link to the article about the experiment

Also as written in this article steamers are not too practical at the moment but as a proof of concept it rocks... You can get real speed form steam

Now they have gas turbines and such.

Any-ways:
My point is that not always the best things are at the top. Steam engine is not the fastest at the moment but it has had a lot less resources poured into it since 19th century.
As an engine which has over 90% effectiveness compared to 60% in the case of gasoline engines.
Well I am sad the gasoline engine won. And also steam engine is absolutely foolproof only thing that can top it in reliability is electric engine

...went a bit off topic there hehe...

 

[DocHamm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnOYiN /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...since I am a 'IT-guy' I can't really get used to dvorak because I need to use a lot of qwerty keyboards...

Same here. I've tried using other keyboards but it is just simpler and faster to use the standard qwerty as do 99% of my clients.

Besides, I love my aura eluminX keyboard and won't change it out for anything ... at least until it dies and I can't get a replacement.

 

[Arlekiin]

but you don't have to change your keyboard to use dvorak

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlekiin /img/forum/go_quote.gif As an example steam engines come to mind. At some point in history there was a choice between gasoline engine and steam engine but the gasoline engine won. Steam engine is actually much better choice because of its effectiveness and if one would use condenser's etc you dont have to change water at all etc. I believe there was an experiment few years back where some dudes extracted top speed of 170 mph which is not bad at all. Link to the article about the experiment Also as written in this article steamers are not too practical at the moment but as a proof of concept it rocks... You can get real speed form steam Now they have gas turbines and such. Any-ways: My point is that not always the best things are at the top. Steam engine is not the fastest at the moment but it has had a lot less resources poured into it since 19th century. As an engine which has over 90% effectiveness compared to 60% in the case of gasoline engines. Well I am sad the gasoline engine won. And also steam engine is absolutely foolproof only thing that can top it in reliability is electric engine ...went a bit off topic there hehe...

The biggest benefit of steam is that it is external combustion. Or that you can run it from nearly anything that burns - gasoline not necessary. You could stop oil imports altogether and run steam engines off locally made alcohol if you wanted. Burning alcohol is much cleaner than burning gasoline, as well.

In the US, it is legal to have a still for the purpose of making fuel. Imagine making fuel for your car from yard trimmings and waste food. You can also use the existing infrastructure of tankers, pipelines, trucks, stations, etc. to move alcohol just like gasoline.

I think a steam/electric hybrid would be ideal - use a steam engine to charge batteries that drive electric motors.

I can't think of any reason we're not doing this. These are all 100+ year old technologies that need no development. Only engineering and marketing are necessary. If one of the Big Three wants to get solidly back in the black, this would do it.

Sorry about the threadjack.

 

[DocHamm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlekiin /img/forum/go_quote.gif but you don't have to change your keyboard to use dvorak

I know I can just relabel mine or do a layout but that would require changes to my existing keyboard which I don't want to do.

I've spent years typing on various typewriters and keyboards and this one has been the best for me. If I feel the need to buff up on typing different, I'll go back to typing brail for the blind. I learned and mastered that as a freshman in high-school and have found it usefull at times.

 

[ericj]

I'm curious how many people here are touch typists. I mean full-on don't even look at the keyboard touch typists.

Because I am. My typing speed is plenty fast on QWERTY. I learned how to touch type back in the days when the internet didn't have pictures or pretty text formatting, by spending a lot of time on a white-on-black terminal with the lights turned off.

 

[zotjen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm curious how many people here are touch typists. I mean full-on don't even look at the keyboard touch typists.

If I type really slow I can, although I'm sure I can pick up speed if I practice more often. When I took typing in high school I think I averaged about 45 wpm by the end of the semester.

 

[Menisk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm curious how many people here are touch typists. I mean full-on don't even look at the keyboard touch typists. Because I am. My typing speed is plenty fast on QWERTY. I learned how to touch type back in the days when the internet didn't have pictures or pretty text formatting, by spending a lot of time on a white-on-black terminal with the lights turned off.

I fully touch type because looking at the keyboard is useless for me.

 

[Arlekiin]

Me too, switching to dvorak did that for me. Since the keys on keyboard are still qwerty. That was one of the reasons I started to practise it to become touch typist. Before on qwerty I had to peek and was average at best with speed...using 4 fingers etc...but with dvorak I can effectively use my whole hand

 

[Nick 214]

I'm pretty interested now.. Especially for my father, who battles Psoriatic Arthritis which manifests in the fingers..

Hey, at least we don't have to use the traditional Mandarin typeset with over 2,400 keys..

NK

 

[fluffygdog95]

I actually messed around with the Dvorak layout a bit today and I acknowledge that is is far more efficient than the QWERTY, but I am a bit too lazy to learn it. I could learn both and would love to have both resources at my disposal...but the laziness...problem...sad.

 

[Menisk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluffygdog95 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually messed around with the Dvorak layout a bit today and I acknowledge that is is far more efficient than the QWERTY, but I am a bit too lazy to learn it. I could learn both and would love to have both resources at my disposal...but the laziness...problem...sad.

Fair enough. It is an absolute bitch to actually change across to the layout. But once you get to around 30WPM with good accuracy it suddenly becomes a whole lot easier.