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Here is some negative feedback on Dvorak retraining. Chinese learners, beware!
It's been nearly a year since I learned Dvorak layout. What I didn't know when I started learning was the fact that I would lose my ability to touch-type in QWERTY. And that brought some problems: in Internet cafe, in book stores, during test on job interview and in other places I had to use QWERTY and therefore I couldn't touch-type. When someone tried to do something on my computer they experience difficulties because because of unfamiliar layout. But all these were minor irritants. Today came disastrous discovery: Pinyin input method for Chinese language uses QWERTY only. I am a Chinese learner and that's important for me. I regretted that I had learned Dvorak. It looks like that I had to switch back and waste another time to do it.
It's been nearly a year since I learned Dvorak layout. What I didn't know when I started learning was the fact that I would lose my ability to touch-type in QWERTY. And that brought some problems: in Internet cafe, in book stores, during test on job interview and in other places I had to use QWERTY and therefore I couldn't touch-type. When someone tried to do something on my computer they experience difficulties because because of unfamiliar layout. But all these were minor irritants. Today came disastrous discovery: Pinyin input method for Chinese language uses QWERTY only. I am a Chinese learner and that's important for me. I regretted that I had learned Dvorak. It looks like that I had to switch back and waste another time to do it.
Happy New Year to everybody!
So many plans, so many ideas for 2007... New online projects, more championships, more updates and new versions of our touch-typing tutor YESolo on the Keyboard.
Meanwhile, here are a few useful links for Dvorak users:
Dvorak with Qwerty-based Ctrl Key Support - a free handy tool which allows you to keep your qwerty keyboard shortcuts unchanged in Dvorak layout.
Dvorak assistant - a free utility which that toggles between QWERTY and Dvorak layouts without any extra changes to your machine.
Enjoy!
So many plans, so many ideas for 2007... New online projects, more championships, more updates and new versions of our touch-typing tutor YESolo on the Keyboard.
Meanwhile, here are a few useful links for Dvorak users:
Dvorak with Qwerty-based Ctrl Key Support - a free handy tool which allows you to keep your qwerty keyboard shortcuts unchanged in Dvorak layout.
Dvorak assistant - a free utility which that toggles between QWERTY and Dvorak layouts without any extra changes to your machine.
Enjoy!
14/12: Dvorak for Windows Vista
Solo on the Dvorak Keyboard has been updated. It is now OK with Windows Vista. Some minor errors have also been corrected.
Feedback is welcome!
Feedback is welcome!
25/10: Dvorak feedback
One of our students sent me some Dvorak feedback:
I completed the course within 10 days. On average, let's say, 4 hours a day. Since before that I knew QWERTY layout now my speed is way way before it used to be. Probably, it needs much more practice. Some general comment: it would be useful sometimes not to show keyboard at the bottom of the screen since using side vision I still can see whether the key is on the left or on the right and therefore type much faster then if there is no keyboard picture there.
Yes, the idea of improving of our interactive keyboard is really good. We will try to implement it in upcoming versions.
I completed the course within 10 days. On average, let's say, 4 hours a day. Since before that I knew QWERTY layout now my speed is way way before it used to be. Probably, it needs much more practice. Some general comment: it would be useful sometimes not to show keyboard at the bottom of the screen since using side vision I still can see whether the key is on the left or on the right and therefore type much faster then if there is no keyboard picture there.
Yes, the idea of improving of our interactive keyboard is really good. We will try to implement it in upcoming versions.
