Dvorak Layout

We don’t think we are much mistaken if we say that 90% computer users from Europe and US input the text with the help of the QWERTY keyboards and their variations. The funniest thing is that it is out of mere tradition and habit but not out of convenience.

Any reasonable person would say: why then not change the tradition? If many people smoke, does it mean that the rest must follow the example? If lots of people start giving up smoking because they are said it’s not healthy, why don’t they switch to healthier keyboards?

Let’s leave these questions alone and have a look at the alternative keyboard available. Strictly speaking, it’s not exactly the keyboard, it’s the layout that matters. In other words, it’s the way your fingers adapt to the necessity to travel all around the keyboard: whether they have to strain and tire themselves out or just do their job with the due rest and in the due manner.

The idea is that the QWERTY keyboard was created long ago and didn’t take into account the requirements of the ergonomics or just of finger convenience. Probably, the potential of typing was then underestimated as well as the 20th century demand for speed and call for technology development.

It’s only logical that a bit later there appeared an alternative to QWERTY which failed to promote itself to the QWERTY level. It was the so-called Dvorak keyboard, named after Dr. Augustus Dvorak, its author and initiator.

The main difference is in the layout of letters on such a keyboard. Dvorak layout is based on the frequency of letters in the English language and the distance each finger has to cover to move from one key to another when doing the typing job. In such a case most of the popular vowel letters are found in the home row, the most convenient typing position.

Have a look at the Dvorak layout:

Dvorak Layout

The diagram is taken from dvorak-keyboard.com where you can find
some more interesting information about this layout and its history.

Although not as popular as QWERTY, Dvorak is included in the standard Windows settings, and you don’t need any special software to install it on your computer. Strictly speaking, you don’t need to buy a special Dvorak keyboard even: it’s often enough to retrain yourself in Dvorak touch typing using a good typing tutor and there you are. Sure, you can acquire stickers for those with whom you share the computer.

Your typing will become more rhythmical due to a more successful key layout, and consequently, your accuracy and speed will increase.

The biggest disadvantage, however, is the necessity to re-train in Dvorak layout if you are a trained QWERTY typist. At first, your speed could be even lower than on QWERTY, however, it’s a matter of time. The rest depends on you, your ambition and understanding of healthy keyboarding.

If it’s all like this, why have not many people turned into Dvorak typists? Instead of answering it, let’s ask ourselves why we personally have not done so yet.

The ErgoSolo company’s ambition is to offer an easy-to-use typing tutor which will enable you either to re-train your QWERTY skills or pick up Dvorak skills from scratch. We offer a profound approach tested by lots of students.

Download the Dvorak course free

Basics | Dvorak FAQ | Learning and Re-Training