Dvorak layout?

[ownaginatious]

I recently decided to switch to the Dvorak keyboard layout because I've heard that if you become proficient with it, you can type faster than with ordinary qwerty.

Anyway, I'm having problems with XP and windows 7 both trying to "auto-sense" and change the layout all the time back to qwerty. I also have the same problem with my German language keyboard settings on a different computer...

Anyone know how to get windows to stop doing this?

[BuzzKillington]

If I were you I would switch back immediately.

Simply because you can theoretically squeeze a few more WPM out of that format, it doesn't mean it's a smart route to go.

QWERTY is the standard and if you were to ever work in an office or use a computer anywhere else you'd be completely back-assward.

Unless you plan on carrying your keyboard around with you, your best bet is to accept QWERTY as popular vote and stick with it. Eventually you'll be capable of typing 100+wpm which is plenty fast.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18984

[x88x]

With any modern OS, you can easily change the keyboard settings even as an unprivileged user, so once you can type without looking at the keyboard, moving to other computers shouldn't be a problem. As for the problem you're having with auto-sensing, are you changing the keyboard layout in the Windows Keyboard settings or somewhere else?

[BuzzKillington]

But you still have that long period of time before you can type without looking so if you're out or don't have your keyboard with rearranged keys, you're probably gunna type much slower and hinder your DVORAK "training."

[Omega]

If you need the letters on the keys to correspond to what you're typing, you're doing it wrong. Or, rather, you need more practice. Basically, if you're pulling pretty fast WPM counts, chances are you're not looking at the keys and over thinking it. Case in point: I pull 73wpm+ with few errors, and this is because I know where the keys are rather than looking at them. Hell, they could all be blank and I would still be able to type the same.

Dvorak was made with typing efficiency in mind. QWERTY was made specifically to hinder typing so that typewriters wouldn't jam.

I don't know how to solve the OS trying to revert, but I will say kudos for taking the time to learn Dvorak, it's something I've been meaning to do for a while here, then convert my laptop keyboards to dvorak and watch people freak out when they try to use my lappy. :whistler:

[Airbozo]

If you need the letters on the keys to correspond to what you're typing, you're doing it wrong. Or, rather, you need more practice. Basically, if you're pulling pretty fast WPM counts, chances are you're not looking at the keys and over thinking it. Case in point: I pull 73wpm+ with few errors, and this is because I know where the keys are rather than looking at them. Hell, they could all be blank and I would still be able to type the same.

Dvorak was made with typing efficiency in mind. QWERTY was made specifically to hinder typing so that typewriters wouldn't jam.

I don't know how to solve the OS trying to revert, but I will say kudos for taking the time to learn Dvorak, it's something I've been meaning to do for a while here, then convert my laptop keyboards to dvorak and watch people freak out when they try to use my lappy. :whistler:


When I took a typing class oh so many years ago, I remember that the day of the semester test, we came into class and all of the keys on the IBM selectrics were blank... Made for some pretty interesting grades.

[BuzzKillington]

Case in point, most people are not capable of typing without looking therefore at least a moderate form of hunt and peck is needed to learn.

If you are capable of typing without looking, like a few of us here, have fun erasing years of habit to gain a few extra WPM not to mention having to change the settings on other computers just to use them... unless you are somehow capable of changing the settings in your brain to select what format you want to use as well.

To each his own I suppose.

[x88x]

Haha, yeah, even now I get a little freaked out if I can't see the keyboard, though I usually type without looking anyways...more of a psychological thing, I think.

btw, if anyone's interested :P

Das Keyboard Ultimate (http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/8396/)

I keep wanting to buy one of these, but I'm too spoiled with my ergonomic keyboard.. I know it's a MS product, but God help me, I love it the thing...I'm thinking of maybe getting another one, pulling off all the keys and sanding/painting the keys so I get a similar effect.


[...] then convert my laptop keyboards to dvorak and watch people freak out when they try to use my lappy. :whistler:

A friend of mine in College did this....and, yeah, it screwed me up whenever I tried to use his laptop...even more so when it was set to QWERTY.. :dead:

[Omega]

Case in point, most people are not capable of typing without looking therefore at least a moderate form of hunt and peck is needed to learn.

If you are capable of typing without looking, like a few of us here, have fun erasing years of habit to gain a few extra WPM not to mention having to change the settings on other computers just to use them... unless you are somehow capable of changing the settings in your brain to select what format you want to use as well.

To each his own I suppose.

It's not necessarily erasing years of habit, it could be adding on. he's talking about learning Dvorak, not swearing off qwerty.

Changing keyboard settings takes very little time to do and revert back when you're done.




A friend of mine in College did this....and, yeah, it screwed me up whenever I tried to use his laptop...even more so when it was set to QWERTY.. :dead:

heh, heh.

I should do that. Dvorak key layout, qwerty settings. NOBODY would use my computer then.

[killergamer]

I should do that. Dvorak key layout, qwerty settings. NOBODY would use my computer then.

just set up a black light next to your computer and no one will wanna touch it... 8)

[Datech]

Buzz, most studies show that learning Dvorak is just like learning another language. You won't forget QWERTY, and with only a little practice you can easily switch back and forth between the two languages. My googlefu is failing me right now, but there is a pretty famous study about one guy 'making the switch' and within 8 months he could easily switch back and forth between the two key settings without thinking.

He ended up having all of his personal computers set up as Dvorak, but he often needed to work on his wife's or co-workers computers who were using QWERTY and never had a problem. This guy's account was then replicated with a group of college students and all of them were proficient in both type styles by the end of the semester.

Kudos for learning Dvorak, I want to do that soon as well. As far as your problem, there should be a host of override functions in the Keyboard settings on XP, Vista, and 7.

[BuzzKillington]

This guy documented his switch in a 10week youtube series and compares his dvorak vs qwerty in each video. By the end his skills almost flipflopped in WMP which leads me to believe you will probably favor one and quickly forget the other.


Changing keyboard settings takes very little time to do and revert back when you're done. Depending on the computer, these settings also may be restricted.


I should do that. Dvorak key layout, qwerty settings. NOBODY would use my computer then. Password? lol

[ownaginatious]

Hey guys, sorry about not responding to my own thread earlier. I got really busy with work/sleeping and completely forgot about it.

Anyway, I rearranged the keys on one of my older crappier keyboards, and now I use that :p I'm probably going to replace it since it seems the keys on every old keyboard I own are too stiff.

Anyway, the problem windows is giving me is that it keeps randomly switching back to Qwerty at random times. For example, when I start the computer, the thing starts up in Qwerty (which makes it confusing when entering my password :p). It also tends to randomly switch back whenever I open a new program of anything.

I've tried disabling Qwerty altogether, but the system disallows it... really annoying :(.