Using the Dvorak Keyboard

I really have to give the credit to Randy Cassingham (author of The Dvorak Keyboard and the weekly "This is True" net.journal) for finally getting me to try the Dvorak keyboard. My only wish now is that everyone used this!

What the heck is the...

The Dvorak keyboard is a complete rearrangement of the keys on your keyboard. As Mr. Cassingham puts it, the physical mechanism has not changed [in fact, I'm using a Qwerty keyboard that is mapped to Dvorak within the computer], just where the keys are has. Vowels are under the left hand while commonly used letters are under the right.

Great, but...Why?

It's a lot faster. I simply can't believe how much faster I can type now!

It's a lot more comfortable. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that using this keyboard could reduce the effects of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and similar injuries. I do less finger "gymnastics" and can actually relax a lot more at the keys.

It's a great conversation piece. :)

Where can I get more info?

Randy Cassingham has a lot of information about it at Dvorak Keyboard Java Applet to help learn. Pretty neat!

Do you happen to have the drivers I need, perchance?

Why, yes..I do...if you happen to be Windows, DOS, or Mac based! (And, yes, I use all three.)

Windows 3.1 users: You're already set! Head for your control panel's international settings and change the keyboard setting in there to "US-Dvorak"! (Note that if you use a DOS program under Windows, you will need to load the DOS driver below before starting Windows.)

Windows 95 users: You're set too! Hit Start, Settings, Control Panel. Double-click the keyboard control panel, then select the Language tab. Clicking the Properties button will bring up the layout select. Simply pick US-Dvorak, hit okay, and close the Keyboard Properties panel. You are all set! If you run a DOS program under Win95, you'll still need to load the DOS driver (below) when Win95 is loading.

Mac users: Electric Dvorak, I've found, works best. This provides swapping with hot keys (Especially useful in the computer lab! *grin*). It also has the [, ], /, etc. keys in the same place as the Windows/DOS re-mappers.

DOS users: GA0650.EXE has what you need--drivers using the KEYB program.

Note: Set your browser to "Save to disk" mode before clicking on the above files.

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