Layout Possibilities

Purpose

Your Guide

Previously, I had a Microsoft natural keyboard which I did not like, mainly because I kept accidentally hitting the Windows key which usually had catastrophic results, and because when I typed fast it often failed to register the release of Shift | Alt | Ctrl. I did the DSK purely with the standard software drivers in Windows 95 and NT. Unfortunately during logon or during BIOS tweaking, I had to revert to QWERTY.

However, now I have a Kinesis Keyboard with the DSK in the keyboard firmware, so I no longer have that problem.

Dvorak’s Classic Keyboard Layout circa 1936

      &   %   #   !   (   )   @   $   ^   *   +
      7   5   3   1   9   0   2   4   6   8   =

       :   ,   .   P   Y   F   G   C   R   L   "
       ?   ,   .   p   y   f   g   c   r   l   /

         A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   S  ___
         a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   s   -

      Shf  ;   Q   J   K   X   B   M   W   V   Z  Shf
           '   q   j   k   x   b   m   w   v   z

                         Space
    

Dvorak’s original design was somewhat different from the current ANSI standard. He rearranged the numbers as well. He had one hand key odd digits and the other even. The idea was, that since the low numbered digits 0 1 2 are used more frequently, they should be near the center of the keyboard. Scientific American did an interesting article on why, even in random tables of numbers, the digits 0 and 1 occur more frequently than 8 and 9.

He also devised layouts for people with only one hand. These can also be used by people with two hands, but whose other hand is occupied in some way as they type. See the actual layouts further down in this essay.

The Theory Of DSK

Back in 1872, Christopher Sholes designed the original QWERTY layout to slow you down as much as possible. Old mechanical typewriters would jam if you hit two keys too rapidly in succession. It was brilliantly designed to prevent you from doing this.

However, now that we have electronic keyboards, we want to do the exact opposite. We want to make it possible to hit two keystrokes in succession as quickly as possible.

Lee Merkel used this analogy to explain it: "QWERTY on today’s keyboards is like having a Maserati limited to a top speed of 40 because the early cars might break an axle over 40 on a bumpy road."

In 1934 The Andrew Carnegie Foundation gave August Dvorak (a distant cousin of the composer) two grants to design a new keyboard layout. In 1936 the new layout was ready. The US Navy ordered 4000 keyboards, then cancelled.

The theory of the Dvorak Standard Keyboard (DSK) is simple. The most commonly used keystrokes should be the ones easiest to do. The layout puts the common vowels oeui under your left fingers and the common consonants dhtns under your right. It is almost impossible to avoid touch typing.

Defense Of DSK

What moose feces! Your fingers don’t move in straight lines anyway, and distance of finger travel is only very loosely correlated with typing speed. What determines speed has to do with the anatomy of the human nervous and muscular systems. The only way to integrate all these complex factors is to perform experiments with real people!

If you want to get an idea of the theoretical speed improvements, have a look at Jon A. Maxwell’s Java Applet. You can type into it, and it will analyse such factors as total finger motion distance, number of times in succession you have to type with the same hand, or same finger, and number of times you use which rows (home, upper, lower).

DSK was developed in the 1930s. It is well tested in speed trials against QWERTY. DSK was the winner hands down. All the speed typing records are held on DSK. However, the real advantage of DSK is not speed, it is ease! You can type like blazes all day long and your hands don’t get tired and your wrists don’t ache. Because of wrist pain, I could never touch type on QWERTY because it made my wrists and fingers ache after even a few minutes, though I was one of the fastest four finger typists alive. With DSK, your hands aren’t forced to continually make awkward motions like some Hannon piano fingering exercise.

It is hard to find psychologically unbiased information about DSK. Here is why. It is a bit of an ordeal flipping over, and naturally people don’t like to say to themselves, "I went to all this effort for almost nothing." They then will tend to exaggerate the benefits to themselves and others. The people who go through the ordeal have to be pretty highly motivated to persist. On the other hand, people who give up part way through the flipover tend to tell themselves there would have been no point in persisting. They prentend to themselves they gave the DSK layout a fair trial when they in fact did not allow sufficient time to adjust. People vary quite a bit on how long the flipover takes. You may take considerably longer than the optimistic best case estimates.

To Flip or Not To Flip? Advantages and Disadvantages

1. If you are already a very good QWERTY typist, chances are you won’t be all that much faster when you flip to DSK. Further, the switchover period where you can’t type quickly in either scheme will be exceedingly frustrating.
2. If wrist pain blocks you from touch typing QWERTY, you have the potential for a big payoff, the ability to type at top speed, non-stop all day without pain.
3. If you can’t touch type at all, it is easier to memorise and use the DSK layout. There will never be an easier time to learn DSK. Once you learn QWERTY you will have two additional hurdles to flipping over to DSK, unlearning your QWERTY reflexes, and dealing with temporary loss of typing skill.
4. Do you pick up new physical skills quickly, e.g. learning to ice skate, ski, ride a bike, play the piano… If so, you will probably have less trouble with the flipover than others.
5. Look at golfers. They will spend thousands of dollars on equipment that promises a few extra yards. To go for DSK I think you need something of that mentality to push you over the hump. The problem is you don’t really know how much you will get till you try it. You will get something, but there is no guarantee the payoff will be huge.
6. If you use a DSK keyboard, or other specialised keyboard such an the QWERTY Kinesis, you will thereafter likely be all thumbs at a conventional keyboard. This can be embarrassing if you visit client sites and it looks as if you can’t even touch type.W95/W98/Me/NT/W2K/XP/W2K3/Vista have DSK drivers a few keyclicks away but these will still feel hopelessly strange if you are used to a Kinesis keyboard. The layout will never precisely match what you are used to unless you take your keyboard (and any necessary software) with you. When you get into ultra-high speed typing, the tiniest change in the keyboard layout or shape will throw your reflexes off — sort of like hydroplane racing.
7. If you take your keyboard with you, this will almost automatically give you the reputation of eccentric genius. Deep down, this is probably the key motivator to take up DSK or avoid it. Most people avoid DSK because they don’t want to be perceived as weird. They don’t care if QWERTY is more painful and less productive. As DSK and specialised keyboards become more common, this motivator will become less important either way.
8. Can you psychologically afford a month or two where your typing skills may make you into a Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory? Will there be people staring at you and discouraging you, bawling you out for dicking around with some flaky idea? You might want a short dry run over a weekend to try to estimate how bad and how long this will be for you. For some people, the flipover is no problem at all. If will be a lot easier to go through the conversion where no one is watching, or where the people watching are supportive. Lobsters wisely hide when they moult.
9. If a company decides to go with the Kinesis or other ergonomic keyboard, DSK or QWERTY, they might consider phasing them in, and making allowances that productivity will plummet during the flipover. Don’t expect people to switch back and forth between Kinesis and conventional, or DSK and QWERTY. However, after that stressful flipover period, I think they would be great employee lockin method. No one would ever want to work somewhere where they were not allowed to use one. It is similar to offering a high quality ergonomic chair as an employee perk. The only catch is, some may hate it at first.
10. The DSK layout leads to a whole different set of common typos. If you read my site, you will often see by/my, be/me, that/than, is/it/in confused. One of my most common is hthl for html. One unfortunate feature is that DSK typos tend to be other real words, so a spell checker won’t catch them.
11. Ctrl-Z Ctrl-X Ctrl-C Ctrl-V used for cut and paste are very conveniently located on a QWERTY keyboard for keying with the left hand only while your right hand uses the mouse. On a DSK keyboard, they are all over the map. You need some sort of macros so you have one-handed alternates for these commonly used key combinations. Some editors let you remap them. but Windows has not general way to remap them in all programs. To ensure these macros work in all applications, you pretty well need to implement them in the keyboard firmware. This means you need a fairly expensive keyboard, preferably with a foot pedal to make them even easier to hit with one hand, e.g. left footpedal-K for Ctrl-V which is at the same convenient spot on the keyboard in both QWERTY and DSK. There are even more convenient alternatives if you experiment a bit.

Hunt and Peck

My apprentices often used to hunt and peck on my machine. I was astonished how quick they were.

Hardware/Firmware or Software DSK?

1. Build the DSK intelligence into the keyboard firmware.
2. Use software.

How To Get DSK with Firmware

I use a Kinesis Keyboard with DSK/QWERTY in hardware. This is the ultimate way to go.

To get a DSK keyboard cheaply, check out eBay.

Keytronic sells a Dvorak conversion kit on special order.

The Northgate Omnikey Ultra comes standard with switches to select one of four Dvorak layouts in addition to QWERTY. The optional matching keycaps cost about $30.00 USD extra. You can get ANSI, or the original with the 75319 02468 ordering, or the left hard only, or right hand only variants. Unfortunately Northgate went bankrupt and the keyboards are no longer manufactured. You might find one in old stock at some retailer or at a swap meet. These keyboards are much more rugged than most other brands.

The Northgate 102 keyboard has only two-handed ANSI Dvorak, with no function keys across the top. This is what I used after my beloved Omnikey Ultra passed on after many years of hard pounding.

The Omnikey design is now being manufactured under the Avant name. A company called Lueck Data Systems is collecting orders for a special run of DSK keycap versions.

Fentek sells several models at prices comparable to QWERTY models. Some don’t have DSK in firmware. You still need remapping software.

TypeMatrix make low-cost switchable keyboards.

If you have an Apple computer, make sure you buy a keyboard designed for the Mac with an USB interface instead of the PS/2 interface.

How To Get DSK with Software

• If you have W2K/XP/W2K3/Vista, your best bet is to roll your own keyboard layout using Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator. There is more information on how to use it in the roll your own section. Alternatively select the standard Windows DSK layout in the Control Panel ⇒ Clock Language and Region ⇒ Region and Language Options ⇒ Change Keyboards or Other Input Methods.
• You could tweak it to roll your own. It modifies the DSK layout to be more efficient for programmers and provides dead keys to get at the Greek characters and various interesting Unicode characters. The designer, Roland Kaufmann, has removed his information and drivers from his website. He did not respond to an email.
• If you have W98/Me, it supports DSK by selecting the layout in the Control Panel Keyboard. Unfortunately the layout reverts to QWERTY when you drop into a DOS box. For the DOS box you need some DOS-based keyboard remapping software. NT/W2K/XP/W2K3/Vista do not have this DOS box problem, but NT/W2K revert to QWERTY during logon.
• For DOS, Prokey and Superkey both let you design your own keyboard layouts in DOS. DOS 3.3 has a program called KeyBdDv to set up your keyboard as DSK. Hitting Control-Alt-F1 will turn it back to QWERTY.
• For DOS or the DOS compatibility (aka command prompt) box in W95/W98/Me I wrote a free program called DVORAK.COM. It is a microscopic TSR that will remap your DOS keyboard to Dvorak. It does nothing for Windows programs. (Incidentally, by rearranging some of the tables in the MASM source code, you can get it to make any layout changes you want to your keyboard — even those having nothing to do with Dvorak.)

  DVORAK.COM can also be used for fine tuning a keyboard layout — even QWERTY, to swap a few keys around. You can download it complete with source.

  It is designed for AT and later computers, but might work on some XTs if you loaded the DOS KEYB command first:

  rem setting up a DSK keyboard in the DOS box
  C:\dos\keyb.com us,,C:\dos\keyboard.sys

  If you want to concoct your own more complex keyboard with accented keys, dead keys, Alt-Gr etc, use ESPAN.COM as a model. It is a Spanish QWERTY keyboard driver. You can download it complete with source.

Roll Your Own DSK

I fiddled about with my layout over a period of months fine tuning it to suit my work. For computer programming, especially in Java you use the { } and ( ) keys a lot. It might make sense to move the following keys to the middle of the top row, similar to DSK classic layout.

(  )  !  {  }
9  0  1  [  ]

You can gradually fine tune your layout to suit your own particular finger strengths, character frequencies, and character pair combination frequencies. You just try out various layout changes and one will feel distinctly more pleasant and easeful.

You can rearrange keycaps on an IBM keyboard but not most other brands. Just pop them off with a screwdriver and snap them back on in their new position, being careful to center the little springs. On the IBM keyboard almost all keycaps are shaped identically so you have complete freedom to rearrange them. On most other keyboards, the keys are sculpted so that each row has a different shape.

Note that moving the keycaps has no effect on the codes generated by your keyboard. You still need software to logically rearrange the keys.

Do not pull off the space bar, or you will never get it back on properly.

Similarly never open up the back of an IBM brand keyboard. You will have a room full of little springs and Hall effect flapper plates. Only nuns who work for Mother Theresa have sufficient grace to put one back together.

For W2K/XP/W2K3/Vista, Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator is much more user friendly and flexible. It creates a DLL keyboard driver rather than a simple keyboard map. It lets you control which Unicode character is generated by hitting each key plain, or with any combination of Alt-Shift-Ctrl. AltGr is treated the same as Alt+Ctrl. This lets you effectively move the top and bottom letter on each key around independently. You can start with an existing keyboard driver and modify it. Unfortunately, it won’t display the plain and shifted keyboard characters simultaneously. It does not work in W95/W98/Me. Unless you can find an existing driver very similar to what you want, it can be quite tedious, since you have to explicitly code every combination.

For W2K/XP/W2K3/Vista, TypeMatrix offers a free remapper you can download.

For W2K/XP/W2K3/Vista, PC Magazine puts out TradeKeys that works in all versions of Windows to let you remap the keyboard any way you want. About the only thing you can’t do is move the punctuation above the digits to different digits. The utility is free, but you need a subscription to access it. The cheapest subscription for $5.00 USD gives you three downloads and one month access. It works by creating a *.reg file to insert a table into the registry that the keyboard driver uses to remap the keyboard scan codes before it does anything else. This means the remapping works in conjunction with the remapping the keyboard driver. It is probably easiest to do both the DSK remapping and your customisations with TradeKeys, and use a standard QWERTY layout driver. If you use a DSK driver, your TradeKey remappings are done in terms of the base QWERTY keys, not as fine tunings after the DSK mapping is done.

In W2K, you can define registry entries to remap the keyboard scan codes. This is not for the faint of heart.

For the adventurous, there is the Microsoft SDK which has instructions on how to write custom keyboard drivers. Unfortunately, they work quite differently in W95/W98/Me and NT/W2K/XP/W2K3/Vista. You can then do whatever you want, including inventing dead keys, special shift modes, remap the plain and shifted characters on each key independently, etc.

You can get replacement coloured keycaps or key labels from Hooleon. The also sell stick on home key bumps.

My bottom line recommendation:

If you can afford it, go whole hog and get a Kinesis keyboard. A good keyboard will pay for itself quickly in terms of increased productivity. Failing that try the Windows built-in DSK, and then tweak it with the tools described under Roll Your Own.

Keycap Legends

Not having them actually helps you learn to touch-type because it prods you to rely on feel rather than peeking. Back in the 1950’s, typing teachers used to put blank covers over the keys of mechanical typewriters.

QWERTY legends make it easier for others to use your keyboard.

DSK legends are mainly a conversation-starter. People see your unusual keyboard and get curious.

The Kinesis keyboard I use now has dual legends, with QWERTY dominant giving all three advantages:

1. Legends do not distract you when you learn the keyboard.
2. QWERTY typists can more easily use the keyboard.
3. The keyboard starts conversations about DSK.

It’s a QWERTY World Out There

I still have to revert to QWERTY to use the electronic mail terminals in airports and when I am setting up a virgin machine when all that will run are the diagnostics.

The Conversion

It took maybe a month before I gained even reasonable speed at DSK. It took maybe another five months before I was faster than I was originally, but now that pain is behind, it was worth it. It was very embarrassing working in an office situation having people hear my painfully slow keystrokes. "Green, why are you mucking about with that. We’ve got a job to do!"

I took so long to learn DSK, because I could not quit QWERTY cold turkey. I used an Apple Lisa on QWERTY during the day and an IBM XT on DSK at night. There was no DSK software for the Lisa. I found that using only two fingers to type when I was forced to use QWERTY did the least damage to my slowly developing DSK skills. However to get the job done I often had to revert to QWERTY even on the IBM.

Only a minority of DSK typist manage to retain the skill to touch type QWERTY. In general, you cannot be a bilingual touch typist. I get mail from time to time telling me "Stuff and nonsense, I type equally well on both." However, most people find their finger reflexes have to be tuned to one system or the other. If you start young, and flip back and forth, every month or so, you have a better chance of becoming skilled in both. In general though, you just hurt yourself by trying to be bilingual. I suspect that those bilingual typists would be even better DSK typists if they let the QWERTY go. At least, any use of QWERTY while you are learning DSK will set you back.

There is a horrible in between period when your subconscious reflexes for DSK start to take over. You lose your ability to type QWERTY rapidly. There you are stuck in the middle for a while unable to type rapidly on either system.

However, as I said at the beginning, you go through the conversion once, and ever after you reap the rewards — every day for the rest of your typing life.

If I were to do it again, I’d wait till a time when I could guarantee that I could type DSK 100% of the time for at least two months without ever having to touch a QWERTY keyboard. I’d like to wait till a slack period so I wouldn’t be tempted to revert to QWERTY to get the job done. But had I done that, I’d have waited forever, and I’d still be stuck on QWERTY. There is no such thing as a slack time, so perhaps all you can hope for is a time when no one is watching you too closely.

DSK Dvorak fingering

Top left of keyboard is pushed slightly away from you.

Keyboard is offset slightly to the left of the centre of your body.

Your arms should be almost level tilting up slightly to reach the keyboard.

Left index finger handles 4 5 6 p y u i k x
Left middle finger handles 3 . e j
Left ring finger handles 2 , o q
Left baby finger handles Esc 1 tab ' ctrl a ` ; shift

Right index finger handles 6 7 f g d h b m
Right middle finger handles 8 c t w
Right ring finger handles 9 r n v
Right baby finger handles 0 \ = bs l / ] s - [ Enter z shift

Generally, a finger handles keys on a back-slanting row. The exception is 6 which is sometimes handled by the left index finger.

Typing Tutor

I was once the chief instructor at a computer summer camp. I interviewed each child as he came in and assessed his typing skills. Some of these kids could type in raw hex coding with perfect accuracy at incredible speed. I asked each of these wunderkinds how he learned to type so well. They invariably answered " Typing Tutor".

Such programs can be used to teach yourself either QWERTY or DSK. It automatically adjusts to drill you on your weakest letters.

I tried the Kriya Typing Tutor (now defunct) for a while and on one memorable occasion clocked 100 words per minute on the standard typing test. There is absolutely zero chance I could have attained that sort of speed with the QWERTY layout.

I have not used such tools for a long time, so those two may not be the best anymore. There are surely many you can find search engine. The trick is to find one with an addictive game. If you know of a good one to recommend for learning DSK, please email me. For candidates see Typing Tutor.

It would not be that hard to create a Typing Tutor program in Java. It might have an analog of the Letter Invaders game. It could have introductory lessons that introduce the keys gradually starting from the centre of the keyboard and working out, along the home row, along the top row, along the bottom row and finally along the numeric row. You could filter a dictionary to find words that can be typed with the current subset of letters. Finding suitable exercise words is much easier than with the QWERTY layout. There is not much point in writing one where there are scores of them out there to evaluate.

Keyboard Layouts

ANSI Standard X4.22-1983 for the ASCII character set

      ~   !   @   #   $   %   ^   @   *   (   )   \   +
  `   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   0   |   =

       "   ,   .   P   Y   F   G   C   R   L   ?   [
       '   ,   .   p   y   f   g   c   r   l   /   ]

         A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   S  ___  {
         a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   s   -   }

 Shf   >   :   Q   J   K   X   B   M   W   V   Z  Shf
       <   ;   q   j   k   x   b   m   w   v   z

                          Space
    

The ANSI DSK standard is the most wishy washy document I ever read. It allows almost anything to call itself standard. However, reading between the lines, this is what I think they really intended to be the standard. They watered it down so as not to offend any manufacturer.

If they published a true standard, then manufacturers might have to retool to conform, and then you could move from keyboard to keyboard and type just as fast as you did on your keyboard back home. Heaven forbid that should happen! The companion QWERTY standard is just as bad.

Approximation to ANSI Standard X4.22-1983 using IBM PC Keycaps

  Esc !   @   #   $   %   ^   @   *   (   )   |   +   Bsp   NmL   ScL
      1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   0   \   =

  Tab  "   <   >   P   Y   F   G   C   R   L   ?   }  Ent  7   8   9   -
       '   ,   .   p   y   f   g   c   r   l   /   ]

   Ctl   A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   S  ___  {     4   5   6
         a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   s   -   [

   ~  Shf  :   Q   J   K   X   B   M   W   V   Z  Shf Prt  1   2   3   +
   `       ;   q   j   k   x   b   m   w   v   z

   Alt                    Space                  Cpl     Ins    Del
  

This layout moves the left shift key back the position God intended for it. The keycap for it cannot be moved however.

Approximation using Keytronics Keyboard

  ~   !   @   #   $   %   ^   @   *   (   )   |   +   Bsp   NmL   ScL
  `   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   0   \   =

  Tab  "   <   >   P   Y   F   G   C   R   L   ?   }   {   7   8   9
  Esc
       '   ,   .   p   y   f   g   c   r   l   /   ]   [

   Ctl   A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   S  ___  Retrn 4   5   6   +
         a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   s   -

  -   Shf  :   Q   J   K   X   B   M   W   V   Z  Shf Prt  1   2   3  Ent
(Shf)      ;   q   j   k   x   b   m   w   v   z       *

   Alt                    Space                  Cpl     Ins    Del
   

This layout has two left shift keys. Some software distinguishes between the two kinds of minus key, and thus this layout will not work since the numeric minus was sacrificed to give you a second left shift key.

Approximation to ANSI Standard X4.22-1983 using 101 Key AT keyboard

Esc     F1  F2  F3  F4  F5  F6  F7  F8  F9  F10  F11  F12

~   !   @   #   $   %   ^   @   *   (   )   |   +   {  Bsp
`   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   0   \   =   [

  Tab  "   <   >   P   Y   F   G   C   R   L   ?   }
       '   ,   .   p   y   f   g   c   r   l   /   ]

CapsLock A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   S  ___  Ent
         a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   s   -

      Shf  :   Q   J   K   X   B   M   W   V   Z  Shf
           ;   q   j   k   x   b   m   w   v   z

Ctrl  Alt                  Space                     Alt   Ctrl
    

This layout moves the left shift key back the position God intended for it. The keycap for it cannot be moved however.

Prelco 84 key layout for XT/AT - no software required

   ~  !   @   #   $   %   ^   @   *   (   )   {   }   |  Bsp  Esc NmL ScL Sys
   `  1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   0   [   ]   \

  Tab  "   <   >   P   Y   F   G   C   R   L   ?   +   Ent   7   8   9   -
       '   ,   .   p   y   f   g   c   r   l   /   =

  Ctrl   A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   S  ___           4   5   6
         a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   s   -

      Shf  :   Q   J   K   X   B   M   W   V   Z  Shf          1   2   3   +
           ;   q   j   k   x   b   m   w   v   z

   Alt                    Space                  Cpl           Ins    Del

This layout moves the function keys to the left. It has a large enter and shift key, though the backspace key is small.

Omnikey Ultra ANSI layout - no software required

Esc   !   @   #   $   %   ^   @   *   (   )   {   }    Bsp
      1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   0   [   ]

   Tab  "   <   >   P   Y   F   G   C   R   L   ?   +    Enter
        '   ,   .   p   y   f   g   c   r   l   /   =

 Ctrl   A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   S  ___
        a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   s   -

      Shf  :   Q   J   K   X   B   M   W   V   Z  Shf    *
           ;   q   j   k   x   b   m   w   v   z

          ~                                        |
   Alt    `   Capslock         Space         Ctrl  \   Alt
   

You can configure this further, swapping Ctrl and CapsLock, \ and *. This layout has a huge backspace and enter key. This keyboard also has function keys down the left and across the top.

The configuration keys work like this: All switches should be off except:
5 - swap CapsLock, Ctrl, Alt
6 - swap asterisk and backslash
7 - Dvorak Layout-1
7,8 - Dvorak Layout-2

Omnikey Ultra Classic layout - no software required

Esc   {   &   %   #   !   (   )   @   $   ^   *   }    Bsp
      [   7   5   3   1   9   0   2   4   6   8   ]

   Tab  "   <   >   P   Y   F   G   C   R   L   ?   +    Enter
        '   ,   .   p   y   f   g   c   r   l   /   =

 Ctrl   A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   S  ___
        a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   s   -

      Shf  :   Q   J   K   X   B   M   W   V   Z  Shf    *
           ;   q   j   k   x   b   m   w   v   z

          ~                                        |
   Alt    `   Capslock         Space         Ctrl  \   Alt
   

This layout further optimizes the punctuation, placing the common parentheses, ! and @ near the centre. You can configure this further, swapping Ctrl and CapsLock, \ and *. This layout has a huge backspace and enter key. It has function keys on the left and along the top.

Omnikey Ultra left-handed layout - no software required

Esc   {   }   ?   P   F   M   L   J   $   #   @   !    Bsp
      [   ]   /   p   f   m   l   j   4   3   2   1

   Tab  :   Q   B   Y   U   R   S   O   >   ^   %   +    Enter
        ;   q   b   y   u   r   s   o   .   6   5   =

 Ctrl  ---  K   C   D   T   H   E   A   Z   *   &
        -   k   c   d   t   h   e   a   z   8   7

      Shf  "   X   G   V   W   N   I   <   )   (  Shf    *
           '   x   g   v   w   n   i   ,   0   9

          ~                                        |
   Alt    `   Capslock         Space         Ctrl  \   Alt
   

This layout is for people who are missing a right hand, or who otherwise have the right hand occupied as they type. This layout has a huge backspace and enter key.

Omnikey Ultra right-handed layout - no software required

Esc   !   @   #   $   J   L   M   F   P   ?   {   }    Bsp
      1   2   3   4   j   l   m   f   p   /   [   ]
   Tab  %   ^   Q   >   O   R   S   U   Y   B   :   +    Enter
        5   6   q   .   o   r   s   u   y   b   ;   =
 Ctrl   &   *   Z   A   E   H   T   D   C   K  ___
        7   8   z   a   e   h   t   d   c   k   -
      Shf  (   )   X   <   I   N   W   V   G   "  Shf    *
           9   0   x   ,   i   n   w   v   g   '
          ~                                        |
   Alt    `   Capslock         Space         Ctrl  \   Alt
   

This layout is for people who are missing a left hand, or who otherwise have the left hand occupied as they type. (Those skilled with this layout may improve their popularity in sex chat rooms.) You can configure this further, swapping Ctrl and CapsLock, \ and *. This layout has a huge backspace and enter key. It has function keys on the left and along the top.

Geneva’s Layout

  ~   !  @   #   $   %   ^   @   *   (   )   _   +
  `   1  2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   0   -   =   Bsp

 tab  ?  <   F   S   P   Y   L   C   R   Q   {   }   |
      /  ,   f   s   p   y   l   c   r   q   [   ]   \

         A   O   E   U   I   D   H   T   N   X   "
         a   o   e   u   i   d   h   t   n   x   '   Enter

 Shf       :   >   J   K   B   G   M   W   V   Z  Shf
           ;   .   j   k   b   g   m   w   v   z

                          Space
                          

Geneva has a damaged right pinkie. This is the modified Dvorak layout she came up with to compensate.

Greystone Big Key

This keyboard is designed for children or people with motor control problems. It has big one inch square keys and comes in either QWERTY or ABC alphabetical layout. You can get them from ErgoCanada.com.

The Arensito Keyboard

The home row is one higher than traditional.

The frequency of use goes roughly like this: etaonhisrdlucmwgfypbkvjzxq. The Dvorak home row in contrast, is aoeui dhtns.

Dvorak did his work with mechanical and electromechanical typewriters. To avoid jamming, you need a rock steady rhythm. The last thing you want are two keys next to each other rolled quickly. In contrast, the Arensito keyboard attempts to put commonly used pairs of letters side by side so that you can quickly roll them. Further, to rapidly key a pair you must co-ordinate both sides of your brain, leading to transposition errors. You don’t have that problem when they are done with the same hand.

I was puzzled over the Arensito placement of the infrequently used g and b in such prime real estate and the demotion of c and h to the awkward bottom row. Hallingstad explained that he found it easier to bend the finger than to move it sideways, especially on Kinesis and Maltron keyboards. He placed keys surrounding the e so that common pairs involving e could be keyed easily with a rolling motion.

The Keytronic Flexpro

This keyboard does not have hardware DSK ability, but it has some interesting features. First the two halves of the keyboard can be adjusted to any angle from about 20 degrees to almost vertical. Next it has adjustable wrist rests which help guide your hands to home position. Third it has replaceable rubber keydomes. If you like a lighter or springier touch, you can get keydome kits to change the feel. Finally, it puts the function keys back on the left where they can be easily hit.

The Fitaly Keyboard

The Fitaly keyboard (named for its F I T A L Y top row) is optimised for one finger or pen keying. It is an on-screen software keyboard designed for use with various PDAs. $35.00 USD

The BAT Keyboard

The BAT keyboard by Infogrip is an unusual keyboard, primarily designed for people who either have no left hand or whose left hand is otherwise occupied. It is not a DSK keyboard; I mention it here because it is an option for the experimentally or ergonomically-minded sorts of people who would consider DSK. There is also a left-handed version. It has three keys for the thumb to press, and only four for the fingers. You have to hit several keys simultaneously with magic "chord" patterns you memorise to type the various letters and punctuation — sort of like the old comptometers. These are popular with people with various sorts of extreme wrist disability since your fingers don’t move. Most people achieve 30-50 wpm. The also make a version with a built-in track ball at the bottom center.

The Microsoft Minimalist Keyboard

Microsoft has take the BAT idea one step further in reducing the keys to the most commonly used Ctrl, Alt and Del.

Esperanto

Esperanto uses accented letters c g h j s u, but there is no q, w, x or y in native Esperanto words.

The SafeType Keyboard

The SafeType keyboard rotates the keys through 90 degrees so that your wrists don’t have to. It does not come in a DSK variant. I have never used this keyboard, but I would imagine you would get tired holding your arms suspended in the air for hours on end.

Letter Frequency

The Adaptive Keyboard

Keyboard Feel

• How springy are the keys? Do you like ones that fight back with strong springs, so you can’t hit them inadvertently, or you do want ones with a feather light touch?
• How deep is the key travel? Do you light deep travel keys where you press them down a solid distance before they click, or do you like keys with a hair-trigger depth?
• Can you tell by feel when you have pressed far enough? A good keyboard has a definite sudden give to it when you have pressed enough. This tactile feedback is important for your finger reflexes to develop.
• How noisy is the keyboard? Do you like a nice solid click to let you know you have hit the key properly, or you do want it totally silent?
• How big are the keys and how widely spaced? Do they feel spaced too far apart so that you feel as if you were playing Lizst on a grand piano, or do they feel cramped as though you were playing a child’s toy piano?
• Can you tell by feel when your fingers are on the home row, or all keys identically shaped and dished in a perfectly regular grid so that it is easy to type an entire line of gibberish by getting your fingers offset by one.
• Does the space bar rattle when you bang one end or the other with your thumb?
• How heavy is the keyboard? Do you want a heavy one so that it will stay put, or a light compact one you can carry around in your briefcase?
• Do you want a numeric keypad or would it just waste desk space and make you move your arm further to access the mouse.
• Do you like the conventional wrists-together posture, or would you prefer wrists apart, or angled? The spread postures takes some getting used to, but they are more comfortable.
• Do you have to type on other people’s machines frequently? Will you take a special keyboard with you, or should you stick to a conventional one so you won’t be all thumbs at a customer site?

  Learning More

Marcus Brooks Dvorak Page is the most comprehensive and has links to dozens of others.

Dan Wood’s online Dvorak Typing Course

Jeff Bigler’s Dvorak Page

Wes Huang’s Dvorak/Kinesis Page

Kory Heath on the Kinesis

Kleanthes Koniaris’s Dvorak Page

Freelance Communications has published a book on Dvorak keyboards called The Dvorak Keyboard. They also put out a quarterly called Dvorak Developments.

Freelance Communications
P.O. Box 1895
Upland, CA
91785

You can also get materials from:
Steve Ingram
Dvorak International
P.O. Box 44
Poultney VT
USA 05764-0044
(802) 287-2343
email:Steve.
web site: http://www.dvorakint.org.
Particularly check out their links page.

You can look up "DSK Dvorak + keyboard" in any of the Internet search engines.

The Bottom Line

The one big question you want to know is, how much faster will you be? The problem is this thing called the bell shaped curve. Some people gain a lot, others a little. The only way to find out where you personally are on the curve is to do it. Once again, my bottom line recommendation: If you can afford it, go whole hog and get a Kinesis keyboard. A good keyboard will pay for itself quickly in terms of increased productivity.