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A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:33 pm
by ramen07
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_keyboard

This looks quite interesting....It moves the keys around in such a manner that you don't have to exhaust yourself typing the same old way.

Your thoughts on it? I personally think it would be a lot easier with this keyboard rather than a QWERTY keyboard.

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:55 pm
by Solus
it'd take time to get used to the new layout..... may end up being faster after however going from dvorak to qwerty and vice versa would be a pain.

verdict: 3/10, may be intuitive but a waste of time imo.

~soul

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:58 pm
by ramen07
No pain no gain...

Plus if the difference in typing is big then it would be def worth it because less time typing = more time gaming :D

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:04 pm
by Solus
yes BUT most computers use qwerty key layout. and in a way of life where our work is done largely on computer (office crap) i'd rather retain my proficiency with qwerty rather than lose time on the job by playing with dvorak. besides, i can only type *so* fast, and qwerty suits me fine.

~soul

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:49 am
by Kit-Fox
Dvorak layouts are indeed much fasterthan the standard Qwerty layout.

This is because of the placement of the keys, the Dvorak system uses a much more logical approach based around which keys are used the most.

An interesting fact to note is that the Qwerty layout only came about because of typists getting so fast on old manual typewriters on the old layouts that they were causing head jams as the heads came up to hit the ribbon and print the letter onto the paper. Qwerty is deliberately designed to slow you down so that creating such a jam should be impossible

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:42 am
by Caladon
Interesting . . . . both the history/rationale behind QWERTY and the Dvorak layout. I agree with VOID on this though, the PC's I have to use at work and abroad have the QWERTY layout, so I'd stick with it.

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 2:50 pm
by Solus
Caladon wrote:Interesting . . . . both the history/rationale behind QWERTY and the Dvorak layout. I agree with VOID on this though, the PC's I have to use at work and abroad have the QWERTY layout, so I'd stick with it.


yeah i guess you could call it an 'industry standard' and in any case if it wasnt, many ppl still use qwerty so getting used to one then getting to use the other....... meh.

~soul

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:07 pm
by Caladon
.:VOID:. wrote:
Caladon wrote:Interesting . . . . both the history/rationale behind QWERTY and the Dvorak layout. I agree with VOID on this though, the PC's I have to use at work and abroad have the QWERTY layout, so I'd stick with it.


yeah i guess you could call it an 'industry standard' and in any case if it wasnt, many ppl still use qwerty so getting used to one then getting to use the other....... meh.

~soul


Agreed.

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:53 pm
by ramen07
.:VOID:. wrote:
Caladon wrote:Interesting . . . . both the history/rationale behind QWERTY and the Dvorak layout. I agree with VOID on this though, the PC's I have to use at work and abroad have the QWERTY layout, so I'd stick with it.


yeah i guess you could call it an 'industry standard' and in any case if it wasnt, many ppl still use qwerty so getting used to one then getting to use the other....... meh.

~soul


Suppose you worked on a laptop or could switch out a keyboard. Settings could be switched as Dvorak actually comes standard on I think most computers (correct me if I'm wrong) and some keyboards are lettered in Dvorak. I believe the increase in productivity would outweigh any inconveniences with switching things around.

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:44 pm
by Nobody101
Dammm that's annoying why would they mass produce the key board that is designed to slow you down??? Ehhh doesn't make a difference, i can type as fast as me fingers can go so i doubt a dvorak would make any difference at all to me, once you can touch type it don't take long to get out what you want to say

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:29 pm
by Solus
ramen07 wrote:
.:VOID:. wrote:
Caladon wrote:Interesting . . . . both the history/rationale behind QWERTY and the Dvorak layout. I agree with VOID on this though, the PC's I have to use at work and abroad have the QWERTY layout, so I'd stick with it.


yeah i guess you could call it an 'industry standard' and in any case if it wasnt, many ppl still use qwerty so getting used to one then getting to use the other....... meh.

~soul


Suppose you worked on a laptop or could switch out a keyboard. Settings could be switched as Dvorak actually comes standard on I think most computers (correct me if I'm wrong) and some keyboards are lettered in Dvorak. I believe the increase in productivity would outweigh any inconveniences with switching things around.


compatable with doesnt always mean standard........ if you go to any computer store, most keyboards on the shelf are qwerty. most computers everywhere are qwerty. sure it'd be faster and good for business and all that but consider this: in that period where ppl are trying to learn this new keyboard the productivity is reduced. also if the business took an angle like upgrading one section at a time, then going from machine to machine will be a pain. and unless employees feel like paying for a rather uncommon keyboard it'll be useless anyway as they already use qwerty elsewhere. going from machine to machine will make the process of adapting longer. in the business world this isnt a viable change. and for the average consumer its not exactly easy to use dvorak layout then on almost every other keyboard go back to qwerty. its an awkward thing to go to now qwerty is so commonplace now.

~soul

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:38 pm
by ramen07
.:VOID:. wrote:
ramen07 wrote:
.:VOID:. wrote:
Caladon wrote:Interesting . . . . both the history/rationale behind QWERTY and the Dvorak layout. I agree with VOID on this though, the PC's I have to use at work and abroad have the QWERTY layout, so I'd stick with it.


yeah i guess you could call it an 'industry standard' and in any case if it wasnt, many ppl still use qwerty so getting used to one then getting to use the other....... meh.

~soul


Suppose you worked on a laptop or could switch out a keyboard. Settings could be switched as Dvorak actually comes standard on I think most computers (correct me if I'm wrong) and some keyboards are lettered in Dvorak. I believe the increase in productivity would outweigh any inconveniences with switching things around.


compatable with doesnt always mean standard........ if you go to any computer store, most keyboards on the shelf are qwerty. most computers everywhere are qwerty. sure it'd be faster and good for business and all that but consider this: in that period where ppl are trying to learn this new keyboard the productivity is reduced. also if the business took an angle like upgrading one section at a time, then going from machine to machine will be a pain. and unless employees feel like paying for a rather uncommon keyboard it'll be useless anyway as they already use qwerty elsewhere. going from machine to machine will make the process of adapting longer. in the business world this isnt a viable change. and for the average consumer its not exactly easy to use dvorak layout then on almost every other keyboard go back to qwerty. its an awkward thing to go to now qwerty is so commonplace now.

~soul


I see your point. We should start a new trend :lol:

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:49 pm
by Kit-Fox
I hate to rain on peoples parades but the Qwerty layout is only the defacto standard in so called 'western' countries like the US/UK, further afield across the world the Dvorak keyboard layout does get a lot more exposure & use.

Not to mention in places like russia dvorak makes much more sense especially if you are using a russian lettered (ie cyrillic) keyboard or so I am led to believe.

Assuming that Qwerty is the be all & end all of layouts and is a defacto standard across the world is bloody arrogant at best.

Oh and Arabic lettered keyboards usually have totally different layouts to both qwerty & dvorak :P Just to throw a spanner in the works as it was

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:57 pm
by ramen07
Kit-Fox wrote:I hate to rain on peoples parades but the Qwerty layout is only the defacto standard in so called 'western' countries like the US/UK, further afield across the world the Dvorak keyboard layout does get a lot more exposure & use.

Not to mention in places like russia dvorak makes much more sense especially if you are using a russian lettered (ie cyrillic) keyboard or so I am led to believe.

Assuming that Qwerty is the be all & end all of layouts and is a defacto standard across the world is bloody arrogant at best.

Oh and Arabic lettered keyboards usually have totally different layouts to both qwerty & dvorak :P Just to throw a spanner in the works as it was


Interesting...looks like the US is the only one/one of the only ones left using another old system. The English system of measurement, QWERTY keyboards, what's next?

Re: A keyboard layout other than QWERTY?

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:51 pm
by Solus
Kit-Fox wrote:Assuming that Qwerty is the be all & end all of layouts and is a defacto standard across the world is bloody arrogant at best.


where i live and may others yes qwerty is the be all and end all. otherwise not so i know this. but in any case the simple fact is that for ppl in western culture where they mainly use qwerty, transitioning to dvorak will be a waste of time and money through lost productivity in the business world. i didnt particularly say that it is the trend 'worldwide' did i? :lol:

~soul