How do I get my hands on a Dvorak keyboard?

Question

I've always assumed that before I can use the Dvorak layout I need to purchase a Dvorak keyboard. But I can't find one on Amazon. Is it simply a matter of popping the keys off a Qwerty keyboard and moving them around?

Answer 1

You'll have trouble getting the keys to fit (perhaps you could just draw over them) but yeah, you should be able to switch layout within the OS.

Answer 2

To help you learn your way around the keyboard layout, you can physically rearrange the keys on your Qwerty keyboard. Or you can simply re-label the keys with stickers. I personally learned to type using the Dvorak layout without re-labeling or re-arranging keys, and found that it was not difficult.

Most modern OSes allow you to remap any keyboard to the Dvorak layout.

• Windows XP/Vista: you can set your mappings through Control Panel->Regional and Language Options->Languages->Details....

• Mac OSX: System Preferences -> International -> Input Menu (thanks jmah)

• Ubuntu: System -> Preferences -> Keyboard, Layouts Tab, Add..., Select the Devorak layout of your choice and optionaly set as default. You can then right-click your panel, select "Add to panel" and choose keyboard indicator. You can then switch between layouts. (Thanks Vagnerr)

Answer 3

Well if you have a fat wallet then an Optimus Keyboard would give you Dvorak(and qwerty and azerty and any combination!)

Answer 4

I don't know how much you are prepared to invest, but I think the Optimus Maximus keyboard from Art Lebedev Studios would be a good choice, since you can switch keyboard layout quite easily and no need for the key pop-up.

Answer 5

Switchable between qwerty and Dvorak: DvortyBoard

Cheap, but you need the OS to remap the keys: Hooleon

Answer 6

You could go with Das Keyboard Ultimate, which has no letters on the keys. You will become a touch Dvorak typist in no time flat. Or you could wimp out and put labels on the keys.

Answer 7

If you're going to rearrange the physical keyboard, go for a Model M with removable key caps.

Answer 8

If you are a touch typer, you will benefit greatly from the Dvorak layout.

The way I taught myself Dvorak as a touch typer was to tape a small copy of the layout to my monitor. Then I practiced typing by looking at the copy instead of the keys.

That was six years ago. I still use stardard Qwerty keyboards, but I haven't looked at what the keys says since I first learned to touch type 20 years ago.

Answer 9

I learned Dvorak by changing the layout using the OS. I printed out a keyboard layout and taped it below my monitor so I could refer to it without looking down at the keys.

Later, once I learned where the keys were, I printed out stickers and put them on the keys caps.

To this day, I just rely on the OS layout switching to get Dvorak.

Answer 10

I tried to rearrange the letters once, on some keyboards it doesn't work. Since the letters are different in shape based on the row they are in.

Answer 11

Don't get a dvorak keyboard. Non-touch-typing dvorak is as bad for your wrists, and as slow, as non-touch-typing qwerty. There is absolutely no point. You want to get out of that habit.

Change the layout in your OS and learn not to rely on looking at the keyboard. If anything, pop off the keycaps and put them back in randomly. If you absolutely must buy new hardware, get a Das Keyboard or any other blank keyboard.

Answer 12

On most PC keyboards the keys have in each row have a different shape. The tops of the keycaps are at a different angle. This provides a slight front-to-back curvature of the top surface of the keys. (You can see this if you peer at the keys from the side).

If you go moving keys between rows, the tops of the keys will not line up... the keyboard will look strange and feel "bumpy" and uneven. Not good for touch typing.

Solutions:

A flat keyboard - a few manufacturers produce keyboards where all the keycaps are the same shape. Apple and Sun keyboards are like this, and I think most Logitech keyboards too... But be careful of the new Apple aluminium keyboard -- it may be harder to remove the keycaps safely.

Also, you are best starting with a US QWERTY keyboard. Other national layouts have some different keys, and you won't be able to get standard Dvorak by re-arranging.

Answer 13

I decided to find all the posts regarding Dvorak and add this little bit of insight from Reason magazine regarding the Dvorak keyboard:

http://www.reason.com/news/show/29944.html

Summary: Dvorak is to keyboards what Linus Pauling is to Vitamin C (no one could reproduce his results) and the whole "QWERTY is set up to reduce typing speed" is false.

Answer 14

You could try getting a custom keyboard from Unicomp. They offer an IBM buckling spring style keyboard called the "Customizer 104/105" that is available in many different languages, including US-Dvorak if you ask for it. I have purchased a couple of keyboards from this company and the quality is top notch. If you want a new buckling spring keyboard, this is the only company that I am aware of that offers them.

This keyboard is hardwired so you don't have any of the issues that you would have if you switch the keyboard layout in the OS - like your log-in key map being different than your account key map, or problems with remoting into another computer.

Unicomp Keyboards