Comment by georgieporgie | Hacker News Reader

Comment by georgieporgie | Hacker News Reader

I switched to Dvorak about twelve years ago, in an attempt to solve a nasty bout of RSI (tendinitis in my wrists).

I printed out a copy of the Dvorak keyboard layout and taped it above my keyboard. From what I recall, it took about a week to be even barely functional. I was already a very fast QWERTY typist, so it caused anguish to put up with such slow typing. On the occasion that someone needed something from me in a reasonable timeframe, I would switch back to QWERTY, finish the task, then go back to fumbling along in Dvorak. Never switch keyboard layouts in the middle of a project. :-)

I would say it took about a year to really reach my full Dvorak potential. Even so, over a decade later, I'm pretty sure that I'm still not as fast as I was on QWERTY. I just don't think you can match the muscle memory developed when you're young.

As for the RSI, I would say that you're better served by getting a high-quality keyboard that suits you than you are by switching keyboard layouts. Microsoft Natural keyboards are awful (sadly, I didn't know this when I was young and switched to one, which no doubt greatly exacerbated my pain). Get a keyboard with nice, light, consistent mechanical switches. An old IBM Model M will do, or a Das. My favorite is the Kinesis Classic, which takes an extra few weeks to adapt to, but IMO it's nearly ideal for programmers due to the excellent arrow key position (also, this help with Vim + Dvorak).

I had a opposite experience with MS Natural: I used them with great success for 12 years - I would quickly develop wrist pain on regular keyboard. I only switched to Kinesis because I decided it doesn't make sense not to use the best tool available. Kinesis is great too - btw, if you are in the Seattle area, you can stop by their office and buy directly from them.

I read a bunch of research papers on different keyboard layouts and ergonomic designs, with the goal of increasing productivity. There is no consensus whether DVORAK is more productive than QWERTY, or which of the various ergonomic keyboard designs are more productive or less prone to contribute to RSI. The research surrounding keyboards is so conflicted, the only thing that makes sense is to try a few different keyboards and then pick one that is comfortable for you. It probably isn't worth switching to DVORAK because of the lost productivity while learning the new layout.

A more detailed summary of the research can be found here: http://grokcode.com/701/the-ergonomic-keyboard-productivity-...

I got a kinesis and switched to vim around the same time. I think that vim has made the biggest difference because of the reduced use of the mouse and trackpad.

I do love my kinesis though.

That's about correct.

It's strange that the geek-dom which is quick to point out all BS, from "bio-magnetic" bracelets to internet hoaxes and urban legends, repeats so often this Dvorak myth.

Here's a well researched article on the matter. There have been several discussions on HN also:

http://reason.com/archives/1996/06/01/typing-errors/1

TL;DR; Dvorak fabricated the "research" to make a sell of his invention. The very basis that Qwerty was designed to slow down typists specifically is also BS -- it was designed to avoid typewriter hammer jams, by alternating common key pairs to different hammers (something else altogether).

Even if Dvorak was correct at the time --he wasn't--, we as programmers, don't type much prose, which would make his metrics invalid and bound to be recalculated with all the symbols stuff we use all the time . [],{},(),,"",- etc. For example, a period is something that occurs once at the end of every sentence in prose. In common programming that would be the semicolon.

I think much of the viral nature of the Dvorak myth is due to the feeling of superiority the guy that adopted Dvorak gets (plus investment). This makes him much less prone to discredit it.

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