Convert to a Dvorak keyboard from a QWERTY keyboard

[spudtec8]

I find the music a good choice, though I cant figure out why it goes on for four minutes after your video ends. if you do decide to try making this video again, also make sure the music isnt covering up up your voice. additionally i would add instructions on how to set a computer to read it as dvorak.

[landen99]

So did you try it and find qwerty superior or simply conclude that if you don't notice a problem then there must not be one? Like all stresses, it is hard to know the advantage until you experience the difference.

[jcbahr]

You played Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony in the background of a way to convert a keyboard to a layout made by August Dvorak!!!!

Wonderful!!

[felixduhcat89]

This helps a lot :D

[slipknotlover89]

the music is gay & ur just ruining the keyboard !!

[jefboyardee]

or just buy one... fentek-ind . com / dvorak . htm

[RichardEllwood]

I've been learning Dvorak. It's been going slowly but I'm gradually getting it.  Thanks for the video. Also, I like your "Convert-Qwerty-to-Dvorak" theme song.

[shamoo7000]

its so much better to just use an unaltered keyboard (with dvorak software) cuz you dont have to go thru the trouble of switching.... and its easier to touch-type cuz u cant really look at the keys.... or just black out the letters on the keys with a Sharpie like i did... (then no one can steal your computer!!!)

[xgenra]

if its one thing i learned about working...

IF YOU FIND A WAY TO DO YOUR JOB EASIER, FASTER, AND LESS PAINFUL FOR YOURSELF......KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!!!

if we let everyone in on this....then they will expect EVEN MORE!!!

take it easy on ourselves guys.

lets use this to our advantage.

dont tell anyone.

[sharkhead7854]

Heheh, I'm using a flash drive utility that changes my format 'til I unplug it. I say don't change the keys around, like landen says it's extra security (people won't be able to use your keyboard) and it helps you learn better. After about 2 days of learning this layout I'm up to 14 wpm, switching from ~64 wpm qwerty.

[PkedYou]

The problem with Dvorak is that 95% of keyboards are QWERTY you go to work and get confused of where to type if you use a Dvorak at home......

[AshleyTisdaleAndTJ]

@PkedYou take it w/ u. lol not that hard

it'd make life so much easier! lol

[PkedYou]

@AshleyTisdaleAndTJ What about in a library? I don't think there's many Dvorak laptops either...The pro's outweigh the cons right now.. Maybe in 20-30 years Dvorak will catch on commercially.

Who wants to lug around a keyboard and plug it in to every computer they use? Not me.

[egarrulo]

I do not recommend changing keycaps. Besides that J and K can not be swapped on some keyboards, most used letters will be right under your fingers, therefore you'll have to raise them to see the letters. Better print an image of the keyboard and attach it under the monitor.

Cheers

[GegoXaren]

A pair of pliers/wire cutters does wonders when converting keyboards....

: D

[112251919112]

yea, theres groves on the top of my keys, and the grove on the J is on the bottom. X(

[craighughes16]

I think during the learning stages it is better not to change the keys, as looking down is detrimental when learning to touch type. It's nice to look at your strange keyboard and see what reactions you get though. I changed mine back to QWERTY after a couple of days and now I never look down and type at 60wpm. If you regularly use other computers you can get a program that runs from a flash drive that temporarily changes the layout. It's called Portable Keyboard Layout

[MarshunMartin]

For the (free) Dvorak tutorial that I used, look up "ABCD: A Basic Course in Dvorak". Make sure that you have some free time, though, as it took me a while to get up to speed with Dvorak.

But oh, am I ever so happy that I switched... after a few months, my speed is already ~80 WPM (took me years to get to that on QUERTY.)

[MarshunMartin]

Thanks for the tutorial. I'm going to try this, actually so that when people use my computer, I don't have to switch it to QUERTY (so they can look at the keys, and I don't care if they don't like it. =P)

Note: when you learn Dvorak, I'd recommend *not* making a physical Dvorak layout. Use the software to switch the layout to Dvorak, but keep your physical QUERTY keyboard to prevent the temptation to look at the keys. It makes learning slower but it hugely improves accuracy down the road.

[landen99]

This layout has improved my computer security by rendering malicious users impotent in their schemes. They can't do anything and their frustration and anxiety about getting caught both quickly shoot through the roof. Their subconscious gasps easily and quickly draw my attention to the stealthy user.

PS: Having two layouts setup in Windows (free) has been problematic as Windows sometimes switches without warning. So I only have the Dvorak enabled for my account. Problem solved, free.

[Qwerty2Dvorak]

Look up the QIDO - Qwerty to Dvorak USB Converter / Adapter.

It connects between your keyboard and PC/Mac to control your keyboard layout and layout switching in hardware.

If you want to keep the Qwerty option (shared keyboard), then you can get some stickers from 4keyboard.

[crystalclear506]

Why do you change the layout ? what's wrong with QWERTY ?

[landen99]

It is a lot harder on the wrists. All that movement up and down of the fingers quickly reveals the difference. As I type this on the Dvorak layout, my wrists and hands feel relatively unstressed.

[yocbjone]

@landen99 i have been writing on a qwerty keyboard the last 20 years, no problem yet, real happy with it, so i think i'll stick with it! cool to see that there's actuallly something different than what allready works perfectly fine tho!

[landen99]

I would like to draw your attention to the option of placing different color letter stickers on the keyboard for those of you who share the computer (and keyboard) with QWERTY users, so that the same keyboard has keys labeled with both layouts.

[nad2k8]

Do you need change the layout if you touch-type? Probably no. What I wanted to know how to make Dvorak w/ accent marks like "US-International". I sometimes need to type Spanish or Latvian, i.e., in languages that have accented letters. "US-International" allows it by holding the right Alt or pressing apostrophe.

[landen99]

The layout on Windows needs to be changed, but the physical keyboard does not. My issue though is that sometimes I look down, because I never learned touch type well until I adopted Dvorak and seeing the QWERTY keys throws me off. When I have Dvorak to touch type, the keyboard lettering won't matter.

[vict0r1ous]

@landen99 how do i set my computer to recognize dvorak

[landen99]

@vict0r1ous Windows button, Control Panel then either Region and Language and Keyboards tab or Clock, Language, change keyboards, depending on how you view it. Click change keyboards, Add, US-Dvorak under the General tab.

[caphits]

pressing the ctrl+shift changes between the 2 "languages" once it is set up.

[GegoXaren]

typing this from a svorak now.......

[FOOSAG]

Nice tutorial!! I just converted an old QWERTY keyboard of mine to Dvorak. Although some of the keys are uneven because of the sloped design, it still works.

This comment was made from my newly converted Dvorak keyboard!

[SuperPostman]

Fun to do and good for our hands...

I hate Qwerty...

[xXHobbesXx]

Excellent tutorial...I just converted mine today and already I can see that it makes much more sense (though my keyboard's a tad uneven due to it's curved style).

My only problem with it right now is msn messenger...is it possible to use dvorak with the program?

[landen99]

While the program is in focus, you can select the keyboard in WinXP and set the keyboard to the Dvorak layout. Alternatively, you can set the default keyboard in Win XP or Vista to Dvorak.

[ftpaddict]

I think you've mispronounced Dvorak, but WHO CARES? I want to try this thing.

[ibx33]

Nope. He pronounced it correctly in the original Czech.

[ftpaddict]

I don't remember Czech being so iffy.

[ibx33]

Haha, What do you mean?

[ftpaddict]

Well I've heard people talking Czech, and based on my deductions, Czechs don't add letters out of the blue in their pronunciations.

I could be wrong. Probably am.

[ibx33]

Well, I guess the problem is actually that in Czech, the R in "Dvorak", at least if it's the same spelling as the composer of the same name, should have an accent on it. Then it makes kind of a hard J sound. I'm not claiming to be an expert on the language, but I have been taking Czech class for the last few semesters. And upon listening to it again, he didn't exactly say it right, but oh well...not really important.

[landen99]

It only took me one minute of typing according to the Dvorak layout (being still quite unfamiliar with it) to realize that it was so much better for my hands. I didn't know that it was possible for the fingers to remain on the home row so much of the time.

[mylesloach]

I'm pretty sure it's pronounced "d'vo-RACK", not "d'vor-JIK". But anyway, I've been using Dvorak for the past 3 years or so, and I love it. I've been encouraging others to use it as well, with minimal success... but still, at least I'm spreading the word. :)

[landen99]

According to Wikipedia on August Dvorak:

"While the composer's name is pronounced [ˈdvɔr̝ɑːk]), with the ř roughly as a simultaneous trilled [r] and [ʒ], August Dvorak's family in the U.S. pronounces it as IPA: /ˈdvɔræk/[4]."

[landen99]

harder to crack the login password, that's for sure. Only a few hours of practice and my fingers already know where most of the keys are .. almost instinctually.

[stytos]

Given the accent, the shadowing on the carpet, the actual carpet colour, and the way you're wearing that Seiko watch, I'd have to guess that you live in Texas, went to school in Utah, and have family living in Oregon. How close am I?

Congrats on the keyboard, I may actually do that with a spare Saitek keyboard - would be good to confuse other peoples who're using my computer.