Early experiences

Since 1934, experts have been writing about how easy it is to learn the Dvorak keyboard, but not much has been written by persons with average or below average typing speed who made the switch -- and lived to tell the tale. In this narrative, we hope to shed some light on problems that occur with Dvorak keyboarding, some reasons people get discouraged, and steps we can take to keep them from quitting. My own speed on the old keyboard had leveled out at 55-60 wpm. After the first two months of using the Dvorak layout, my fingers were still strongly attached to the old system, but in that comparatively short time I had reached the point where continuing with the new layout made more sense than turning back. A newspaper article published about 12 years ago provided my first look at the Dvorak layout. Interest was kindled by the idea you have a choice between a keyboard designed to be awkward, and one that has been greatly improved. It's a simple choice. Buy a Dvorak typewriter, learn the layout, then type happily evermore.

One typewriter salesman claimed he had never heard of the Dvorak keyboard. The pitch was, "Millions of office workers who use the standard keyboard can't change to a new layout, therefore, manufacturers cannot sell them. Oh, sure, Smith-Corona had a Dvorak typewriter out on the market for a while but they found it unprofitable . . . ." Notice how the salesman who had never heard of the Dvorak layout was now telling the history of Smith-Corona's experience with it. Another issue was that typewriter companies would be putting themselves out of business by producing a more efficient keyboard. Silver Reed manufactured a typewriter that could be changed to Dvorak at the touch of a switch, but to make it practical, expensive memory had to be added. Furthermore, it earned only middling reviews in Consumer Reports.

With early Dvorak software one glitch after another was experienced. The letter keys worked but the command keys were still configured to the old keyboard. There was always one problem or another to eat up your time, thereby defeating the purpose for using Dvorak in the first place. Under those circumstances, and in exemplary role-model fashion -- I quit. It is only since the mid-90s that one is able to find dependable and secure keyboard configurations. Glad to be back!

Here are the relative positions of the letters for both layouts.

First the qwerty:

Q W E R T Y U I O P [

A S D F G H J K L ; '

Z X C V B N M , . /

Now the same relative positions for Dvorak:

' , . P Y F G C R L /

A O E U I D H T N S -

; Q J K X B M W V Z

Dvorak International is an excellent source for information and materials, including their newsletter, Striking Home. In 1988, I took a trip to Brandon, Vermont to visit Dvorak International and its director, Virginia Russell, expecting to find an office staffed by maybe one or two people. Stopping for directions proved to be interesting -- picture a New England small-town diner with waitresses, workmen having coffee, some local farmers, a few salesmen -- your typical daytime diner patrons -- all in a relaxed mood chatting about the Dvorak keyboard. What a trip! It turned out that Mrs. Russell, who used to run the organization out of her home, no longer did. I have still yet to visit Dvorak International, but their gleaming offices are now located in Eugene, Oregon. Information about Dvorak International.

Barbara Blackburn was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for 14 years as the world's fastest typist. She typed at a speed of 170 wpm using the Dvorak keyboard (she has since slowed down some - to a mere 150 wpm). Learn more about Barbara Blackburn.