- Dvorak Keyboard Layout – Switching
- Using The Dvorak Keyboard Layout With Leopard
Several years ago, I was having significant trouble with wrist and hand pain so I taught myself to use the Dvorak keyboard layout for touch typing. It was frustrating to do, but paid off handsomely in the end. I also switched from using an ordinary keyboard to using the Kinesis Advantage ergonomic keyboard which offers Dvorak built in, but you can use the Dvorak layout without getting a new keyboard or spending any money.
This is what the Dvorak keyboard layout looks like:
It looks strange to those who are only used to a QWERTY keyboard, but if you’re an English user the Dvorak layout in more logical. The keys used most commonly in English are, in order, E T A O I N. The Dvorak layout puts them much closer to where your fingers rest on the home keys so less finger movement is required. I don’t know the exact statistics but you can generally type more text with less finger movement on a Dvorak keyboard than the equivalent QWERTY keyboard. Dvorak won’t be very helpful if you use “hunt and peck” typing – its benefits are really only for touch typing.
So how can you try this without shelling out money for a physical Dvorak keyboard? The answer is built right into OS X! To learn how to set up your account to use the Dvorak layout, read the appropriate tutorial here:
- For OS X 10.5 users: Using The Dvorak Keyboard Layout With Leopard
- For OS X 10.6 users: Using the Dvorak Keyboard Layout With Snow Leopard
As for how to learn to use this new layout, there are a few typing tutors available which understand the Dvorak layout – Powertyping Online Dvorak Typing Tutor is great for using right from your web browser, and the multilingual aTypeTrainer4Mac can be used to train in Dvorak.
Something else that helped me greatly when I was learning was printing out a picture of the keyboard layout, colour-coding it to show which finger hits which keys, and attaching it to the top of the monitor so I could see it easily – that way I learned to look up to check my finger placement rather than looking down at the keyboard and my fingers. Dvorak is a layout designed for touch-typing without watching your fingers, so this helps you get into good habits.
The first month I was learning to type again was insanely frustrating! I couldn’t do as much, I couldn’t do anything without thinking about each letter, and I couldn’t do anything fast. My technique was to set my computer to start up in Dvorak mode and I would use that layout until I couldn’t stand it any more and then switch back to QWERTY for the rest of the day. Gradually the time until frustration meltdown lengthened and by the end of a month I could get to lunch time before my frustration boiled over. At that point I decided that using QWERTY was just making it harder for me to learn and I have used Dvorak full time ever since.
I suggest reading through these web resources for more hints and tips:
- Sean Bourke’s Tips On Learning Dvorak
- M W Brooks’ Introducing the Dvorak Keyboard
- Chimoosoft has a great page on the Dvorak Keyboard Layout including Mac OS X relevant resources. They list a few programs known to give problems with Dvorak layouts but I don’t use any of them so I can’t comment on their accuracy.
Best of luck!
- Ricky Buchanan
You can also buy silicon covers for your keyboard.
@William: That’s a great point. Keyboard covers can help a lot, but I’d still suggest putting a picture above your screen and using that as much as possible so you don’t get into the habit of watching your fingers.
I taught myself to type dvorak by putting blue painter’s tape on my keycaps and writing the letters on it in sharpie. I agree that your solution promotes better habits, though–when I finally took the tape off, I learned just how much I’d been relying on it!
@Andrew: Did you persist with Dvorak after that and get the hang of touch typing with it? It’s one of those things that really doesn’t help if you’re doing hunt-and-peck style typing!
Dear Ricky:
I am considering the dvorak system. I have a couple of questions after reading your article on switching to dvorak. I am on my husbands mac which has OX S 10.5.6. So it was easy to find the imput menu. Just below the dvorak that you have circled is “dvorak-querty with the mac command symbol” what is the difference between these two. Am I getting the right impression that switching back to querty is as easy clicking on the Dvorak Flag and then re checking the box by US Keyboard Roman. When I choose dvorak does this just apply to my user account or does it apply to my husbands account also. I am sure he will probably not want to switch to dvorak–his hands and arms are in terrible pain so I wish he really would.
The second reason — he would have a cow if did anything to mess up his Mac. So I do need to be considerate.
I would like the ability to switch back to qwerty quickly because I am trying to get back in the workforce and I would like to be able to switch back and forth since I don’t know if I would get into a totally “qwerty” situation.
I can type 60 wpm on qwerty but I am concerned about hand and eye strain from the get go. I only have one eye and I would like to get the typing done and use the extra time to rest my hands, eyes, and mind.
Thank you so very much for any information you can give me. It is really appreciated.
@Sandra: The “Dvorak with qwerty commands” one means if you hold the command key you can type command-key shortcuts in a QWERTY style layout. It’s not really helpful for anybody, IMHO, but some people remember the command keys more by location that key name so I guess it could help when learning Dvorak for them.
Setting Dvorak in your account is only local to your account – won’t mess up hubby’s account. And you’re right about clicking the flags to switch back, it’s very easy to switch back and forth when you’re learning.
Best of luck – let me know how you go!
Dear Ricky:
I am so grateful for the advice and the quick reply.
I do want to get back into the workforce but I want every advantage I can get. It is so very competitive out there and I have been out for a very long time with taking care of a special needs child.
I think my single eye situation probably affects my typing skills by causing overwork strain and fatigue on that eye.
Thanks again and I will try to update you as soon as I see how it is going.
I just ran across your site while looking for some dvorak-related stuff and thought I’d add my two cents. I switched to dvorak about a year ago and I’m never switching back. I used typing lessons at http://gigliwood.com/abcd/. They aren’t the best but they work.
You don’t need any special keyboard to switch. I’m using the same qwerty keyboard now as I did when I was learning. You can’t look at the keys because only A and M are in the same spots but it’ll help you in the long run.
Also, if you decide to make the switch then don’t ever go back to qwerty. It’ll be frustrating but you’ll learn 10 times faster if you never switch back to finish writing that email a bit sooner.
The only disadvantage I’ve found to dvorak is that the rest of the world is in qwerty. If you need to use someone else’s computer then you’ll need to switch the keyboard layout. If they’re using mac it’s an easy switch. If it’s windows a good tool is DVAssist. Google it and you’ll find a free download. Running it lets you switch from qwerty to dvorak and back with a shortcut command you set on first run.
Good luck!
@Dallin: I found that I never would have learned Dvorak without letting myself switch back to QWERTY when necessary for speed in the month I was learning. I’m glad you found a method that worked for you though! That’s what matters.
I’m having a bit of bother with using dvorak here and wondered if anyone had any solutions or ideas. switching to dvorak has made me realise i’m ever so slightly dyslexic, and that normally if i was spelling i would almost unconsciously picture a keyboard and ‘feel’ the word as i spelled it. now that i’ve changed layout, i find i can’t spell anymore, and i’m actually slower than on qwerty because i have to keep going back to fix spelling mistakes and things. i’m using dvorak for about six months, and my typing speed is pretty good, but its frustrating having to be extra careful on the keys. has anyone else experienced anything like this or come across any tips for the slightly more visual person like myself?
@Garrett: It’s not a problem I’ve come across and not being dyslexic myself I don’t really have any useful suggestions for you. I would assume the picture/feeling for words will come with practice but I wouldn’t have a clue how much practice. If you find any more tips or come up with solutions please come back and post again!
I have been a long-time Dvorak keyboard user, but recently converted to Mac (MacBook Pro).
I’m having real difficulty with the way that Mac (OSX, 10.5.8) has implemented Dvorak. Specifically, it appears that each program can override the the OS settings for the implementation of fn, control, alt/option & command shortcuts! This makes the keyboard layout inconsistent between applications. To make matters worse, I think some programs (e.g., Final Cut Pro v7) have completely broken some shortcuts when using the Dvorak keyboard layout (even when choosing the QWERTY command option).
Have you experienced this or is something wrong with my MacBook?
@Lee: I know there’s one keyboard option labelled “Dvorak – Qwerty ⌘” which uses the QWERTY layout for command keys only, have you checked that’s not selected? You seem to be aware it exists so I don’t think that’s the problem, and anyway it shouldn’t cause inconsistencies. Aside from that, I don’t really have any ideas… An application which messes with shortcut keys like that must (I think) not be using Apple’s approved methods of telling the operating system about what keyboard shortcuts it has. It does surprise me that an application like Final Cut Pro which is from Apple itself would mess this up!
I actually use a keyboard which implements the Dvorak layer in the hardware, so the computer doesn’t know about it. My keyboard layout on OS X is set to QWERTY, it’s only the external keyboard itself I have to set up. So any operating system problems wouldn’t show up for me …
Have you tried posting about this on the Apple message boards for Leopard? There are a lot of knowledgeable people there, somebody may be able to help you. Alternatively, if you live somewhere close to an Apple store I suggest you ask the people there. I realise this isn’t much help – if I come up with anything else I’ll let you know.
@Lee: Are you by chance running Leopard version 10.5.6? I found reports on the Apple message boards of a problem where Dvorak breaks in carbon apps under 10.5.6. From reports it sounds exactly like what you describe. If this is the problem, your system just needs upgrading – use the “Software Update” command (in the Apple menu) to upgrade to the current version which is 10.5.8 and this should cure your woes!
Let me know how it goes, and best of luck
I’m using 10.5.8…problem still exists. I’ve tried both Dvorak and Dvorak-QWERTY and the results are the same.
Can you tell me about your hardware solution? If I understand correctly, I don’t think this would be a practical solution for a laptop.
@Lee: By “hardware solution” I meant an external keyboard which can itself be set to a Dvorak layout. I use the Kinesis Advantage which is nice and ergonomic and can be switched from Dvorak to QWERTY whenever I want, independent of the computer. So the computer is always set to QWERTY layout and is always send QWERTY characters, the keyboard itself switches the layouts. So no, wouldn’t work for a laptop unless you wanted an extra keyboard. At this point I suggest you contact Apple in some fashion, sorry!
Garrett, I would like to chat with you about your experience using dvorak. I’m interested in how someone who is dyslexic adapts to the system. I want to know what you mean by picture a keyboard and “feel” a word as you spell.
Please contact me at mark dot s dot mulholland @ gmail.com
thanks,
Mark
Lee,
Hi, I’ve had the same problem with Final Cut Pro 6. The lame thing is that Final Cut 4.5 (and I think 5 as well) was able to translate the default shortcuts easily for dvorak, much better than p-shop or adobe product. Then 6 came out and Bang, no shortcuts for dvorak users, not even qwerty-dvorak shortcuts (like you have to use in p-shop). If you come up with a solution I’d love to hear what it is. I can’t type on qwerty and look disabled when I try.
jamesstephenbrown@gmail.com
Cheers,
James
Wait. Solved it. For Final Cut DON’T USE the Dvorak-Qwerty option use the Dvorak only option. You need to start FCP with this language option selected. If you change language while FCP is open it won’t work.
Has anyone gotten Dvorak to work with Final Cut Express? It seems to just ignore all the letter keys entirely when the keyboard is set to anything except U.S.