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RE: [TCLUG:2561] Dvorak





> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Christopher Palmer [SMTP:reid@pconline.com]
> Sent:	Saturday, December 05, 1998 12:06 PM
> To:	tclug-list@listserv.real-time.com
> Subject:	[TCLUG:2561] Dvorak (was: posters and questions)
> 
> On 5 Dec 1998 barnabas@pobox.com wrote:
> 
> > I would guess that approximately 30-40% of the letters are vowels
> 
> This obviously varies by language...
> 
> > and when you add to that the consonants and punctuation that are in
> the
> > left hand in the Dvorak layout, you may get at least 45% left-hand
> > typing and 55% right-hand -- not too far from balanced.
> 
	[Schlough, Mark]  
	I'd say that common punctuation is used more than the five of
six seldom used consonants.
	( the previous sentence did not use: z, q, k, j, b, g for
example but did use an apostrophe and a period ) 

> ...which implies that you'd need a keyboard layout optimized for every
> language. I don't know for what language Dvorak was designed, but I
> tend
> to think it wasn't English. 
	[Schlough, Mark]  
	 I believe it was pioneered here in the Twin Cities :)  It is
named afer a Czech composer who lost the use of one of his hands in an
accident.  The Dvorak keyboard is also useful for folks with only one
good hand.

> (Optimization would involve more than just
> vowel placement; common consonants and consonant clusters vary by
> language
> as well. In fact I think Qwerty is good -- for English -- in this
> regard.)
	[Schlough, Mark]  
	The QWERTY keyboard was invented in an English speaking country,
I can't remeber whether it was the US of the UK.  The keyboard layout
was designed to keep people from typing too fast so that they would not
jam the keys.  In age of electronic typwriters and computer keyboards,
this design is a hindrance and not an asset.

	Prior to the breakup of AT&T, my friend's sister worked as a
operator, they trained their people to use the Dvorak keyboard in about
two weeks.  2-3 weeks after the training, people were typing an average
of 30% faster.  After the breakup, they went back to the qwerty
keyboards--much to the dismay of the operators who would become eligible
for bonuses by processing a high number of phone calls.  Needless to say
she was pretty pissed.

	Ironically the QWERTY keyboard was changed slightly since its
inception, now you can type the word "typewriter" with keys that are all
on the top row.  *cute* huh?

> ______________________________________________________________________
> _______
> Christopher Reid Palmer : reid@pconline.com : innerFire on IRC (EFNet)
> 
> "Luminous beings are we. Not this...crude matter."  -- Yoda
> 
> 
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