ARCHIVED: What is the Dvorak keyboard layout, and how do I configure my computer to use it?
Dvorak is an alternative to the traditional QWERTY keyboard layout. It was designed in the 1930s as a means of improving typing comfort and speed and, by many accounts, is superior to QWERTY. Two advantages of the Dvorak keyboard are that more typing is done from the home row of the keyboard (70% vs. 30%) and fewer words are typed with just one hand. The layout of the Dvorak keyboard resembles the following (though it may differ slightly on some keyboards and layout variants):
` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 [ ] DEL TAB ' , . p y f g c r l / = \ CAPS a o e u i d h t n s - ENT SHIFT ; q j k x b m w v z SHIFT S P A C E
With the Shift
key down, it becomes:
~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) { } DEL TAB " < > P Y F G C R L ? + | CAPS A O E U I D H T N S _ ENT SHIFT : Q J K X B M W V Z SHIFT S P A C E
A number of Dvorak products are available, including keyboards and sticker overlays. For more information, see "Introducing the Dvorak Keyboard" at:
http://www.mwbrooks.com/dvorak/
To switch to the Dvorak keyboard layout, you must change a few software settings.
Mac OS X
If you have Mac OS X, Dvorak support is built in. From the Apple menu, select . Click the icon and then click the tab (10.2.x or later) or tab (10.1.x and earlier). You can then select a Dvorak keymap.
Mac OS
If you have Mac OS 8.6 or better, Dvorak support is built in. From the Apple menu, choose and then select . You can then select the Dvorak keymap.
Windows XP
To switch your keyboard layout in Windows XP, follow these steps:
- From the default XP Start menu, select , or from the classic Start Menu, select , then . Select .
- Select the tab, and then click .
- In the
Text Services and Input Language
window, highlight , and then click . - In the
Add Input Language
window, select the checkbox next to , and then select .
Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, and 2000
Dvorak support is provided by the operating system. To switch your keyboard layout, follow these steps:
- From the menu, select , then . Double-click .
- From the 2000 and NT), click . tab ( tab in
- From the list of keyboard layouts, select . For non-US systems, the instructions will differ slightly.
Windows 3.1
To switch your keyboard layout in Windows 3.1, follow these steps:
- From the menu, open the Control Panel and select .
- From the options, select .
This is document aepk in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2023-09-22 16:48:34.