My Tips on Learning the Dvorak Keymap

The Dvorak keymap was invented by August Dvorak (not Antonin Dvorak, and not John C. Dvorak), to improve on the ineffecient QWERTY keymap. It looks like this:

  `~  1!  2@  3#  4%  5^  6^      7&  8*  9(  0)  [{  ]}  \|
        '"  ,<  .>  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

(That's the split-keyboard version.)

Notice that the vowels are in a line on the left, and that high-frequency consonants spread out from the right-center. There are other patterns to be found in the clever design.

I switched to using a Dvorak keymap about eight years ago, and it's been happytime ever since!

People who want to switch to Dvorak (typically because they hear, correctly, that it'll likely help their RSI / CTS) often ask me for advice. After a while I decided to type up my learning tips on this web page, here.

• Figure out how to switch your computer to a Dvorak keymap. (It's usually quite easy.)
• Rekey your physical keyboard if at all possible -- just popping the keys off and putting them in in the new right place. You'll probably need to use a small screwdriver to pry under the keys and get leverage for popping them off. Remember: only the letters and punctuation keys move -- don't pop off the numbers or the spacebar or shift/control/etc keys. Try this on a "scrap" keyboard if at all possible -- there's the off chance you'll break a keycap (or key-stem) and won't be able to crazyglue it back together.
• If you don't already use a split keyboard, start. Get 'em from Adesso.com for cheap; and last I bought from them, the keys were interchangeable.
  You don't need a split keyboard, but it will enforce using the correct hand for the correct keys.
• Make a printout of a blank keymap -- a few dozen copies. Fill it in with the Dvorak keymap until you can do it from memory.
• Try switching cold turkey, but only going about two hours a day at most, for the first three or four days. For the rest of the day, read, make phone calls, watch quality television, practice your ink-brush calligraphy, tidy up your prison-pod, whatever.
• Start out typing high-frequency words. Here's a table of high-frequency words, based on a scan of Babbitt --

  the and to of a he was I in you that his it with for on as had at but be all her him not they me were out is by have up like about this so do from one an she get don't or if old when just which their said know been good what them we some go got man into would think did who going now down there my more could your right little no these want any are can time how see way never say here business over back it's much house day too men other than come home always lot evening two tell went thing only being off after make wife while room away himself night before real then through well

  Make sentences out of them, and practice. Learning to touch-type the common words is half of the task of learning Dvorak.
• Make a conscious effort to relax while you're typing those first few days. It's frustrating to suddenly not know where keys are, and that's aggravating.
• Every day, you will get faster and more comfortable with the new keymap. Within about five days you'll be doing fine, and another week after that you'll be pretty decent, and within two weeks more you'll be basically up to speed.
• You're probably switching to Dvorak at least partly because of RSI/CTS. Switching to Dvorak will do you a world of good, but you should do other things that'll help, too. See The Typing Injury Faq for suggestions.
  One thing I've found very effective is to give up regular caffeine intake. Caffeine increases muscle tension, and that makes for unnecessary (and therefore harmful) strain in typing.
  RSI braces (available for about $40/pair at a local pharmacy) are often very useful. Many people find them best to wear while tying, while many others find that they should not be worn while typing, but are beneficial at other times, esp. when you're asleep.
  Others swear by stretching exercises for your arms. See the aforementioned faqs.
  If you think you might be getting RSI/CTS, you really should go see a doctor for a consultation, and sooner rather than later -- especially if you get weird cold or tingling sensations in your hands, and especially if your hands feel oddly numb at times.