

Ask HN: Is it worth switching to a Dvorak keyboard? - stanley

I'm a web developer, so the majority of my typing is PHP code. I've read multiple times that a Dvorak keyboard layout is more efficient than Qwerty. Is it worth making the switch?
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wrinklz
Web development is best practiced in the Python framework Django, on an Apple
MacBook Pro with the Dvorak keyboard using the TextMate editor. Left-handed,
of course. (Just kidding about Django, Rails will do as well.)

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stanley
Haha, thanks for the advice. Was the learning curve steep? (referring to
Dvorak, of course).

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ScottWhigham
I made the switch about 6 wks ago due to oncoming CTS. It's tough to do, for
sure - I type slower today, no doubt - but my wrists hurt less.

If productivity is your main goal, I just don't think switching would help.
Let's say that someone tells you that a Dvorak keyboard can helkp you type 5%
faster. Fine - but it will take 4-6 months to get to that point and, during
that adjustment period, you will have have been 5% less productive.

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johnm
Naw, it's way wacko different and relatively hard to switch back to a QWERTY
when you need to.

Check out the Kinesis Ergo Contoured keyboard instead, <http://www.kinesis-
ergo.com/>. While it looks daunting, it's easy to pick up and it's
surprisingly easy to switch back and forth to a normal QWERTY keyboard.

