Broadband for your Fingers

[sdk]

I've got my eBid store up and running - please drop by and take a look at Broadband for your Fingers

[sdk]

"I touch-type and I remember what learning that was like. I don't want to have to go through all that again!"

If you can touch-type Sholes ('qwerty') then you've already mastered the most difficult part of learning the skill of typing - namely training your fingers to hit the keys accurately.

Moving from there on to learning the Dvorak layout is nowhere near as difficult as learning to type from scratch.

I'd compare it with knowing how to drive a car, and then learning how to drive on the other side of the road; or perhaps a better example is learning how to drive a manual gearshift - and then learning how to use an automatic!

It's true that the first couple of weeks are frustrating. But after that it gets easier every day: and the end result of your investment is the ability to type faster, more accurately and more comfortably than ever before.

If you use the excellent (FREE) touch-typing tutor Stamina, learning Dvorak can be fun!

[sdk]

"You don't need a separate keyboard with the Dvorak layout on it to learn the layout - you shouldn't be looking at the keys anyway."

Well, that's completely true.

But:

I found out about Dr. Dvorak's superior keyboard layout about ten years ago, and I kept putting off learning it.

As I always had a Sholes ('QWERTY') keyboard in front of me, and as it did the job adequately enough, it became a case of 'it ain't broke, so why fix it?'

I was recently reminded of Dr. Dvorak's research, so I decided to bite the bullet and put a keyboard with the simplified layout in front of me to force the issue. No more excuses.

The first two weeks were, I'll freely admit, quite awkward. If I had had a Sholes keyboard in front of me, I might have given up, and gone back to the QWERTY.

But, I didn't, and I'm glad that I didn't. The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard Layout is far, far more comfortable to type on, and now, after just a few weeks, I can type faster and more accurately than I could before.

It's definitely worth the effort.

[sdk]

... even if you already type Dvorak.

When entering passwords (a relatively new, and increasing phenomenon) it is important to get it right. The most reliable way to 'get it right' - even if you are a touch-typist - is to look at the keys you're hitting, so that you can check that you are hitting the correct keys.

If you're typing Dvorak on a QWERTY layout, this is almost impossible, as your eyes will mislead you.

The solution is, of course, to use a Dvorak layout

[sdk]

I tried this one - and it didn't work. It was cheap, and maybe it does work with some keyboards, but it won't work with any of mine

I kept looking... there seemed to be many PS/2->USB 'converters' available, but they all seemed to be about £20 or more...

... and then, the other day, a friend pointed me to this one and it works like a dream, turning any PS/2 keyboard I try into a USB one!

[sdk]

YDC is here...

... here's your chance to get your hands on your very own Dvorak keyboard for a song*!

(and while you're browsing YDC, bid on something else too... it's for charity!)

* not literally.

[sdk]

According to Wikipedia, about 10% of people are left-handed.

The standard Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout has a (slight) right-hand bias. This is by design: most people are right-handed.

The original patent by Dvorak & Dealey (#2040248 May 12 1936) contains the statement:

"For left-handed persons it may be preferable to reverse the keyboard..."

So, in the interests of enabling choice, I've made a keyboard layout for MS-Windows that is the standard Dvorak layout... reversed. I've christened it 'Mirror Dvorak'

If you're interested, the layout can be downloaded from http://www.typocheck.co.uk/dvorak/layouts/index.html (also available for download from that page are the UK Dvorak layout - originally from http://www.keyboards.jargon-file.org/ - and a UK right-hand only Dvorak layout that I made. I haven't got around to doing the UK left-hand only Dvorak layout yet.

And if you want a keyboard that's set up in the Mirror Dvorak layout... just give me a shout! I've made one, but haven't put a listing up for it (yet) - I'll get a round tuit shortly. Anyone here sell round tuits?

[sdk]

I said "ARE YOU HARD OF HEARING?"

If so, this monaural headphone set may be of interest.

If you're stone deaf in your right ear, you may find one of these useful if you play any online games, or want to use Internet telephony.

But: not if you're deaf in your left ear, because the microphone only swivels one way. I'd apologise, but I didn't design it.