Posts Tagged ‘typing’
The Writer’s Desk – 2
I think I’m like a lot of you in that I’m really picky about my keyboard. I have a close friend who wants his keys to click each time, but I like mine really squishy.
Another keyboard issue I have is this: I never learned to touch type. I know, how can I be a real writer if I can’t really type? Well, when I get going, I can touch type, but not consciously.
Then add in that I did a huge project for work a few years back and I typed so much that my left arm went numb. Really.
I decided it was time for a change. And here is the change I made: I switched to a Dvorak Keyboard.
Qwerty history (Qwerty is the standard keyboard configuration) – it was designed to slow people down. Yes, it was. On the old typewriters, if you typed too fast you would jam the swing arms that came up and printed the letters. So there was a maximum speed. Word processors changed all that, but the keyboard stayed because everyone was used to it.
Dvorak designed a different key layout that was made for speed and for reduction of wrist strain.
I’m never going to break any land-speed records on this thing, but I did teach myself to touch type when I started with my Dvorak keyboard. I also tilt the board away to mimic the natural set of the human wrist.
Though none of this is necessary, some kind of consession to comfort has to be made for anyone spending high quantities of time typing.
Dvorak has big advantages, but also drawbacks. Though my arms and wrists no longer hurt, my typos are unique. Because the vowels and common consonants are all clustered together, typos often create real words. ‘Whole’ becomes ‘whale’ or even ‘whore’ – and spell checker doesn’t catch it!!
Here’s my keyboard – crazy letter configuration and squishy keys and all!
- AJ -
