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Key labelling

You do not have to get a whole new keyboard to type a different layout -- you just have to train yourself to not look at the keys. None of my keys (except `a' and `m', the two letters that don't switch between QWERTY and Dvorak) have the right labels on them. It's probably better to do it this way, because then you won't be dependent on looking when you want to type Dvorak on someone else's computer.

I trained myself not to look at the keys (not that I ever did in QWERTY, but then I had that crutch available if I wanted) by printing out a copy of the Dvorak layout7 and putting it in front of my monitor, or taping it off the bottom of the screen. When I wanted to type a letter, I located it on the diagram, and then pressed it with the corresponding finger. Really slow going at first -- I remember a couple really frustrating days of typing emails at about 10 wpm -- but I sped up pretty quickly.



Nori Heikkinen 2003-11-12