Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uflorida!webb.psych.ufl.edu!turner
From: turner@webb.psych.ufl.edu (Carl Turner)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Optimal keyboards
Message-ID: <24190@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
Date: 24 Aug 90 19:07:36 GMT
Sender: news@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU
Reply-To: turner@webb.psych.ufl.edu (Carl Turner)
Organization: University of Florida Psychology Department
Lines: 27

In article <24152@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU> I wrote:
>Question: what would be the problems involved in offering both an optimal
>computer keyboard (for the people who haven't yet learned to type) and
>the old QWERTY?  

Thanks for all the responses.  I had not planned to summarize the replies, 
but there seems to be enough interest in the subject that a short summary
is appropriate.  I can summarize briefly by PROs and CONs.

PROs:  *  An optimal keyboard exists--the Dvorak keyboard, named after
          its designer, August Dvorak.

       *  It's currently implemented in hardware on Apple //c and 
          available as a keymap on other machines: amiga, maybe IBM's.

CONs:  *  No one would use it.

       *  Switching from QWERTY to an optimal keyboard would  be 
          difficult especially for people who use many kinds of 
          equipment: they would have to wait until ALL the machines and
          keyboards are reconfigured.


I take no responsibility for the information contained herein.  

Carl Turner
turner@webb.psych.ufl.edu