Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!ncis.tis.llnl.gov!blackbird!efrethei From: efrethei@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Erik J. Fretheim) Newsgroups: comp.misc Subject: Re: Dvorak keyboard Message-ID: <1742@blackbird.afit.af.mil> Date: 15 Nov 90 02:35:28 GMT References: <90316.120552ESR@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> <4360@auspex.auspex.com> <1978.27410cfe@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com> Organization: Air Force Institute of Technology; WPAFB, OH Lines: 38 herrickd@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com writes: >In article <4360@auspex.auspex.com>, hitz@auspex.auspex.com (Dave Hitz) writes: >> In article <90316.120552ESR@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> ESR@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Ed Russell) writes: >>>I have a Northgate 102. One of the switch settings is to configure it as >>>a Dvorak keyboard. Key caps are available for a nominal fee. I assume >>>the other Northgate models have the same capability(?). >> >> The print articles I remember seeing about the Dvorak keyboard have >> included pictures showing a keyboard that not only has different >> letters on different keys than qwertyiop, but actually has keys >> arranged so that they fit differently under the fingers. (I believe >> that there were more keys around the thumbs, so that those dextrous >> members could do something besides type SPACE.) >> Ah - but what's the point any way. Kinkead calculated that based on the mechanical abilities of the typist a Dvorak keyboard will only give a speed up of about 2.6%. (Card and Moran. "An Engineering Model of Human Performance" in Handbook of Perception and Human Performance, Vol II. ed. Boff, Kaufman and Thomas. Wiley: New York, 1986. p45-18.) Just ain't worth the effort for so little gain, better to practice on what you've got. blank space so the article won't get eaten. . -- -- Erik J Fretheim efrethei@afit.af.mil AFIT/ENA Box 4151 (ATTN: CPT FRETHEIM) (513)255-5276 AVN785-5276 WPAFB, OH 45431 USA