Dvorak : Worth Switching As A Programmer?
I have been using QWERTY like everyone else and didn’t think much of it until I started having wrist pain and feeling uncomfortable with the layout. I also felt like I couldn’t get faster on QWERTY because it felt like a lot of finger movement that caused me to mistype very often. So when doing a lot of searching and testing, I landed on switching to Dvorak.
DISCLAIMER : You will need to learn touch typing before being able to switch to Dvorak. It is best you learn touch typing for QWERTY and then slowly make the switch to Dvorak.
Why Dvorak ?
There are many layouts like Colemak or Workman, and Colemak has different sub layout so does Dvorak like Dvorak for programmers, which if you feel fits you better than is great to switch to as well.
But for me the other layouts were not as simple to switch on windows, where windows doesn’t have native support for these and may require keymaping or downloading. In a case where company laptops or computers are locked down. Dvorak will most likely still be available without download.
Having a more comfortable layout may actually make you faster, because the way to get faster is to improve accuracy, the more consistent you are the easier it is. If QWERTY is more comfortable and you can hit speeds of 100 WPM then you may not need to switch at all, but if you have RSI, joint pain, general discomfort or just need a change then this might be a good option
If you are looking for the most optimised layout then this great video could be something you are interested in.
Why switch after so long ?
Well, because its not as hard as you think. You don’t need to switch out your keys on the keyboard or spend a lot of time learning, and you don’t need to forget QWERTY.
It is scary to try something new but its always going to be better if you put in a bit of effort and if it makes your life better. Which is why programmers have been switching to different layouts, ergonomic and split keyboards and even companies are trying to create programming focused monitors.
All you need to do to get started is to use the tools that I will talk about and tips I will give to help you get started on your journey to switching. Its actually recommended that you do not switch out your keys because it makes you not look at your keyboard while typing.
Getting Started :
This is a great website that will help you get started on learning Dvorak
Your goal is to try and get a hang of each level and be able to type all the words in 15 mins. You don’t need to switch your computer layout because the website provides mapping.
When you are learning try to focus on getting every character correct. If you mistype, try to type the whole word again. This tip is for every practice you do. This makes you remember the whole word and not parts of it.
Moving along :
If you need more practice, these websites have a longer tutorial that you can do again or skip the starting lessons if you feel confident.
https://www.typing.com/student/lesson/390/dvorak-part-1
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE :
Just 15 to maximum 30 mins a day is all you need. Do not go overboard and try to practice for really long as you will cause strain on yourself and hurt yourself or burn out in the process. Its about consistency not about anything else.
You will take about 3 months to 5, to become as good as you were with QWERTY but this will make you feel much better and allow you to have a comfortable experience
A last tip, do practice QWERTY together for a bit to make sure you aren’t forgetting how to use the basic layout making it really easy to switch back in case you ever need to, or while you are learning you can still type out a blog like me as I am still only reaching 25 wpm with Dvorak.
If you have any questions or if I missed something feel free to msg me on twitter @ gauranshmathur.
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