DVORAK Typing

“Sholes’ QWERTY was designed to seperate the most commonly used keys as much as possible so as to keep early typewriter mechanics from jamming. Dvorak found that even random assignments were better than this worst case scenario once the mechanics were overcome, and rearranged everything. QWERTY makes the fingers move 10 miles a day, while DVORAK reduces this to 1. Even Sholes promoted improved layouts, but he had created a monster: the QWERTY standard was already established.”

—?

Learning the DVORAK method of typing accelerates your keystrokes with increased efficiency and safeguards your fingers with gentler ergonomics.

Unlike the common QWERTY layout that was designed to make commonly used letters as far apart as possible in order to minimize jams in early mechanical typewriters, DVORAK is optimized to reduce finger travel and accelerate learning and typing.

When using a DVORAK keyboard, you get a +10% bonus on Reaction chances and can reduce the time a task takes. You also get a +50% chance of resisting typing RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury). DVORAK Keyboards: All modern computer keyboards can between DVORAK and QWERTY as a simple action.

Some lesser devices lack this capability. Experienced DVORAK typists can touch type on a QWERTY keyboard using DVORAK software, but beginners will find it easier to learn if they have a DVORAK keyboard in front of them.

Design Note: QWERTY is actually more difficult to learn and ought to take longer than DVORAK, but most DVORAK typists are first forced to learn QWERTY and only later switch to DVORAK because of ergonomics or curiosity. Skill points reflect advantages more than learning difficulty.

Security Warning: When a guest on your computer wants to use DVORAK, make sure they use a Guest account. When you have a person using your computer who requests using DVORAK, if the computer goes to sleep or restarts and you have to enter your password, you will be stuck using DVORAK. Do not despair, you do not have to violate COMSEC by revealing your password for them to enter. Instead, find a copy of the DVORAK layout online on another computer and use that to type it in yourself.