I work in IT, and have always been able to type pretty fast and accurately. Some years ago I started to get a niggling ache in my wrists when typing. I switched to split QWERTY keyboards - some Microsoft models, then the very nice Logitech Cordless Desktop Comfort Pro, which I used at home and work.
At some point I experimented with the Dvorak layout, but it seemed to be awkward for programming, and since the Logitech had seemed to relieve the pain, I took it no further.
Fast forward to last summer. A coffee incident meant a new keyboard. The new Logitech Wave promised the latest in ergonomics, and it did seem quite comfy - or so I thought.
Well, the old wrist ache started to come back. I don't do so much programming these days, so I decided to give Dvorak another try. The Mac has a useful Dvorak/Qwerty mode which keeps QWERTY for command-key shortcuts which are hard-wired in my brain!
It became apparent that the Wave keyboard wasn't helping. My wrists were still kinked and I was cheating on learning Dvorak by hitting keys on the wrong half of the keyboard. So I dug a spare Cordless Desktop Comfort Pro out of storage and resolved to go "cold turkey" on QWERTY.
I have a colour Dvorak chart pasted above each monitor but haven't labelled the keycaps themselves. I installed dvorakng to learn the layout (via MacPorts); I've completed the lessons now with a 95% hit rate - not bad, but it still means 1 in 20 keypresses are wrong. However, the most frustrating bit is the speed - average 1-2cps if I'm lucky! Think I might be using the chart as a crutch but I will be keeping it around for a while.
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