Making a keyboard with the layout Dvorak (for programmers) from the usual QWERTY
Greetings, Habr!
I want to tell you a little story about creating (remaking) a keyboard with a QWERTY layout on a keyboard with a DVORAK (for programmer) layout .
It all started when I read about the history of QWERTY / YTsUKEN itself (picture 1 (under the cut)), in which the letters that form stable combinations in English were located as far as possible from each other on different sides of the keyboard and were scattered in different rows . Currently, Scholes' layout (also known as QWERTY) is being criticized as an anachronism, since the problem that led to its appearance no longer exists.
Picture 1 - Layout QWERTY / YTsUKEN
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An alternative to the QWERTY layout is the Dvorak layout (picture 2), which was designed to eliminate inefficiency and fatigue after long work, which suggested placing frequently used buttons more conveniently. Regarding Dvorák’s layout for programmers (picture 3), it was developed by engineer Roland Kaufmann and is intended for people who write code in C, Java, Pascal, HTML, CSS, and XML. The layout is based on the placement of keys in a simplified layout of Dvorak with some improvements specifically for programmers! There is also an original layout Dvorak for the left and right hands.
Picture 2 - Layout Dvorak
Picture 3 - Layout Dvorak for programmers
In addition, there is the layout Colemak (picture 4), created in 2006 by Shay Coleman and is an alternative to the Latin layouts QWERTY and Dvorak. According to the developers, when printing on a layout, there is 10% less movement relative to printing on the Dvorak layout and 102% less when printing on QWERTY.
Picture 4 - Colemak Layout
For the experiment, the Dvorak layout was chosen for programmers (this is a subjective decision).
After making the decision on choosing a layout, I started searching for .exe-shnik (or other options), which add the Dvorak layout (there are links at the end of the post), and searching for the old keyboard - Logitech Y-SZ49 was found. I disassembled it, cleaned it at the same time before half-glittering (see picture 5 below), put in place the unchanged buttons (NumPad, F-ki, Caps ... etc.) (picture 6-7 below) and then set about rest of the installation in accordance with the “picture” layout Dvorak for programmers (see picture 3 above). But I ran into a problem, not all the buttons came up to a new place, as it turned out, the buttons and the platform where to insert them have small lashes, and in some they are not in those places (top / bottom exchanged places) - the protrusion had to be cut off (“papik”) and overwrite it with a file (this is such a thin, fine-meshed file), after which the buttons (they remained somewhere 5-7) stood up normally, were pressed in the end normally, they didn’t stick.
Picture 5 - Keyboard after wet cleaning
Picture 6 - Semi-assembled keyboard
Picture 7 - Finishing Touches
After installation I ran into a problem - it is very difficult to erase the inscriptions on the buttons - I had to remove all the buttons again and process them one by one. Russian characters were erased with moderate effort (scraped with a kitchen knife - most efficiently, grinding with small sandpaper - the half-button was replaced with 1/4 of its area for a long time and another method was tried - wiping with alcohol - did not help at all). From this one conclusion - the Logitech keyboard (even in the low price range) makes "indelible." Having spent about 2 hours erasing unnecessary characters, I achieved the desired result (about 20 buttons erased the native, black, very persistent inscriptions) and marked the temporary symbols with a marker (picture 8).
Picture 8 - Keyboard with Dvorak layout for programmers (clickable)
Twisting the keyboard connected it, changed the layout and started testing the convenience - the first acquaintance - like the first time at the computer - you need to look for each button with your eyes ... it’s very difficult to remember everyone’s location at first, but after a few hours of typing it turned out that the fingers are less likely to run through different corners keyboard is necessary. Moved to a set of software code (PHP), the first inconvenience, as in QWERTY, is the hard-to-get $ location, which, as you know, is often needed in php. Well, you can put up with it, the main thing is to get used to this layout.
There is no point in comparing the results of typing speeds on QWERTY and Dvorak, since the first one is about 200 Russian characters and about 120 English per minute with a 6-8-finger method with a glance (sometimes full looking) at the keyboard.
As an experiment, the use of Dvorak’s layout is quite interesting, especially if you learn a good 10-finger blind method on it. In addition, no one can really work, well, or it will be very long to print.
Total. Dvorak for programmers - a handy thing, if you have time to master a good blind typing method, otherwise the transition will be difficult.
PS For myself, I decided to leave the keyboard with the Dvorak layout as a backup option, sometimes I practice, thinking about switching to two keyboard layouts - one via PS / 2 (Dvorak layout), and the second via USB, since I didn’t do Russian / Ukrainian letters on the keyboard , but although there are stickers, I’d stick to finding / making a Russian yard or reassigning buttons (to do my own layout, for example, in the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator).
Earlier on Habré:
Links where you can download the necessary files:
Literature:
UPD: Habr-user IGHOR sent video how to remove buttons from MacBooks (which can be useful when changing the layout on it). Video:
I want to tell you a little story about creating (remaking) a keyboard with a QWERTY layout on a keyboard with a DVORAK (for programmer) layout .
It all started when I read about the history of QWERTY / YTsUKEN itself (picture 1 (under the cut)), in which the letters that form stable combinations in English were located as far as possible from each other on different sides of the keyboard and were scattered in different rows . Currently, Scholes' layout (also known as QWERTY) is being criticized as an anachronism, since the problem that led to its appearance no longer exists.
Picture 1 - Layout QWERTY / YTsUKEN
')
An alternative to the QWERTY layout is the Dvorak layout (picture 2), which was designed to eliminate inefficiency and fatigue after long work, which suggested placing frequently used buttons more conveniently. Regarding Dvorák’s layout for programmers (picture 3), it was developed by engineer Roland Kaufmann and is intended for people who write code in C, Java, Pascal, HTML, CSS, and XML. The layout is based on the placement of keys in a simplified layout of Dvorak with some improvements specifically for programmers! There is also an original layout Dvorak for the left and right hands.
Picture 2 - Layout Dvorak
Picture 3 - Layout Dvorak for programmers
In addition, there is the layout Colemak (picture 4), created in 2006 by Shay Coleman and is an alternative to the Latin layouts QWERTY and Dvorak. According to the developers, when printing on a layout, there is 10% less movement relative to printing on the Dvorak layout and 102% less when printing on QWERTY.
Picture 4 - Colemak Layout
For the experiment, the Dvorak layout was chosen for programmers (this is a subjective decision).
After making the decision on choosing a layout, I started searching for .exe-shnik (or other options), which add the Dvorak layout (there are links at the end of the post), and searching for the old keyboard - Logitech Y-SZ49 was found. I disassembled it, cleaned it at the same time before half-glittering (see picture 5 below), put in place the unchanged buttons (NumPad, F-ki, Caps ... etc.) (picture 6-7 below) and then set about rest of the installation in accordance with the “picture” layout Dvorak for programmers (see picture 3 above). But I ran into a problem, not all the buttons came up to a new place, as it turned out, the buttons and the platform where to insert them have small lashes, and in some they are not in those places (top / bottom exchanged places) - the protrusion had to be cut off (“papik”) and overwrite it with a file (this is such a thin, fine-meshed file), after which the buttons (they remained somewhere 5-7) stood up normally, were pressed in the end normally, they didn’t stick.
Picture 5 - Keyboard after wet cleaning
Picture 6 - Semi-assembled keyboard
Picture 7 - Finishing Touches
After installation I ran into a problem - it is very difficult to erase the inscriptions on the buttons - I had to remove all the buttons again and process them one by one. Russian characters were erased with moderate effort (scraped with a kitchen knife - most efficiently, grinding with small sandpaper - the half-button was replaced with 1/4 of its area for a long time and another method was tried - wiping with alcohol - did not help at all). From this one conclusion - the Logitech keyboard (even in the low price range) makes "indelible." Having spent about 2 hours erasing unnecessary characters, I achieved the desired result (about 20 buttons erased the native, black, very persistent inscriptions) and marked the temporary symbols with a marker (picture 8).
Picture 8 - Keyboard with Dvorak layout for programmers (clickable)
Twisting the keyboard connected it, changed the layout and started testing the convenience - the first acquaintance - like the first time at the computer - you need to look for each button with your eyes ... it’s very difficult to remember everyone’s location at first, but after a few hours of typing it turned out that the fingers are less likely to run through different corners keyboard is necessary. Moved to a set of software code (PHP), the first inconvenience, as in QWERTY, is the hard-to-get $ location, which, as you know, is often needed in php. Well, you can put up with it, the main thing is to get used to this layout.
There is no point in comparing the results of typing speeds on QWERTY and Dvorak, since the first one is about 200 Russian characters and about 120 English per minute with a 6-8-finger method with a glance (sometimes full looking) at the keyboard.
As an experiment, the use of Dvorak’s layout is quite interesting, especially if you learn a good 10-finger blind method on it. In addition, no one can really work, well, or it will be very long to print.
Total. Dvorak for programmers - a handy thing, if you have time to master a good blind typing method, otherwise the transition will be difficult.
PS For myself, I decided to leave the keyboard with the Dvorak layout as a backup option, sometimes I practice, thinking about switching to two keyboard layouts - one via PS / 2 (Dvorak layout), and the second via USB, since I didn’t do Russian / Ukrainian letters on the keyboard , but although there are stickers, I’d stick to finding / making a Russian yard or reassigning buttons (to do my own layout, for example, in the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator).
Earlier on Habré:
- Text: Experience of the transition to the layout Dvorak
- Poll: What kind of Latin keyboard do you use when programming?
Links where you can download the necessary files:
- The Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator
- Dvorak Keyboard Layout and Dvorak (programmer) Keyboard Layout (I used this one)
- Programmer Dvorak Keyboard Layout
Literature:
- wiki: keyboard layout
- wiki: qwerty
- wiki: Dvorak Simplified Keyboard (Eng.)
- wiki: Dvorak Keyboard
- wiki: Colemak Keyboard
- MS Accessibility Tutorials: Select a Dvorak Keyboard Layout (Eng.)
- Dvorak Keyboard Typing On Your Computer In 30 Seconds (eng.)
- Programmer Dvorak Keyboard Layout (English)
- The Dvorak Keyboard and You (eng.)
- Dvorak Keyboard (Eng.)
UPD: Habr-user IGHOR sent video how to remove buttons from MacBooks (which can be useful when changing the layout on it). Video:
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/123941/
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