why I use dvorak
Q: What even is Dvorak?
It’s a keyboard layout, designed by Dr. Dvorak.
He spent his whole life trying to popularize it, but it never really caught on.
Why the current keyboard sucks
1: QWERTY Layout
Do you know how the layout of the keyboard you use every day was decided?
It all started with typewriters. Originally, keys were arranged alphabetically (A, B, C…).
Then someone went, “Hey, this layout makes it easier to type!” and played around with the positions. Boom—QWERTY was born.
But here’s the catch: It wasn’t designed to be fast. It was designed to slow you down.
Why? Because if you typed too fast, typewriter keys would jam.
We’ve been nerfed from the start. Our potential capped before we even began.
Want to type faster? Too bad. It’s like trying to walk fast instead of running—you’re limited by the system itself.
Oh, and why are the keys tilted? That’s another typewriter relic. If they were perfectly straight, the hammers would collide.
How do human fingers move?
Make a fist and open your hand. Watch the way your fingers move. Are they moving diagonally? If yes, you might wanna see a doctor.
If keyboards were truly optimized for human anatomy, keys would be vertically aligned.
But take a look at your keyboard now. Yeah, it’s not exactly ergonomic, is it?
Why is QWERTY still around?
Honestly? There’s no reason anymore. Companies just keep doing it because, well, everyone else does.
When computers became mainstream, QWERTY spread everywhere. And with it, most keyboard manufacturers just stuck to what people already knew.
To sum it up:
- Standard keyboards aren’t optimized for human hands.
- QWERTY isn’t efficient for typing; it was literally designed to slow you down.
My keyboard setup
Ever heard of ThePrimeagen? He’s a well-known developer/streamer in the dev community.
He uses a modified Dvorak layout, like the one in the photo below:
I made a slight tweak to this layout: I swapped | and #.
The default positions for | and \ just didn’t sit right with me.
It took a while to get used to, but now I love it.
Setting up shortcuts for apps was a bit of a hassle, though. On macOS, I use Karabiner Elements to remap keys. It’s a lifesaver.
I also remapped Caps Lock to Backspace, and let me tell you—it’s a game-changer. Highly recommend.
My (physical) keyboard
Now let’s talk hardware.
Remember how I mentioned keys aren’t vertically aligned? Yeah, I hate that.
Also, I need a split keyboard. I’m 17, and my back already hurts. Imagine the damage by the time I’m older.
So I’ve been looking for a keyboard that ticks all the boxes:
- Vertically aligned keys
- Split design
And I found this:
It’s perfect… except for the price. $365.
With the current exchange rate, that’s almost ¥60,000.
For a student working part-time on weekends? Yeah, no.
Right now, I’m scouring Mercari and Yahoo Auctions for a used one. Still expensive, though. I don’t see myself buying it anytime soon.
Final Thoughts
Most people use QWERTY. Most people use unoptimized keyboards.
A lot of things in the world are like this—old habits passed down without much thought.
But when it comes to tools we use daily, like keyboard layouts, shouldn’t we aim for efficiency?
Instead, we’re still stuck using something designed over 100 years ago.
This whole journey has made me realize that just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s the best.
Oh, and can the yen please get stronger?
P.S.
I think people should use dvorak if wanna be productive.
Until then, happy coding, everyone! 🙌