Indeed the "QWERTY" was designed to prevent fast typing and mainly jams. The most common letters are placed in such a way so as not to be right next to each other, because on typewriters hitting two keys that were right next to each other would cause a jam.
People are too comfortable with the "QWERTY" layout. That's why they won't switch, they don't want to be inconvenienced by having to re-learn how to type on a keyboard layout they are not familiar with. Not because some are just getting accustomed to the "QWERTY" layout. The "QWERTY" layout has been around for quite some time, if someone wasn't used to it by now it's either because they are really young and thus are just learning a keyboard, they just aren't very good with computers, or they use a language other than English which also requires a different keyboard... There are variances of the Dvorak design for alternate languages though, which practice the same concepts.
I am sure this has been the subject of some debate by officials, but for me, I don't think it's fair that kids are forced to learn an inferior keyboard layout in public education systems. Why not teach them in the Dvorak layout? Sure it could be argued that they would be at a disadvantage because about 99% of current computers use "QWERTY," but really that's just an excuse. "QWERTY" could be phased out just like any other thing that is obsolete or inferior.
The Dvorak design should be mandated as the standard for modern keyboards. Maybe the first generation of kids would need to be "multilingual" in their keyboard knowledge (if that even just made sense?), but as the old layout was phased out, the newer generations would only be required to learn the Dvorak.
What do you think of the Dvorak keyboard layout?
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I'm glad to have informed you :)
Indeed the "QWERTY" was designed to prevent fast typing and mainly jams. The most common letters are placed in such a way so as not to be right next to each other, because on typewriters hitting two keys that were right next to each other would cause a jam.
People are too comfortable with the "QWERTY" layout. That's why they won't switch, they don't want to be inconvenienced by having to re-learn how to type on a keyboard layout they are not familiar with. Not because some are just getting accustomed to the "QWERTY" layout. The "QWERTY" layout has been around for quite some time, if someone wasn't used to it by now it's either because they are really young and thus are just learning a keyboard, they just aren't very good with computers, or they use a language other than English which also requires a different keyboard... There are variances of the Dvorak design for alternate languages though, which practice the same concepts.
I am sure this has been the subject of some debate by officials, but for me, I don't think it's fair that kids are forced to learn an inferior keyboard layout in public education systems. Why not teach them in the Dvorak layout? Sure it could be argued that they would be at a disadvantage because about 99% of current computers use "QWERTY," but really that's just an excuse. "QWERTY" could be phased out just like any other thing that is obsolete or inferior.
The Dvorak design should be mandated as the standard for modern keyboards. Maybe the first generation of kids would need to be "multilingual" in their keyboard knowledge (if that even just made sense?), but as the old layout was phased out, the newer generations would only be required to learn the Dvorak.