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From: djw@lanl.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.database
Subject: Re: a word to the wise
Message-ID: <29771@lanl.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 16-Aug-85 15:16:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: lanl.29771
Posted: Fri Aug 16 15:16:44 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Aug-85 06:23:18 EDT
References: <578@bu-cs.UUCP>
Reply-To: djw@a.UUCP (David Wade)
Organization: Where  God decreed skies should be purple and the beaches are 1000 miles long.
Lines: 32

In article <578@bu-cs.UUCP> sciore@bu-cs.UUCP (E Sciore) writes:
>                          Now the layout of the typewriter keyboard was
>designed to facilitate the even use of both hands.

Just a little note Edward to remind you that the typewriter keyboard was
"designed" to slow typist down so they wouldn't jam the keys together.
The first typewriters used gravity to return the keys and any typist who
typed too fast had to have the boss disassemble the platten and unjam
the keys.

Devorak has done a lot of research on keyboards and the DSK (Devorak
Standard Keyboard) and the ASK (American Standard Keyboard) were developed
to overcome the flaws of the "qwerty" keyboard.  Back in the 40's when
Devorak was attempting to persuade the military to specify DSK keyboards,
the government held contests.  After the Devorak typists broke 300 words
per minute and it became obvious that the qwerty typists weren't going
to break 110 wpm ( at that time ), the government discontinued the
contests because "they don't prove anything".

The ANSII committee has recently become quite bold and has accepted a
Devorak style keyboard as an ANSII standard.  You can try the keyboard
on any Apple IIc by pushing the little button on the top of the computer.
Anton Devorak did a lot of research and proved that good touch typists can
retrain to ~double their speed in < six weeks.  A "two finger" typist can
learn much quicker than that.

The Devorak keyboard was designed with the comfort of the typist in mind.
The most used letters are under the strongest fingers; and the vowels are
under the "home" row of the right hand and the major consonants the left.
( if my memory is still working. )

Dave Wade