PowerTyping

The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard - DSK

- also referred to as ANSI Dvorak or simply Dvorak

Dvorak keyboard, the keyboard designed by August Dvorak in 1936, an efficiency fanatic, a professor of the University of Washington, and a cousin of a composer Antonin Dvorak.

Dvorak arranged letters according to frequency, placed common letters on the home row and made the stronger fingers do most of the work. It significantly reduced fingers movement which is the reason for increased comfort and speed and diminishing RSI syndromes.


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The ANSI Dvorak keyboard layout
  • Space bar - use right hand thumb
Keys of one color are typed by corresponding home row key finger. For example, left hand forfinger is over the home row key U and handles all the keys of the same color: U K P 4 5 Y I X.

Home row keys:

Left hand home row keys are A, O, E, U
A -little finger
O -ring finger
E -middle finger
U -forefinger
Right hand home row keys are H, T, N, S
H -forefinger
T -middle finger
N -ring finger
S -little finger

Thumbs of both hands are on the space bar.

About home row keysHome row keys of a keyboard are keys over which your hands are positioned. There are home row keys assigned to each hand. From a home row key reach to a key to type and return back to the home row key. Home row keys are your base from where to reach out and return to. Usually one of home row keys, one for each hand, has a little dent which lets you feel that your fingers are correctly positioned over the keyboard.

Capital keysTo type a single capital letter press and hold down a shift key and press the desired letter. To type more capitals press the Caps Lock key and continue typing. All letters will appear in upper caps. Note if you type capital letter with shift key and Caps Lock on it will be typed in lower case. To turn Caps Lock off press it again. Keyboards have usually built in a light which lets you know if your Caps Lock is on or off.

RhythmStrive to type with even rhythm. Even rhythm will rid you of tension, anxiety and will minimize mistakes made. Besides, if you slow down to achieve even rhythm you will in effect speed up.

ErrorsAcceptable number of typing errors is one error per minute.

WpmWpm stands for words per minute typing rate. A word is consider to be 5 key strokes including blank spaces and putctuation. E.g., if you type 50 key strokes per minute your typing rate is 10 wpm.

CpmCpm stands for characters per minute typing rate. It includes typing blank spaces and punctuation. E.g., if you type 50 key strokes per minute your typing rate is 50 cpm.

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