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| Written by Ken Bartko | |
| Wednesday, 22 March 2006 | |
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Page 2 of 3 I'm not much of a typist so I had no clue what Dvorak mode was so upon checking their
site I found out and now share with you the following directly from the TypeMatrix website: “1930's - Dvorak creates simplified keyboard. As the industrial revolution reached its zenith, time and motion studies became all important. Reducing the time necessary and the motion required to complete a specific task meant higher quality products, cheaper labor costs and hence cheaper prices. In the early 1900s, researchers Frank and Lillian Gilbreth made slow motion films of expert typists at work. These films made their way to Professor August Dvorak via Dvorak's bother-in-law, William Dealey. Both men immediately saw the problems inherent in the QWERTY keyboard. Typist's speeds were limited and they made too many mistakes. But more importantly, they became quickly fatigued, and they suffered pain and soreness. Today we call these symptoms Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI). Dvorak and Dealey set about to minimize these problems and by 1932, had a keyboard layout that reduced finger movement an order of magnitude (10 times). Furthermore, the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard (as Dvorak called it) enhanced speed, and reduced errors. But the Depression was at its deepest point, and nobody could afford to buy new typewriters. Dvorak's layout had to wait. During World War II, the Navy did in-depth studies, which showed without any doubt, the Dvorak layout was vastly superior to the QWERTY layout. But again, the standard layout was too standard. The Dvorak Layout was set aside. By now, the name Dvorak Simplified Keyboard had evolved to Dvorak. In the early 1970s, interest in the Dvorak Layout once again came into the public consciousness. Several magazines published articles dealing with the advantages and improvements that the Dvorak Layout could offer. Both the Saturday Review and Writer's Digest explored the subject in considerable detail. The typewriter manufacturer Smith-Corona was convinced that the Dvorak Layout's time had arrived and offered all of its typewriters in either QWERTY or Dvorak. Smith-Corona charged only $5 for Dvorak in its portable models, and no charge for the rest of its typewriter line. But interest in the Dvorak Layout waned and died. Unfortunately, in 1975, August Dvorak passed away leaving his goal of a widespread simplified keyboard undone."  Information on their site tells you of the modular design layout which breaks the keys down into modules for easier use. The TypeMatrix site also provides information about Repetitive Stress Injuries from using a normal style keyboard and information saying that using this keyboard cuts down on these injuries. From using it myself I can tell you that it is simple to use, once you get adjusted to the way it's laid out. Also a major thing I found out with having this here is that the keyboards design makes it easier to use for people who might be handicapped, as my son has DMD (Duchenne's muscular Dystrophy) and he immediately said this keyboard was so much easier to use. The keyboard lays flat and has no legs to prop it up. The construction of this is a solid black frame with brushed aluminum and four rubber feet to hold it in place. It's small, lightweight and snazzy looking. |
