Comment Switched, but a hardware solution would be nice... (Score 1) 559
I actually started the process to switch about two weeks ago. I weighed the advantages and disadvantages and decided that the trouble of making the swich was worth it in the long run. I'm making good progress and my speed and accuracy are almost caught up with before. There's only one thing I worry about, and that's the trouble that can be involved in switching back and forth on other systems or on things like rescue discs (where it's not really feasible to rebuild the images every time just for that one change.) On other systems I'm most worried, because in some rare cases they are pretty locked down for security reasons, so I can't run files from my flash drive to make the switch or when I'm working on someone else's system (I do a lot of problem fixing for people.)
What I really want -- instead of always relying on some software solution -- is just some dirt cheap Dvorak hardwired keyboard (preferably USB) that I can simply plug in and it work in everything (it would take some interesting work to get Dvorak in syslinux or other boot loaders for example, so such a thing has the added advantage of letting you more easily deal with these sorts of things.) Basically all I want is something like those $12 QWERTY keyboards you can find at a Walmart, only hardwired for Dvorak instead (I know that those ubercheap keyboards will give you a massive case of carpel tunnel type pains if you use them more than a few hours, but we're talking about something that would only be used for less than an hour at a time since I can just use my nice normal keyboard on my personal computer with all the software solutions.)
I realize that it would cost more than the $12 Walmart boards, but right now I have been unable to find a hardwired Dvorak keyboard for less than $60, which is a pricerange that is just out of the question for such a thing. I've checked everywhere ranging from the higher quality electronics sites to places like eBay and even more questionable websites, but the most affordable Dvorak keyboard I ever found was just an ordinary cheap QWERTY keyboard with the keys moved so it still required a software solution (and even that was at a ridiculous price for what it was.) Sometimes I just wish I had the ability to create my own circuit sheets to rewire a keyboard to Dvorak in hardware myself, but while it may be theoretically possible for some to do it with stuff they may even have at home, it's just way too much for me.
I can't believe that companies are selling these things for $100+ when just taking the same crappy parts that make up a $12 keyboard, tossing in different circuits (they don't even have to change the chip it uses!) and putting the keys in different places would allow them to market to a LOT of people making the switch (I know that when I first thought about Dvorak a long time ago I assumed I would need a new keyboard and would have bought one if it were reasonably priced) as well as some who already have (not to mention that they could get away with slapping a $20 pricetag on it and make even more per keyboard within reason to offset the difference in the smaller volume.) Not many people are willing to spend so much for a keyboard...
I was wondering if anyone here might actually know of some solution like the recircuiting idea (but more reasonable) or someone selling cheap Dvorak keyboards that I haven't been able to find?
What I really want -- instead of always relying on some software solution -- is just some dirt cheap Dvorak hardwired keyboard (preferably USB) that I can simply plug in and it work in everything (it would take some interesting work to get Dvorak in syslinux or other boot loaders for example, so such a thing has the added advantage of letting you more easily deal with these sorts of things.) Basically all I want is something like those $12 QWERTY keyboards you can find at a Walmart, only hardwired for Dvorak instead (I know that those ubercheap keyboards will give you a massive case of carpel tunnel type pains if you use them more than a few hours, but we're talking about something that would only be used for less than an hour at a time since I can just use my nice normal keyboard on my personal computer with all the software solutions.)
I realize that it would cost more than the $12 Walmart boards, but right now I have been unable to find a hardwired Dvorak keyboard for less than $60, which is a pricerange that is just out of the question for such a thing. I've checked everywhere ranging from the higher quality electronics sites to places like eBay and even more questionable websites, but the most affordable Dvorak keyboard I ever found was just an ordinary cheap QWERTY keyboard with the keys moved so it still required a software solution (and even that was at a ridiculous price for what it was.) Sometimes I just wish I had the ability to create my own circuit sheets to rewire a keyboard to Dvorak in hardware myself, but while it may be theoretically possible for some to do it with stuff they may even have at home, it's just way too much for me.
I can't believe that companies are selling these things for $100+ when just taking the same crappy parts that make up a $12 keyboard, tossing in different circuits (they don't even have to change the chip it uses!) and putting the keys in different places would allow them to market to a LOT of people making the switch (I know that when I first thought about Dvorak a long time ago I assumed I would need a new keyboard and would have bought one if it were reasonably priced) as well as some who already have (not to mention that they could get away with slapping a $20 pricetag on it and make even more per keyboard within reason to offset the difference in the smaller volume.) Not many people are willing to spend so much for a keyboard...
I was wondering if anyone here might actually know of some solution like the recircuiting idea (but more reasonable) or someone selling cheap Dvorak keyboards that I haven't been able to find?
