Re: Anybody here fluent in both Dvorak & QWERTY?

The "standard" training advice that might apply here is to entirely  
abandon one keyboard while training on the other. I'm not sure where  
the "while training" line is drawn, though.

The usual path would be to give up one keyboard for a month or so  
when you start training on the other. Given that, I'm not surprised  
you're having trouble if you're training on both layouts every day.

Just as a starting point, I would say give yourself at least one or  
two sleep cycles after training on one keyboard before you even look  
at the other. The brain consolidates learning experiences while you  
sleep.

Since you're already having trouble, I would suggest laying off one  
layout entirely for a week or so, at least. When you try switching  
again, distinguish between "training" days, when you drill for speed  
and accuracy, and "using" days, when you type more or less casually.  
You might get away with using both layouts casually in a single day.  
But after training on one layout always give yourself some sleep time  
before using the other.

Again, that's the best suggestion I can make based on stuff I've read  
here and there, not practical experience. I did go through a period  
when I was switching layouts pretty fluently, but I never actually  
tried drilling on either one at that time.

Good luck,
Marcus

BTW: It's discouraging to hear of a transcription service that's  
locked into QWERTY.


On Feb 25, 2009, at 4:35 PM, mailorderspam wrote:

> I learned QWERTY first, in 8th grade, over 40 years ago, and was
> typing about 50 wpm.
>
> Six years later, I abandoned QWERTY and switched to Dvorak,
> self-taught, with nothing to help me make the switch other than
> modifications I made to a QWERTY typing manual. (This was long before
> there was typing software or PCs with software-switchable keyboard
> layouts that help with that. Smith Corona made me a dedicated DSK
> electric typewriter.)
>
> I found switching to be one of the hardest things I ever did.
> Frankly, I never would have switched if I'd known how hard it would be
> *for me*.  Every time I stopped concentrating, I'd revert back.  It
> took me months of daily practice before I recovered my QWERTY speed
> and then got faster.  Most people seem to be able to be trained to
> switch easier than me.
>
> Next fall I'm entering a medical transcription training program where
> at times at least it will be very difficult for me to be able to
> touch-type in Dvorak.  I'm trying to learn to become fluent in both
> keyboard layouts, using Ten Thumbs software, so I can use QWERTY when
> I absolutely have to, and Dvorak when I can for better speed and less
> wear and tear.  I started about a month ago.
>
> This is proving to be even harder.  Though I practice with both
> keyboards daily, as I'm gaining fluency in QWERTY and clearing 40 wpm,
> I start making more QWERTY key errors when I switch back to Dvorak,
> and my 70 wpm Dvorak speed suffers.
>
> Also, while I can QWERTY 40 wpm plus and gaining, IF I'm typing
> prepared text as in typing software, my ability to think and type in
> QWERTY as in typing this post is horrific, Dvorak-key error laden and
> probably net of 15 wpm... this bodes very poorly for my ability to do
> medical transcription in QWERTY, because one has to listen and
> transcribe and can't think about the keys he's typing.
>
> I may have to abandon Dvorak and just go QWERTY again to gain speed
> and accuracy in QWERTY, but I hate to do that.  Any suggestions from
> anybody who has fluency in both layouts?  I've heard there *are* who
> retain fluency in both.
>
>
>
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