Colemak

[Nylan]

So recently I've contemplated switching from the QWERTY keyboard layout to Colemak. My biggest reason for considering the switch is that I need an ergonomic layout to minimize CTS, and Colemak claims to help with this. However, I need to be able to type quickly for my university courses.

Has anybody had any experience with this layout? How long did it take you get up to speed, and how easy is it to switch back and forth between layouts?

And for the general public, what do you think of the layout compared with QWERTY or alternate layouts like Dvorak? The website is here. There's an FAQ.

What should I do?

 

[Zelig]

I haven't used Colemak, but switched over to Dvorak a few years ago.

I read through the Colemak site, and it looks like it would generally be a easier choice to switch to than Dvorak, from QWERTY, with the complication of not having the layout pre-included most computers.

I love Dvorak, although the capslock -> backspace change looks fantastic, I'll be changing that as soon as I get home.

 

[Cutlass]

I tried Dvorak for a while a few years ago. But because I wasn't always on my own computer, switching back and forth was too difficult. I'm not a touch typist, but I found it fairly easy.

 

[Nylan]

I haven't used Colemak, but switched over to Dvorak a few years ago.

I read through the Colemak site, and it looks like it would generally be a easier choice to switch to than Dvorak, from QWERTY, with the complication of not having the layout pre-included most computers.

I love Dvorak, although the capslock -> backspace change looks fantastic, I'll be changing that as soon as I get home.

Can you imagine how much better the internet would be without capslock? I do find learning quickly to be a priority too, which is why I'm more drawn to Colemak than Dvorak.

I tried Dvorak for a while a few years ago. But because I wasn't always on my own computer, switching back and forth was too difficult. I'm not a touch typist, but I found it fairly easy.

Well one of the nice things is that there are a few .exe files that will convert the layout. Many people put them on a USB drive and set the script to autorun when the plug it in. If that's not possible there are a number of websites that have it.

 

[Jerrymander]

I don't type extremely well. I tried Dvorak a few months ago. After a week I was typing pretty fast, but I'm sticking with QWERTY. I'm not a touch typist, and most keyboards are QWERTY.

Dvorak is very nice, though. I don't have experience with Colemak.