en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/543590 Comments by Fortean http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2009/05/episode-77-may-13-16-2009/#IDComment21824580 That's a very impressive review of the DSK versus QWERTY. I especially like the final footnote: "There are several versions of the claim that a switch to Dvorak would not be worthwhile. The strongest, which we do not make, is that Qwerty is proven to be the best imaginable keyboard. Neither can we claim that Dvorak is proven to be inferior to Qwerty. Our claim is that there is no scientifically acceptable evidence that Dvorak offers any real advantage over Qwerty. Because of this claim, our assessment of a market failure in this case is rather simple. It might have been more complicated. For example, if Dvorak were found to be superior. it might still be the case that the total social benefits are less than the cost of switching." The principal failure of the Dvorak-Dealey keyboard was the adamant refusal of typewriter manufacturers to make the DSK available to their customers. All of the DSK typewriters were modified in typewriter repair shops. As educators, Dvorak and Dealey attempted to show the advantage of their invention by training student typists, who'd never encounter another DSK machine in the outside world, and retraining QWERTY typists. Without the availability of DSK typewriters in the market, no government nor any business would retrain its workforce to switch their skills to new machines, (especially to machines that are not sold by any manufacturer). One would have to buy new typewriters, modify them in local repair shops, and engage in a new training course: that's costly. If a typist is speedy on a QWERTY, why switch to another keyboard? However, why should every new typist be saddled with the QWERTY keyboard? Who is manufacturing manual typewriters, today? With electronic keyboards, today, the only cost to convert would be changing the labels on the keys and a new encoding for the keyboard, (already available on many computers for the DSK). If the first pair of scissors was invented by a left-handed blacksmith, and if all scissors were made for left-handed people, does it make sense for all right-handed people to be forced to use left-handed scissors? There would be the enormous cost of manufacturing new scissors and the social cost of retraining left-handed people to use their right hand. Ponder that. Has anyone done a scientific study that proves right-handed scissors are superior to left-handed scissors? Yet, try to find a pair of left-handed scissors in most stores that sell scissors. On the other hand, the QWERTY keyboard is biased for left-handed people. Does any business equipment manufacturer offer a right-handed keyboard? The DSK and my English Keyboard Scheme provide keyboards properly balanced for either right-handed or left-handed typists. I really like the statement that there's "no scientifically acceptable evidence that Dvorak offers any real advantage over Qwerty," as it obviously ignores that there are ergonomic differences between left-handed and right-handed people, (especially when they are typing on a keyboard). Maybe, some more research is needed, (which isn't "both scant and suspect"). Tue, 19 May 2009 16:29:19 +0000 http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2009/05/episode-77-may-13-16-2009/#IDComment21824580 http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2009/05/episode-77-may-13-16-2009/#IDComment21725019 “More than good enough”? I think that’s balderdash! Your program regarding the QWERTY keyboard did little to illuminate the problem of the continued use of an antiquated keyboard layout that has been perpetuated by corporate interests. Bill Buxton dismisses any keyboard reforms, claiming that there is no justification, nor any argument in favour of any reform of a faulty technology. Why is his opinion given full reign? Obviously, someone with your program did a little research and discovered the Dvorak-Dealey Scientific Keyboard, which was patented in 1936. I did, too, in 1972; but, as a Canadian, I was interested in whether or not a similar invention could be developed for the French language, as the Dvorak-Dealey keyboard was designed for the English language. I discovered a few flaws in the DSK layout and pointed them out to August Dvorak. I wasn’t satisfied with his response and pursued a full review of English and French keyboards. The result of this work was my patents for the “English Keyboard Scheme,” (Canadian Patent No. 975,317, issued in 1975). Due to the nature of the French language, several arrangements offer similar improvements, but, none offered much greater advantage than I had found with the English keyboard. Not everyone is the same. Some are right-handed, some are left-handed, and a few are ambidextrous. Why should everyone use a keyboard with a left-handed bias? When keyboards were manufactured as a part of a typewriter, conformity was a manufacturer’s advantage. Every machine was made the same way, and typists were given no choice. The QWERTY keyboard was adopted as a standard; and, the American National Standards Institute has perpetuated its use. For a long time, ANSI refused to endorse the Dvorak-Dealey keyboard, even as an alternative layout, until 1982; and, unless I gave up all claims upon my invention, ANSI refused to even consider it as a possible alternative in any business equipment manufactured in the United States. Manufacturers, educators, and bureaucrats have, (like Bill Buxton), said the QWERTY keyboard is more than good enough. Why change? If one could learn to type, (without tedious exercises), in half the normal time, wouldn’t that be an advantage? If one could type faster with fewer mistakes, wouldn’t that be an advantage? If the only cost to convert to a better keyboard was manufacturing alternative keyboards, (different button labels), with a different encoding program, couldn’t that be offered by manufacturers and give typists a real choice? If one could choose between a right-handed or left-handed keyboard for typing, wouldn’t that be an advantage? No? Bill Buxton worries about scrapping typing manuals and the employment of typewriting teachers. He doesn’t care about typists who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. We may have different keyboards for different languages, but, for Canadians, the QWERTY keyboard is “more than good enough.” English, or French, the concluding opinion offered by Spark is that Canadians must continue to use a faulty technology. Hey, what about another opinion? Sun, 17 May 2009 21:23:05 +0000 http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2009/05/episode-77-may-13-16-2009/#IDComment21725019