Best keyboard for custom Dvorak-based programming layout

dvorakkeyboard

I'm considering switching to a Dvorak-based keyboard layout, but one optimized for programming (mostly) Java and python (e.g. DDvorak, Programmer Dvorak, etc.). What particular keyboard would be best for such an undertaking? I'd consider either natural or straight keyboards.

Thanks.

Best Answer

I strongly discourage you from learning a layout that has been heavily optomized for any one programming language (or even a class of them..) it's much, much easier to change languages than keylayouts, and you'll have a lot of trouble finding the tweaked layouts on any random computers you need to use.

That said, I've used dvorak for years (something like 7-8 years now) on a Kinesis Contoured keyboard and it works wonderfully. The kinesis is programmable, switches between qwerty/dvorak, and you can remap the keys all you want (so you could try out ddvorak or programmer dvorak pretty easily, without making software changes, if you wanted).

The contoured keyboard also forces you to touch-type more "correctly", since you can't easily reach across the keyboard with the wrong hand.

Related Topic