Dvorak typers, how do you handle shortcuts like Ct

Question

• Do you change the key binding in the OS to be, i.e., Ctrl-Q?

• Do you manage to stretch your left hand to the C key?

• Do you use right ctrl and press shortcuts with your right hand?

Answer 1

The program AutoHotKey is what I use to map C,X, and V to their Querty origin.

Answer 2

macs have it built in. there is a keyboard layout for dvorak with querty shortcuts. for windows, i use https://code.google.com/p/dvorak-qwerty/ it works well with ctrl and alt but dosen't work with the Win Key, which is not that bad.

Answer 3

On Linux, the solution that works beautifully in the latest version is this. It will set up all the rules on installation and will work transparently.

Previous answer:

Using Cinnamon, the following works when typing in some applications (i.e. vscode editor):

• In keyboard settings, add QWERTY keyboard layout as the first in the list,
• add Dvorak layout as the second

When typing text in an editor using the Dvorak layout, pressing Ctrl will still use the first (qwerty) layout. This does not work in other applications, like Firefox browser, for example so can be pretty confusing. Having a shortcut (i.e. Alt+Shift) for switching layouts assists in those cases.

While can be difficult at times, the advantage of this approach seems to be that it does not require additional software.

Answer 4

I use none of the proposed solutions: instead, I modify CapsLock so that it becomes a dead-key that I use to program various actions. For example, when I press CapsLock and the key marked (in QWERTY)

• S, this is mapped to Ctrl-X (and thus cut)
• D, this is mapped to Ctrl-C (and thus copy)
• F, this is mapped to Ctrl-V (and thus paste)
• I, this is mapped to up-arrow
• K, this is mapped to down-arrow
• J, this is mapped to left-arrow
• L, this is mapped to right-arrow
• etc.

This is was dubbed 'Home Row computing' by Gustavo Duarte when he introduced this idea in https://manybutfinite.com/post/home-row-computing/ and then https://manybutfinite.com/post/home-row-computing-on-mac/

I'm pretty sure that this amounts for a large part of the speed I gained when typing, in addition to touch-typing.

Answer 5

When I switched to Dvorak, I was using primarily Ctrl+Ins and Shift+Ins for copy/paste. Now I use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V and other program-specific shortcuts, but I have just learned to use them in their "weird" locations.

A similar question was asked on SuperUser, with the following answers:

• Use an AutoHotKey script to remap the keys. (Link)
• Use Microsoft Keyboard Creator to remap them. (Link)
• Install a third-party app that will remap them automatically. (Link, Link)