Quick update on my progress typing with the Dvorak layout (see original post first if you missed it). I am now averaging 65 WPM in my drills, though I am a bit slower in real usage.
Last week I blanked out my keyboard with stickers to force touch typing using Blank Keyboard Stickers in white from 4keyboard.com on my Mac keyboard.
I first considered getting the droolicious Model S Ultimate Silent Keyboard from Das Keyboard, but since it’s a bit pricy I opted instead to use the stickers as a low-cost first step.
Today I changed the keyboard settings on my Mac to use “Dvorak” instead of “Dvorak – Qwerty ⌘” to force myself to relearn my keyboard shortcuts.
So far, so great.
The Sensible Leader 
Did you change the physical location of the keys on the keyboard to Dvorak?
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I made the change myself a few months ago (and have generally loved it) but I couldn’t handle the transition away from Dvorak shortcuts. The ones I use most often – cut, copy, paste, cmd-w, cmd-q – would fall in different hands (if I wanted to keep them one-handed, which I definitely want), which would in turn screw up a lot of the repetitive motions that I find myself frequently doing. On QWERTY, they all (coincidentally?) happen to be in the left hand.
More power to you, though! Please post about your progress; maybe it’ll convince me to go whole-hog too 🙂
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@Nick No, I left them the same. That is why I wanted to 1) learn to touch type so that I wouldn’t need to look down and 2) have a blank keyboard so if I *do* look down I don’t get confused.
@Boone Yeah, that is a great point about the all-on-left-hand thing. I am sort of happy about moving away from that, though, because I get cramps in my left thumb from Cmd + shortcuts for many hours at a time. I am thinking if I spread that around to my right thumb a bit it will help with the strain.
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If the keys allow for it, you might also be able to reorganize them: http://skeltoac.com/2007/10/22/apple-keyboard-aluminum-keycap-removal/
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@Stephane I don’t want to move the keys; too much work. 🙂 Plus I want to touch type and not look down.
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The easiest way to learn to type is to put a pic of the keyboard in front of you as its exact layout and only look at that, your keys are already covered up. It works, it’s how we learned at school. I can type faster than I can speak or read. Remember to always keep fingers on home keys and work from there.
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