OH YEAH! DVORAK KEYBOARD ACCESSORY v1.1 ----------------------------------------- Introduction ("What Is It?") ---------------------------- Oh Yeah! DVORAK KEYBOARD is a program which converts your ST's keyboard from the normal QWERTY layout to the new DVORAK one. The idea, and some of the information that follows, is borrowed from the writers of another Dvorak program, Alex Stevens and Mike Bales, to whom I am indebted. However, _this_ program is smaller, doesn't need a resource file, works with UK and US machines, and is _mine_! The Dvorak Keyboard Layout ("The What?") ---------------------------------------- When the typewriter was first invented, there were many problems with the keys jamming and getting stuck together, even for two-finger typing. So a layout was invented which would slow the typist down. Common letters were difficult to reach, and many of the most common letter pairs were keyed with the same finger, or at least the same hand, on different rows. What was this layout? The standard QWERTY layout that we all use today! Despite the fact that this keyboard was designed to make things difficult for the typist, it is still used today on practically every computer keyboard. Dr. Dvorak made a study of the English language, looking for the most common letters and letter pairs. With this information, he designed a different key layout, one that makes things easy for the typist by having the most common letters easy to reach, and where the fingers have to travel much less. He calculated that an average typist's fingers travel 12-20 miles in an 8-hour day, but on the new layout, that was reduced to about one mile. The layout for the ST DVORAK keyboard is the following:- ! @ œ $ % ^ & * ( ) ] + ÿ ESC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 [ = ` BACKSPACE " < > P Y F G C R L ? } TAB ' , . p y f g c r l / { DELETE A O E U I D H T N S _ RETURN ~ CONTROL a o e u i d h t n s - # | : Q J K X B M W V Z SHIFT \ ; q j k x b m w v z SHIFT ALT SPACE CAPS The Program ("What Does It Do?") -------------------------------- Oh Yeah! DVORAK KEYBOARD converts your ST's keyboard to the layout above. If you want to, you could change the keytops around, although this is not a good idea in case you need to refer to the original layout. Small stickers work well. The program will run as a GEM program (.prg), or a desk accessory (.acc). When run as a program, it simply changes the key layout. When run as an accessory (by copying it into the root directory of your boot disk), it changes the layout on bootup, and then lets you switch between normal QWERTY and DVORAK keyboards at any time. The program is just over 1k long, so it shouldn't eat up much of your precious memory, and should compatible with all ST's and all TOS versions, and all software that uses the keyboard properly (ie everything except some games). The new layout is especially suited to touch typing; the home keys are U and H in the same positions as usual. I find it best to write out the layout on paper and put it on the top of the ST. Technical Info ("...there's more?") ----------------------------------- The main problem I encountered with Alex Stevens' and Mike Bales' program was that it had been written for the US keyboard. This has one less key than the UK variant, losing the overscore and pound sign, and having some other symbols moved around. Their accessory was nearly 4.5k long, which seemed a little excessive, and also needed a resource file to be loaded, not just on bootup, but also whenever the accessory was accessed. This was a nuisance, especially as it was just for a simple dialogue box. Also, when the keyboard was reset to the normal QWERTY layout, that too was for the US keyboard. The final little niggle was that it started 'off', so you always had to activate it before using the keyboard. So I wondered whether I could write something better. I'd never written an accessory before, but it wasn't too difficult, and so here it is!! My program is just over 1k long. It uses only an alert box, and so needs no resource file. The layout is set in this version for the UK keyboard, but when de-selected, your ST's usual key layout comes back, be it UK, US or whatever. The DVORAK layout is active from bootup in this version. The program also works fine as a .PRG program, so it can be used from an AUTO folder in order to spare those precious accessory slots, although then the QWERTY layout can't be restored (also the program has to stay in memory even after it's finished, but since it's short that shouldn't be too much of a problem). The keen-eyed amongst you will have noticed that the " is not in its usual place for a UK keyboard: I have exchanged it with the @ because I think it's much more convenient there (the one good thing about US keyboards!). Anyway, it's only one key away from usual. Availability ("How Much Does It Cost?") --------------------------------------- This program is FREEWARE; it's *free*!, although if you use it a lot and think it's worth something to you, any cash donations would be gratefully received! If you want a version for a US keyboard, or one which starts off de-activated from bootup, ie as QWERTY, then I can let you have one for a couple of pounds. I will probably also send some other programs, and any later version of this one (sending a disk would help). Also, the source code is available for a similar charge (I compiled it using the Ian Lepore's Heat-and-Serve 1.40 C compiler - thanx Ian! - but it should work with others). Even if you don't send any money, please send a postcard or something telling me what you like or don't like. If there are any alterations you'd like to see, or other layouts, or if you have any problems, let me know! You can contact me: by E-mail (up to end of June 1993): A.R.Giddings @ uk.ac.durham or by snail mail: Andrew Giddings 71 Tyrone Road Thorpe Bay Essex SS1 3HD England Please give this program to your friends, BBS etc. - someone somewhere must be able to find a use for it!! Just don't change it or charge for it, and please include this text file. Watch out for other Oh Yeah! utilities - the Oh Yeah! RAMINIT Ramdisk Initialiser is already available, coming soon is the Oh Yeah! TEXT FILE VIEWER. Disclaimer ("It's Not My Fault!") --------------------------------- I'm fairly sure DVORAK KEYBOARD is safe, but I'm not responsible for any consequences of your using this program. If it causes your machine to do strange things, crash, or even turn into a nuclear missile and blow up Argentina, then it is not my fault! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 1.1 - 17/5/93 --------------------- There has never been a program that couldn't be improved, and this is of course no exception: hence this new version! I've made various minor improvements. When run as a .prg, it now reserves only the memory needed. The alert box is neater. The braces { and } are exchanged, as are the square brackets [ and ], to be more logical. I've also made other adjustments to the code to make it neater and shorter, and last and probably least, I've added a version number! The first version was v1.0, by default, and so this is v1.1. Hopefully there will be no reason for a v1.2, but......! Ooo Hh h Y Yy Eeeeee A Hh h ! O o Hh h Y Yy Ee Aaa Hh h !!! Oo oo Hh h Y Yy Ee Aa a Hh h !!! Oo oo Hh h YYy Ee Aa a Hh h !!! Oo oo Hhhhhh Yy Eeeee Aaaaaaaaa Hhhhhhh ! Oo oo Hh h Yy Ee Aa a Hh h ! Oo oo Hh h Yy Ee Aa a Hh h ! O o Hh h Yy Ee Aa a Hh h Ooo Hh h Yy Eeeeee Aa a Hh h ! #include "It's not what you've got, it's how you get your fingers round it!" (c) Andrew Giddings MXMII 17/5/93