Maltran Keyboard

In "Maltran Keyboard", "Stephen R. Diamond" <srdiamond15 DeleteThis @mindspring.com> wrote:

 >Has anyone tried the Maltran keyboard, which uses a layout claimed superior
 >to either Dvorak or QWERTY?

It's actually "Maltron". You can find more about it at

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.maltron.com" target="_blank">www.maltron.com</a>

(They've been around a long time, I believe, but I've never tried one myself...)<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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"Ben Pope" <spam RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:burnob$lak67$1@ID-191149.news.uni-berlin.de...
 > Stephen R. Diamond wrote:
  > > Has anyone tried the Maltran keyboard, which uses a layout claimed
  > > superior to either Dvorak or QWERTY?
 >
 > No, but if you can find the keyboard layout, why not change your OS to
 > support it and give it a go?
 >
 > MS have a keyboard layout editor that you might be able to use to re-order
 > the keys.

You must belong to the fortunate majority who can learn a keyboard layout
with no performance interference. I mostly forgot QWERTY when I mastered
Dvorak. Then I relearned QWERTY, substantially forgetting Dvorak in the
process, and became somewhat proficient in both only by practicing them
concurrently on yet another return trip. Learning a new layout isn't
lightly, unless you can easily compartmentalize skills.

Stephen Diamond<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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srd wrote:
 > "Ben Pope" <spam DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
 > news:burnob$lak67$1@ID-191149.news.uni-berlin.de...
  >> Stephen R. Diamond wrote:
   >>> Has anyone tried the Maltran keyboard, which uses a layout claimed
   >>> superior to either Dvorak or QWERTY?
  >>
  >> No, but if you can find the keyboard layout, why not change your OS to
  >> support it and give it a go?
  >>
  >> MS have a keyboard layout editor that you might be able to use to
  >> re-order the keys.
 >
 > You must belong to the fortunate majority who can learn a keyboard layout
 > with no performance interference. I mostly forgot QWERTY when I mastered
 > Dvorak. Then I relearned QWERTY, substantially forgetting Dvorak in the
 > process, and became somewhat proficient in both only by practicing them
 > concurrently on yet another return trip. Learning a new layout isn't
 > lightly, unless you can easily compartmentalize skills.

Well actually I have mastered neither Dvorak or QWERTY... I can;t touch type
QWERTY mostly because I have learnt whilst looking at the keyboard, I
started learning to touch type Dvorak when I wanted to learn to touch type.

I'm not sure what makes you think I can learn keyboard layouts quickly.
Besides, if the layout is that much better, it's worth the effort.

Ben
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Ben Pope wrote:

 > Well actually I have mastered neither Dvorak or QWERTY... I can;t touch
 > type QWERTY mostly because I have learnt whilst looking at the keyboard, I
 > started learning to touch type Dvorak when I wanted to learn to touch
 > type.

You'll have a much easier time than we ex-QWERTY touch typists had
converting to it. My only regret is not starting with Dvorak in the first
place.

There was an interesting Maltron VS Dvorak discussion on the altkeyboards
mailing list a few months back. The Maltron layout may (or may not) have
the edge _if_ you use the Maltron keyboard but Dvorak two-handed layout is
a better layout for standard keyboards - a tried and tested layout with
support built in to most operating systems.

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/altkeyboards/messages/1581" target="_blank">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/altkeyboards/messages/1581</a>


 > I'm not sure what makes you think I can learn keyboard layouts quickly.

Practice, practice, and more practice. I completed the text at
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.gigliwood.com/abcd/abcd.html" target="_blank">http://www.gigliwood.com/abcd/abcd.html</a> at least once every day for many
weeks. When I got comfortable in Dvorak, I put in some additional practice
on a typing tutor as my speed increased.

I suggest you subscribe to the altkeyboards mailing list - great discussion
and encouragement from other Dvorak users and learners.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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Snowbat wrote:
 > Ben Pope wrote:
 >
  >> Well actually I have mastered neither Dvorak or QWERTY... I can;t touch
  >> type QWERTY mostly because I have learnt whilst looking at the keyboard,
  >> I started learning to touch type Dvorak when I wanted to learn to touch
  >> type.
 >
 > You'll have a much easier time than we ex-QWERTY touch typists had
 > converting to it. My only regret is not starting with Dvorak in the first
 > place.
 >
 > There was an interesting Maltron VS Dvorak discussion on the altkeyboards
 > mailing list a few months back. The Maltron layout may (or may not) have
 > the edge _if_ you use the Maltron keyboard but Dvorak two-handed layout is
 > a better layout for standard keyboards - a tried and tested layout with
 > support built in to most operating systems.
 >
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/altkeyboards/messages/1581</font" target="_blank">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/altkeyboards/messages/1581</font</a>>

Interesting...

I hadn't checked the Maltron Keyboard until now, it seems it is a somewhat
"different" design. I've seen similar devices in the past.

I would guess that it is probably quicker to use than a standard
configuration keyboard, mostly due to the shaping.

With respect to which fingers hit which keys, somebody did a genetic
algorithm style test on layouts, using different weightings and shoved a
whole load of English text into it... the layouts that came out were almost
identical to Dvorak.

The problem with the test, I suspect, is that the weightings were biased
towards the original thinking of Dvorak himself, and assuming his layout is
near optimal for his thinking, the new test is going to come up with the
same answer.

  >> I'm not sure what makes you think I can learn keyboard layouts quickly.
 >
 > Practice, practice, and more practice. I completed the text at
 > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.gigliwood.com/abcd/abcd.html" target="_blank">http://www.gigliwood.com/abcd/abcd.html</a> at least once every day for many
 > weeks. When I got comfortable in Dvorak, I put in some additional
 > practice on a typing tutor as my speed increased.

I got to the point where I completed it. Then I kind of stopped, I was fed
up with drop in speed of my typing I should get back to it one day, but
before I do, I will have to create a UK Dvorak layout. I'm using a QWERTY
keyboard and changing the mapping in the OS, but since there are differences
between US and UK layouts, I have problems finding the unusual symbols such
as " @ # and whatever else is different between US and UK keyboards.

 > I suggest you subscribe to the altkeyboards mailing list - great
 > discussion and encouragement from other Dvorak users and learners.

Looks good, thanks for the heads up.

Ben
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