THIS IS VERY BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT KEYBOARDS

It takes less than 30 seconds to change keyboard layouts.

And less than 30 seconds to change back to Qwerty!

The keyboard is hardware. Each key sends a different number out to the microprocessor when it is struck. These numbers are called scan key numbers ( scan codes). These numbers are pretty well fixed unless you change the wiring around. I have done that. Not for everbody! The scan key number is placed in one of the registers or storage areas in the microprocessor. There it sits! Forever more! Unless someone does something. Someone does. That number is checked and a ascii code for a letter or character is assigned according to the wishes of the programmer. Your video system knows ascii codes! That process is being handled for you. If the programmer is Chinese, German, or Spanish his wishes might well be different than if he works for Microsoft in California.

A programmer decides what character will result when a key is struck.

The programmer decides what character will result when a particular key is struck. What he has decided for you is loaded into memory each time you turn your computer on. What is loaded can be changed with extreme ease! I have a program that changes your keyboard to the two-handed Dvorak in DOS that is 256 bytes long. You can toggle back and forth to Qwerty with a control character.

Is using a Spanish keyboard odd? Neither is a single-handed Dvorak!

Get the idea? Nothing strange about having a keyboard that has different characters than the stupid QWERTY that most people are burdened with. I have no idea how many different keyboard layouts there are in the world. Many languages have characters that are not found on the US keyboard. Check the languages in the keyboards section of your computer. The single-handed Dvorak is no more strange than Qwerty, German, or Spanish. It is no more difficult to install. It is no more difficult to uninstall.

Here are some of the keyboard layouts that you can ask for on my WIN 3.1 computer.

This is from my SETUP.INI file in windows\system directory.
The kbd.dll files that I have looked at are 1260 bytes long. Very small!

What About The Key Caps? Who needs Key Caps?

Many people remember key cap covers in typing class. Who needs key caps? During the first few days of learning a new keyboard it maybe helpful to change the key caps. Young children will need key caps changed. You can do this with paper stickons. You may move the caps on some keyboards. If you own the computer and want to you may change them permanently. Buy an IBM "Easy Options" and the key caps change with ease. You could carry your own keyboard to work with you. It just plugs in. I am sure a switch could be rigged to switch keyboards. Don't get hooked on a special keyboard if you go and type at places other than your home. Use the Qwerty so that you can go anywhere and type. You don't need key caps.

I reccommend the Qwerty caps so you don't distrub the children.
Of all ages!

I use the standard keyboard caps even though I could switch in a minute or two. I do it for the grandboy. He uses Papa's computer and needs the key caps. He is six. He is amused and entertained by my layout. When you hit a key you never know what you will get. What you see is not what you get. This may be his first experience with that principle. He will have many more.

One little problem

There is a problem that comes up now and then with wrong key caps. "Hit control C". When you look at the keyboard for an individual letter the key is wrong. You have to put your hand in the typing position to know where the C is. That changes. I now know many locations by their qwerty cap. That is without making any effort to learn. Control v is for paste a copied item. I know that control v is control and the less than character. I made no effort to learn that.

The Files Involved.

The files you need are free from Microsoft. You may download from Microsoft or on many bulletin boards. See what Microsoft has to say at their site. The files you need with DOS are DVORAK.SYS and a file you already have called KEYB.COM. With Windows 3.1 you need a left or right handed DLL (dynamic link library) file. It is free from Microsoft. It is in the MSDVORAK file on this site. Windows 95 has everything read to go for you. Go to "My Computer", control panel, and keyboard. It is soooo easy.
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