deltasalmon:Maybe it's just wishful thinking that there are other Dovark typers out there looking to type Esperanto characters...

I do know a couple of Esperantists who use Dvorak actually, and it's for exactly that reason that they prefer to use addons like Ek or Tajpi.

Of course you could create a Dvorak keymap for Esperanto, but then where does it stop? Another layout for Colemak? And another for Maltron? What about AZERTY and QWERTZ layouts? etc...

tommjames:

deltasalmon:Maybe it's just wishful thinking that there are other Dovark typers out there looking to type Esperanto characters...

I do know a couple of Esperantists who use Dvorak actually, and it's for exactly that reason that they prefer to use addons like Ek or Tajpi.

Of course you could create a Dvorak keymap for Esperanto, but then where does it stop? Another layout for Colemak? And another for Maltron? What about AZERTY and QWERTZ layouts? etc...

Yes, then where does it stop?
This way everybody would use the layout that best suits him.
Better let's stop it right where it is now. Principiis obsta!

I'm actually working on a big update to this thread that will offer a customised and personalised Esperanto layout for each and every default layout Windows has to offer. This will mean DVORAK will be included. Proper regional currencies and respects for special characters will be of the highest priority.

I will finish English, Russian, and Spanish first before I move to others. As minor as changes seem, it's so tedious that I'm sure this will take me another month or so to do. Additionally, I will see if there's somewhere I can promote this where Microsoft can see it and consider giving Esperanto it's own parent language with individualised layouts for different countries. But because it's so tedious I doubt they would spend the time on that. Which is why I'm doing the work for them.

deltasalmon:

This idea would also appeal to people who use alternative keymaps, like Dvorak.

Maybe it's just wishful thinking that there are other Dovark typers out there looking to type Esperanto characters...

Did I just see that someone else uses the dvorak keyboard?! Hura!

Awhile ago, I downloaded Microsofts keyboard creator that someone just mentioned and modified the Dvorak keyboard to have the diacritics accessible through the alt key. I put the files to the keyboard up on my blog but I don't think anyone has downloaded it yet. Not too many dvorak users who also speak esperanto, I would think.

Ragtag:

Alkanadi:Doesn't windows already have a built in keyboard for esperanto?

No, unfortunately. As far as I can tell, they're not even considering it. The general attitude both Apple and Microsoft have to Esperanto seems to be that it's on the same level as Klingon and is thus not worth the time or money investing in.

Actually, Microsoft seems to consider Esperanto even lower than Klingon; Microsoft's Bing translator will translate to and from Klingon, but not Esperanto.

Christa627:

Ragtag:

Alkanadi:Doesn't windows already have a built in keyboard for esperanto?

No, unfortunately. As far as I can tell, they're not even considering it. The general attitude both Apple and Microsoft have to Esperanto seems to be that it's on the same level as Klingon and is thus not worth the time or money investing in.

Actually, Microsoft seems to consider Esperanto even lower than Klingon; Microsoft's Bing translator will translate to and from Klingon, but not Esperanto.

That self esteem...down the drain

Christa627:

Ragtag:

Alkanadi:Doesn't windows already have a built in keyboard for esperanto?

No, unfortunately. As far as I can tell, they're not even considering it. The general attitude both Apple and Microsoft have to Esperanto seems to be that it's on the same level as Klingon and is thus not worth the time or money investing in.

Actually, Microsoft seems to consider Esperanto even lower than Klingon; Microsoft's Bing translator will translate to and from Klingon, but not Esperanto.

Ah yes, that came straight from the top... the new Klingon Emperor, Bill Gates. Kaplah!

makis:

deltasalmon:

This idea would also appeal to people who use alternative keymaps, like Dvorak.

Maybe it's just wishful thinking that there are other Dovark typers out there looking to type Esperanto characters...

Did I just see that someone else uses the dvorak keyboard?! Hura!

Awhile ago, I downloaded Microsofts keyboard creator that someone just mentioned and modified the Dvorak keyboard to have the diacritics accessible through the alt key. I put the files to the keyboard up on my blog but I don't think anyone has downloaded it yet. Not too many dvorak users who also speak esperanto, I would think.

QWERTYer here; is DVORAK really as good as they say? As a user of MessagEase on my mobile devices I can appreciate the mapping of keys by frequency of use (it's the Dvorak for touch-screens).

I can do ~90 WPM on a QWERTY layout whenever I have randomly decided to test myself in the past. Would I be a lost cause, or do you really get the doubling in typing speed after a while? Can you still function on a qwerty layout after learning it? While MessagEase confers enormous benefits compared to even predictive QWERTY touch keyboards due to making use of touch screen capabilities, I have my doubts that a physical rearrangement of the same keys will have similar results.

Also, does it work as well for Esperanto as for English? And the Colemak keyboard references Esperanto on their FAQ page, so why choose Dvorak over them?

I switched over to Dvorak when I was in college about 10-12 years ago. My speeds are faster but certainly not twice as fast. More than anything I appreciate the more efficient typing for relief of my hands rather than speed. I'm on a computer most of the day.

I have both my work computer and home computer set up for Dvorak. I can still touch type on a Qwerty keyboard but there my speeds have drastically gone done which I guess is okay considering I'm rarely ever using a Qwerty keyboard.

I hadn't heard of the Colemak layout until after I had been typing on a Dvorak keyboard for about 5 years and at that point was just uninterested in trying another layout. It seems to be sort of a mix between Qwerty and Dvorak though.

MessagEase sounds interesting, I'll have to check that out.

As off topic as this is I can't even attempt to bring it back on topic because I have no idea how well any layout works for Esperanto. I guess if it's good enough for English and Romance languages its probably not too far off for Esperanto.

deltasalmon:I switched over to Dvorak when I was in college about 10-12 years ago. My speeds are faster but certainly not twice as fast. More than anything I appreciate the more efficient typing for relief of my hands rather than speed. I'm on a computer most of the day.

I have both my work computer and home computer set up for Dvorak. I can still touch type on a Qwerty keyboard but there my speeds have drastically gone done which I guess is okay considering I'm rarely ever using a Qwerty keyboard.

I hadn't heard of the Colemak layout until after I had been typing on a Dvorak keyboard for about 5 years and at that point was just uninterested in trying another layout. It seems to be sort of a mix between Qwerty and Dvorak though.

MessagEase sounds interesting, I'll have to check that out.

As off topic as this is I can't even attempt to bring it back on topic because I have no idea how well any layout works for Esperanto. I guess if it's good enough for English and Romance languages its probably not too far off for Esperanto.

I figure I was at least 10% on topic
I would imagine dvorak would be even better on Esperanto as far as hand alternation goes, because most words are made up of alternating consonants and vowels. The consonant placement might be poor, but maybe not enough so to warrant a new keyboard layout.

Also, definitely check out MessagEase. I can do 60+ WPM with just my index finger while holding the phone in my off hand, and mid 50 WPM holding the phone in my right hand using only my thumb. This is without any autocorrect or dictionary lookups. They've got a guy with the world record for unassisted speed on a phone at 100 WPM (Guiness apparently doesn't care if a dictionary lookup is used, even if it mysteriously has the very uncommon words "Serrasalmus" and "Pygocentrus" which appear in the record text sample.