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Instructions for converting MS-Windows to Dvorak layout

Since the mid-1980s, when the three Dvorak layouts were declared as ANSI standards, Windows - and all major operating systems - included the layouts as optional alternatives. No download required, it's already there - if you know where.

But note: ANSI is the American National Standards Institute. They didn't think to cater for UK keyboard users, by including the £ sign. Can't blame them for not including a € symbol though: that wasn't invented then. Never fear; the solution is here, if you need a UK keyboard layout.

The following instructions are reversible - setting up your PC for the Dvorak layout won't prevent you from using QWERTY. It's about choice... and that's all yours.

Windows Vista

1. Control Panel > Clock, Language, Region > Change Keyboards or Other Input Methods
2. Then click on "Change keyboards..." and you can add Dvorak under that
3. Using the "Advanced Key Settings" tab you can set up key combos to switch back and forth.

Windows 2000

1. START > Settings > Control Panel > Regional Options
2. Select the Input Locales tab
3. Under "Installed input locales", click the [Add] button
4. Under Keyboard layout/IME, select United States-Dvorak; then [OK]

Windows XP / ME

1. START > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options
2. Select the "Languages" tab
3. Under "Text services and input languages": [Details...] button
4. Under "Installed Services": [Add] button
5. Under "Keyboard layout/IME": Select "United States-Dvorak"; then [OK] (Note that you can choose which of the installed keyboard layouts to use when you next start your computer in the 'Default Input Language' Box.)
6. Press [Apply] then [OK] and [OK] again to dismiss the dialog.

Ctrl+SHIFT will now (by default) switch between the installed keyboard layouts. It's useful to remember this, in case you accidentally hit this key combination in normal use. If this becomes annoying, you can remove or modify this hot key in the [Key Settings...] option you should see when you get to (3) above.

Note that when using the United States-Dvorak layout on a UK keyboard, the positions of the '@' and '"' keys are swapped, and the key to the left of the [Enter] key is mislabelled.

If you're in Britain, download the "United Kingdom-Dvorak" layout for Windows XP / 2000 (possibly also good with other Windows versions). This essential resource corrects the layout for the UK keyboard - and includes the '£' symbol, inexplicably omitted from the ANSI version.

Windows 98SE & NT 4.0

1. START > Settings > Control Panel > Keyboard > Properties
2. Scroll down and select US-Dvorak, then [OK]
3. You may be prompted to insert the Windows 95 CD to complete the installation.

Copyright © 2007 Colin Reynolds / Typocheck. All rights reserved.
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