There are options, however. In the 1930s, a new layout called Dvorak (named for its inventor, Dr. August Dvorak) was developed, based on sound ergonomic principles. His layout was designed to the following specifications:

1. The most common letters and digraphs should be the easiest to type. For example, on a Dvorak keyboard, the vowels and major consonants are on the home row.
2. The least common letters should be the hardest to type—on the bottom row.
3. The right hand should do most of the typing, because most people are right-handed.
4. Letters should be placed in a way that encourages inboard stroke flow, meaning that keystrokes start from the outside of the keyboard and move inward.

I wrote this book using the Dvorak layout, which is popular among computer programmers. It’s also popular among the super-speedy: since 1985, Dvorak layout user Barbara Blackburn has held the record for typing at 150 wpm (words per minute), according to the Guinness Book of World Records.  Off the record, she has been measured to type at the staggering pace of 212 wpm. Dvorak not only decreases the distance your fingers need to travel, but has also been demonstrated to improve typing accuracy, increasing productivity and decreasing wear and tear because errors and corrections are made less frequently.

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