Overall, typing on a more ergonomic layout is more comfortable and reduces fatigue, so if you spend a sufficiently large amount of time on the computer, the investment of time makes a lot of sense. I encourage computer programmers, secretaries, or anyone who is required to use the keyboard for long periods of time on a regular basis to learn about alternate keyboard layouts. A computer athlete would focus on learning a new layout if he/she had used other techniques to increase comfort and wanted that extra boost. Most modern operating systems let you change the keyboard layout pretty easily; you can even use a keyboard that has QWERTY labeled keys and just type in your new layout. In fact, I have not relabeled my keys and use a keyboard with QWERTY labeled keys to this day. However, I recommend that most people purchase a re-lettering kit and re-label their keys, which will make it easier to learn the new layout.
Several other layouts besides Dvorak merit attention. Colemak supposedly has many of the benefits of Dvorak, but is easier to learn. Colemak was released in 2006, and is quite new relative to Dvorak and QWERTY.
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