Learning The Colemak Keyboard Layout

I am learning a keyboard layout called Colemak.

“Why the hell are you learning a new keyboard layout?” you ask?

“Can’t you type on a normal QWERTY keyboard!?”

Well, I am a compulsive geek to put it bluntly. I like inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering on myself don’t I.

But, more to the point, I like trying out new Nerdbox stuff. I’ve been typing QWERTY for close to 20 years now, touch typing a respectable 80 – 90 words per minute and have essentially hit a ceiling. Now 80 – 90 words per minute is actually quite a good speed and nothing to be ashamed of.

Thing is … I have gotten a bee in my bonnet about it, and read on the net somewhere, for the life of me I can’t remember where, that proficiency in the Colemak Keyboard Layout, with practice, and a few years down the track of course, will see me typing up around the 130 words per minute or even faster, with greater efficiency, less typer fatigue, and reduced risk of RSI.

All in all, that sounds pretty good to me.

Now, I’ve been typing in Colemak for less than 12 hours, after starting at about 4am this morning, and have already messed up my QWERTY proficiency.  I have been busy all morning reprogramming the neural networks in my brain with typing exercises for the Colemak Keyboard Layout, trashing QWERTY in the process. There is no turning back now.

Most people would give their teeth for a touch typing speed like that, and I, with all my wisdom and a reasonable dose of careless compulsion quickly go throw all that competency down the toilet with one early morning caffeine frenzy.

Bummer huh!

All this gets even funnier when you consider I just wrote  an article about buying a keyboard with US ASCII Layout, which Colemak is certainly not.

So, watch this space.  I AM going to tell you about my pain.

Enjoy the ensuing diatribe.

Peter