The dvorak keyboard is mainly optimized for word processing, so its applications for programming are not as dramatic. Furthermore, I'd be curious to see a programmer type at 100+ wpm, because of all the formatting that is done with code. When typing a paragraph, you can type continuously from beginning to end. With a program, if you're observing proper style, you're going to indent a lot, some lines may consist of only a few characters, and also programmers use symbols too. Braces, brackets, plus minus, semicolon, things like that. (I'm a computer science major)
For those who are curious, the main thing that makes the dvorak keyboard so much easier to use is that the keys are reorganized such that the typist is using each hand consecutively. This is faster, and more ergonomic. It has been found that the dvorak keyboard makes people less susceptible to carpal-tunnel syndrome. If you take a look at your keyboard you'll learn that a lot of words favor one hand. Think about this forum...we type the word 'read' fairly often. If you notice, that word is typed with the left hand only.
A very quick and dirty examination of a dvorak keyboard shows that the vowels are on one side, and the consonants on the other. Obviously, some consonants are with the vowels, but for the most part you can say that the common consonants are on one side, with the vowels on the other. This is an attempt to keep you in a "left-right-left-right" rhythm with your hands, which is more efficient.
Finally, anybody can try the dvorak keyboard without investing in the keyboard itself. Windows has the option of changing the keyboard to ANY type of keyboard. The only problem with this is that you'll be looking at a QWERTY keyboard, and it'll come out in dvorak. So, what you can do is, change the windows settings, then print out a diagram of the dvorak keyboard, and fool with typing on the keyboard while looking at the diagram. That way you don't have to spend the money on the keyboard just to try it out.
To change your settings in windows, go to Start, then settings, then control panel. Double click on "keyboard". Go to the "Language" tab, and click "properties". In the dropdown list it'll say "United States-Dvorak" switch to that, and presto, you're good. Just make sure you remember how to get it back or else you'll be learning dvorak the hard way :-)
Jeff
