When advocating for the (relatively) obscure GNU/Linux over Windows, free
software advocates often respond to the objection of "if it's so great, why
isn't it already market-dominant?" by pointing to the Dvorak keyboard layout
being superior to QWERTY as an example of how an objectively better system or
standard can get locked out of the marketplace by various factors, such as
short-term thinking in gatekeeper companies, self-perpetuating path
dependence (typing schools taught QWERTY because manufacturers only made
QWERTY; manufacturers only made QWERTY because typists were only taught
QWERTY), network effects (everyone uses it because everyone uses it), etc.
So why don't more GNU/Linux users (and Mac users before them, come to think
of them) actually USE Dvorak? If any one out there would "get it" about how
going through a little more up-front effort to learn something new to get a
big long term benefit, you'd think it would be our community. If anyone
would have the discipline and dedication to go through a little bit of extra
hassle (switching the layout on a new or borrowed computer, then switching it
back when returned, etc), it would be our community, especially the "purist"
freedom advocates.
In case you don't already know about this issue, check out more information
here:
http://www.dvzine.org/
I just wish that the Linux friendly manufacturers and sellers (ThinkPenguin,
System76, ZaReason, Entroware etc) and especially the fully-free system
sellers (Minifree, Tehnoetic, Libiquity, Viking) would make Dvorak layouts at
least an option, or even the default.
And why don't ANY Linux distros make Dvorak the default? I mean if you're
hard-core enough to exclude MP3 capability and PlayOnLinux, why not Dvorak?
- [Trisquel-users] Network effects / path-dependence / lock-in leoo
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