Converting your Keyboard

Changing a Windows XP Machine

To remap your keyboard on a Windows XP machine:

1. Click on the "Start" button
2. Click on "Control Panel"
   
3. Do one of the following...
   • If you are using Category view.... Click on "Date, Time, Language and Regional Options" and then "Add other Language". This should take you to the languages tab.
   • If you are using Classic view.... Click on "Regional and Language Options" and then click on the "Languages" tab.
4. You should be on the languages tab currently. Click the "Details" button.
   
5. You should now be taken to the Settings tab. Click the "Add" button.
   
6. In the "Add Input Language" box, choose "English (United States)" as your input language and "United State-Dvorak" as your Keyboard layout.
   
7. Click "OK" to the "Add Input Language" box.
   
8. Configure any additional settings on the "Text Services and Input Languages" box.... for example, you can set which language is the default and whether your language preference will appear on the language bar on your task bar.
   
9. Click "OK" twice more.
   

Changing a Windows 95/98 Machine

To remap your keyboard on a Windows 95 machine:

1. Click on the "Start" button
2. Click on "Control Panel"
3. Double-Click on the "Keyboard" Control Panel
4. Click on the "Language" tab
5. Click on the "Properties" button
6. Select "United States-Dvorak" as your Keyboard Language
7. Click the "OK" button, so as that the small window disappears
8. Click "OK" again, so as that the Keyboard Control Panel Disappears

The first time you do this, you should have your system disks/CD-ROM
handy, but everytime afterwards you will not need you system disk/CD-ROM.

Changing a Windows 3.1 Machine

To remap your keyboard on a Windows 3.1 Machine:

1. Go to the Control Panels
2. Double-Click on the icon "International"
3. Select "Country = US"
4. Select "Language = English(American)"
5. Select "Keyboard = US Dvorak"

The first time you do this, you will have to have you system disks
handy, but everytime after that, it should work without them.

Changing a Mac

If you are using System 7 or later, I would recommend Dvorak International's
keyboard switcher. Click Here to download it.

1. Unstuff the file you just downloaded.
2. A folder named "DI Dvorak layouts 1.0.1" should have been created. Open the folder.
3. Make sure that you have quit all programs.
4. Drag the icon "DI Dvorak" to your unopened system folder
5. To switch your keyboard, go to the apple
6. Go to Control Panels
7. Select the "Keyboard" Control Panel
8. Once you have opened the "Keyboard" Control Panel, Highlight "DI Dvorak"
9. Close the Window.

If you have a system previous to System 7, then download Electric Dvorak and follow the rest of the instructions below.

Once you have downloaded the file:
1. Unstuff the file you just downloaded
2. A file should be created named "Install Electric Dvorak",
run this program.
3. To switch your keyboard, go to the apple
4. Go to Control Panels
5. Select the Keyboard Control Panel
6. Select "Electric Dvorak"
7. Close the Window.

Changing to Dvorak in DOS

To change DOS, so that it types in Dvorak, you need to download http://download.microsoft.com/download/win31/keybd/1/w31/en-us/ga0650.exe from Microsoft's FTP server. Microsoft's knowledge-base article 95141 explains how to install and configure this file.

Converting Other Systems

Marcus Brooks has an excellent conversion page. Please check out his resources if your specific needs were not met by this site.