As DavidSJ noted, typing in Dvorak doesn't make programming any easier. However, there are newer generations of Dvorak such as Programmer's Dvorak (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard#Programmer_Dvorak" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard#Prog...</a>) that attempt to make it easier. I've been using plain Dvorak, because I didn't learn about the alternatives in time. I don't think the switch has made much difference either way.<p>Oddly enough, the change that has caused the greatest increase in typing speed for me was starting to use my netbook keyboard. Most people will find this insane, but the smaller keyboard decreases finger travel, so as long as your fingers are small enough to continue typing with precision it ends up being a plus.<p>I think it's pretty meaningless to worry about typing speed being a productivity problem while programming. I can type at 120 wpm, but only 85 wpm while typing composed English, and about 35 wpm typing code. It's much more about brain latency. :)