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The idea behind this all was, as mentioned, to maximize typing efficiency. The home row consists of some of the most frequent letters in English -- all the vowels, plus frequent consonants. Other regular letters are not far off -- the `c' and `r' right above the middle fingers of the right hand, for example; the `m' just below the index finger of the right hand (incidentally, the `a' and the `m' did not switch places between QWERTY and Dvorak).

Frequent key combinations are also apparent in the Dvorak layout. `Sch', for example, is easily typed with an inward, drumming-like motion of the right hand. Common diphthongs, such as `ou' or `ai', always go out-to-in, like the natural drumming motion of the fingers.

Nori Heikkinen 2003-11-12