I’ve used DVORAK layouts since I got RSI. I chose a layout in xorg.conf, and any other users of the laptop would just think the keys were broken. You can change the console keyboard map, but usually only if you’re root.
When I tried Ubuntu the other day, it came with GNOME it had really improved in the last 18 months, and came with a keyboard switcher applet, which was dead handy. Recently, slow start times made me look at alternatives – but none had keyboard switching.
I had a google for some X11 key switching commands (I feel no shame in not knowing X low level stuff like this, life is far too short). I wasn’t looking forward to the output, but this little gem popped out. I’m hereby freed up to look at other wms. Just add it to your .profile and marvel at a truly elegant hack:
alias aoeu="setxkbmap us"
alias asdf="setxkbmap dvorak"(Typing break reminder would be nice, but that’s just another google). I know that says more about my laziness than anything else, but I wonder how many GUI users who swear they couldn’t do without some platform or app actually mean they need one tiny part of it’s feature set, and are just a google away from deliverance.