Your QWERTY is only slow because you're learning Colemak now, I think. Don't sweat it; I type QWERTY fast enough for the times I can't use Colemak (which isn't very often since I always have my USB stick with me).

The 'beta' is okay, as far as the MS keyboard layout creator lets it be okay. Remapping CapsLock is beyond the skill set of that application. Shai has been looking into some proprietary software that can apparently do better, but that project isn't finished.

If you're concerned about the CapsLock, you could always stop using that particular remapping? Colemak doesn't depend on it.

Of course there will be a Colemak that works on Win7 and other future systems! Don't be silly.

If there isn't a Colemak version out for Windows 7 by the time I have to switch I will bloody well code one myself in assembler, nay in _machine code_, if I have to. So don't worry; There'll be a version.

Dreymar: A keyboard layout is just a dll with a particular function that does pretty much what you say. They're not too hard to write, especially if you start out with some template code and alter that. I'd wager that MSKLC does just that - it would have a template dll with known memory addresses of some static arrays, and it just changes those for each new layout.

All you need to make one is a C compiler and a Microsoft driver utility library whose name eludes me at the moment. If you want to make one yourself, just scour the web and you'll come up with the info in no time.

I don't know if, and if so how, the Vista keyboard driver model is different.

Mmm, it seems I shouldn't worry then about any future support since already people have come with alternatives.  But I only started using a computer for extended amounts of time like two years ago when I needed to start using one for middle school. So I don't really have decades of QWERTY skill, just a couple of years. That's what was worrying me.

Colemak has a lot of support and a nice large community, so not so worried about the windows 7 thing anymore. Though I do depend on CapsLock as backspace as it really makes things a lot easier for me when I make mistakes, but I see what you mean when you say the layout does not totally depend on it.

You've always got the AutoHotKey option? As you know you could launch it from a USB stick. It could have the sole job of turning the Caps Lock into backspace.

I didn't actually think it compiled C source code, I just thought it patched a binary. Since the drivers essentially share the same code except for some static translation arrays I'm sure that would work. Of course, having an embedded C compiler would work equally well.

To make your own, you need a C compiler like Visual Studio or gcc, the Windows Driver Kit and preferably a sample keyboard driver to work from.

I'll have a crack at it. Give me a week or so and I'll see if I can't get around to it.

I just downloaded the colemak.exe that Ryan Heise has on his website and just put that on a flash drive. It remaps CapsLock and everything so that's really convenient for me. Though the login for my school's computers are in numbers so that's really easy for me to use.

When I started learning Dvorak I initially lost QWERTY. Once Dvorak became second nature, after typing a couple words I could touch type QWERTY almost as fast as Dvorak (my peak QWERTY speed was 70, because I had a really good typing course. Dvorak I got to 55, and QWERTY dropped to 45). I don't think it's at all hard to have muscle memory for both (and I don't doubt I could have all 3 layouts with equal proficiency given enough time).

I was just about to start the same topic!

after 40 days of colemak, my qwerty is sooo embarrassingly bad. I feel kind of mislead when the faq said switching is easy, because for me it's like learning every key again.

Hopefully once my colemak becomes flawless it will be more like a "switch" rather than a "re-learn".

Hi, I can seamlessly switch, I discovered it to my surprise ;) This is like you said, my learning phase is completed (I am only gathering speed) and it is not confusing any more to switch between layouts you know.

I will say that when you achieve 99% accuracy whenever you touch the keyboard, than you have learned the layout. Many think that they have learned keyboard when they have significant speed, I argue to that.

Other thing is that I have learned the motor skills of pressing whatever key I want, but I have to think of the layout. It is not hard thing though. I am a bit freak maybe, because I nearly all the time read or watch something or chatting with someone thinking about something else in the background... my head is always full of thoughts ;) 

Many reports that they touchtype unconsciously (without thinking of any aspect), maybe they are not conscious that they thik of the layout. Brain works in amazing ways, some people are conscious about more of it and some people just live ;-)

Well I currently have to switch occasionally between QWERTY and Colemak, but I find that I can manage a speed of 35-40 wpm. It seems that as Colemak sinks in a little more they start to become more separate even though I haven't practiced QWERTY. Most of the time when I can switch to Colemak I do though because now I can manage a speed of about 60-64 on Colemak. But I think that everyone is right about the time that you spend using Colemak and how it affects proficiency in other layouts.