>and then an asshole invents “office hours” and we’re all screwed

Assholes invent all kinds of things. It's those who enforce and tolerate it at fault.

>File under “qwerty-level bad choices”

Qwerty wasn't actually that bad, and Dvorak was more like self-promoted infomercial-snake-oil-style cargo-cult

https://www.utdallas.edu/~liebowit/keys1.html

That study is disputed: http://dvorak.mwbrooks.com/dissent.html

Moreover, people in modern times have attempted to create improved keyboard layouts (e.g. BEPO, Coleman) which are also better for typing Unix commands, suggesting that such a rearrangement may be helpful etiher for reducing RSI or for increased speed.

I personally use Colemak for comfort and it is great to type on. The key presses just seem to flow from beneath my fingertips without effort. My typing speed isn’t very high, but colemak greatly improves the comfort and accuracy of my typing. I also use an ergonomic keyboard because I’m at risk of RSI, though (my day job is programming and one of my hobbies is alright of hand, both are rough on my hands) and being a programmer, my hands are very, very important to me. I’m surprised that so few programmers take care of their hands.

The Liebowitz and Margolis article doesn't really bring anything to the table; it seems to just be an attempt to showcase market efficiency or something. Take this from someone who is both an economist and have actually tried the Dvorak keyboard: I believe August Dvorak much more than the authors of this piece.

But the nice things about keyboard layouts in the digital age is that it doesn't matter: You can believe that it's all hogwash and continue clunking Qwerty.

Colemak and Workman are on another level. Qwerty should go the way of buggy-whips.

That would be when some asshole invented artificial lighting, surely.