Who decided the computer keyboard should be laid out as it is?

[johnjohn320]

We've all gotten used to it, but why is it designed that way? Who decided it should be that way, and why?

 

[Chaotic42]

It was designed during the typewriter days to keep people from typing too fast and tangling the bars on the typewriter.

The Dvorak layout is supposed to be better.

 

[BigJ]

It is generally acknowledged that the QWERTY design was concerned with trying to minimize jamming of the keys. How this was accomplished is a matter of some dispute. It is easy to find claims that QWERTY was intentionally designed to slow typing down so as to minimize jamming, although there does not appear to be any hard evidence to support this claim. There were many other typewriter designs competing with QWERTY during the latter part of the nineteenth century although QWERTY eventually came to dominate the market. News reports of typing contests during that period indicate that QWERTY did quite well.

From Wikipedia.

EDIT: Also:

Frequently used pairs of letters were separated in an attempt to stop the typebars from intertwining and becoming stuck, thus forcing the typist to manually unstick the typebars and also frequently blotting the document[1]. The home row (ASDFGHJKL) of the QWERTY layout is thought to be a remnant of the old alphabetical layout that QWERTY replaced. QWERTY also attempted to alternate keys between hands, allowing one hand to move into position while the other hand strikes home a key. This sped up both the original double-handed hunt-and-peck technique and the later touch typing technique; however, single-handed words such as stewardesses and monopoly show flaws in the alternation.

 

[sandorski]

Ban--too many stupid questions lately

 

[johnjohn320]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Ban--too many stupid questions lately

Thanks, dude.

 

[imported_Imp]

I don't remember where I read it, but I just found out a few months ago they designed it to slow us down (like others said). Seems counter-productive, but guess those machines were just too damn slow...

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Ban--too many stupid questions lately

Sounds like a lifer.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Ban--too many stupid questions lately

:thumbsup:

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: johnjohn320
We've all gotten used to it, but why is it designed that way? Who decided it should be that way, and why?

dvorak

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: johnjohn320
We've all gotten used to it, but why is it designed that way? Who decided it should be that way, and why?

dvorak

Sholes

 

[Kenazo]

Originally posted by: Imp
I don't remember where I read it, but I just found out a few months ago they designed it to slow us down (like others said). Seems counter-productive, but guess those machines were just too damn slow...

They used a metal arm that was moved only by the power of the typist's fingers. There was one arm for each letter, plus one for each of the numbers. When the typist hit a key on the keyboard it made the corresponding arm fly at the paper. It would then smack through an ink ribbon onto the paper. They all hit the paper at the same place (relative to the machine). Two arms obviously couldn't hit the same paper at the same time, thus the need to slow the machine down.

 

[KarmaPolice]

this is only a stupid quesiton because google or wiki coudl have answer this easily

 

[badmouse]

Originally posted by: allisolm

Sholes

Nice, somebody actually answered the question. Good job.

In the spirit of ATOT, a detour rant: why in heck can't they make printers that do a good job on envelopes? That's the only thing we use the typewriter here in the office for. Don't tell me about special software, etc. When you need to address one envelope, it's quicker to do it on the typewriter.

 

[johnjohn320]

I'd like to thank all of the Lifer thread critics for their contributions, continuing to make this forum a better place with their witty and courteous remarks. Keep it up, guys.

Thanks to those who actually answered the question-I never even thought back to typewriter days (guess I'm showing my age). Makes sense!

 

[sandorski]

You're welcome

 

[Kenazo]

Hey I'm a lifer... When did that happen?

 

[TheNinja]

The true story:

In 1887 a ninja named "Qwerty Poiu" invented a very primative device that was supposed to assist him in writing music for his guitar. It caught on and eventually everyone starting using them.