Keyboard layout

Factual Questions
1

Ok, this is my first post on these boards, so I’ll keep it harmless, a technical question…

What exactly is the origin of our current keyboard layouts? I browsed across usenet and some sites and got different answers. They included the intent of slowing down typers so as not to jam typewriters’ letters, placing often used letter combinations near each other, or having often used keys at your ‘stronger’ fingers.

So what’s your idea about the QWERTY and other languages’ layout?

Thanks in advance,

Simon

2

See Cecils column here : http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_248.html

  • Gartog
3

Also Chinese Keyboards here : http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_177.html

4

For an answer to this question from one Dvorak enthusiast, see this In My Humble Opinion thread from March 2000.