# Was the QWERTY keyboard purposely designed to slow typists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 3, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841 "2009-04-03T11:51:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/41 "2011-04-28T17:14:57Z")
> [@proword](#): > > On the first page she states quite clearly: > > _"One piece of equipment which is_\* universally recognised as being ill-fitted to human operation\*\* is the ubiquitous typewriter keyboard. The standard Scholes-designed keyboard with its qwerty layout, must be one of the very few pieces of equipment which has entirely resisted improvement, which could and should have been made to complement our advancing technological ability. > > Joe Bolding mine. This statement is false, and so clearly biased that I would be highly suspect of anything else she had to say. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/42 "2011-04-28T20:58:31Z")
> [@Lestrade](#): > > Looks like QWERTY got you, those are the same. What did you intend? Sheesh, I blame the fever I’m running. The second was supposed to read: b) QWERTY was designed haphazardly for the first typewriters. These had a problem with jamming, and the designers moved letters so that typists were slowed down to reduce jamming. I suppose for clarity I should have have changed a to a) QWERTY was designed haphazardly for the first typewriters. These had a problem with jamming, and the designers moved letters so that common letter combinations, and their mechanics were placed further apart to reduce jamming. ---
**Author:** ![proword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@proword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/proword)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/43 "2011-04-29T00:23:29Z")
> [@RedSwinglineOne](#): > > Bolding mine. > > This statement is false, and so clearly biased that I would be highly suspect of anything else she had to say. Your opinion, which you are quite entitled to hold. Joe ---
**Author:** ![proword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@proword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/proword)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/44 "2011-04-29T01:05:51Z")
> [@naita](#): > > She was over fourty years removed from the patenting of the dvorak layout and 100 years removed from the development of qwerty, and … And here we are in 2011, even further removed from the creation of QWERTY, and, as you say Dvorak has made little impact, yet the story still lingers on. Either there’s a huge conspiracy by Dvorak supporters (still!!) or the story is based upon fact. 😉 > [@](#): > > you want me to believe she was privy to some documentation that have been lost to all other researchers into the matter Exactly. Why not? I’ve not heard anybody here say they’d known of Lilian Malt’s paper prior to seeing it here, so there’s nothing to say that she DIDN’T have access to some now lost documentation, given that documentation DOES disappear over time. In (Australian) law, there is a concept called “judicial notice”, where the court accepts that certain facts are so widely known that there is no need to prove them. It is then up to the opposition to DISPROVE the fact. I’d submit that since it has been accepted here that the story of QWERTY was so widely accepted then there was no need for Malt to cite a reference. Regardless of the truth or not of the story, my idea in posting was simply that there were a couple of comments about lack of authoritative sources for various matters, and I supplied one. I’ve got no knowledge of its veracity, and don’t care a jot either way. I simply lead you to the authority. If you choose to disbelieve it, as I’ve already stated, you have an avenue to pursue. If you choose not to pursue that avenue, that is entirely your choice. Whether an intentional design factor or not, QWERTY does slow the typist down. Personally, I’ve got nothing but disdain for both QWERTY and Dvorak (and just slightly less so for Colemak). I’ve been using Maltron since 1986 and have absolutely no doubt of its superiority, but that isn’t what this thread is about. Joe ---
**Author:** ![proword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@proword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/proword)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/45 "2011-04-29T02:04:46Z")
> [@naita](#): > > She was over fourty years removed from the patenting of the dvorak layout and 100 years removed from the development of qwerty, and you want me to believe she was privy to some documentation that have been lost to all other researchers into the matter? Just an additional thought. Since she appeared to be working in some way with or for PIRA in her research, then it would be almost certain that she DID have access to otherwise unavailable documentation, since PIRA would have probably the most complete library of documentation on this topic. Joe ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/46 "2011-04-30T04:48:19Z")
You really don’t get it, do you? Rumor + no evidence = Rumor. ---
**Author:** ![proword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@proword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/proword)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/47 "2011-04-30T05:42:18Z")
There’s nothing to be gained trying to argue with me. If you don’t accept the academic paper then you take it up with PIRA. They’re prepared to accept Malt’s findings. They’re the experts, probably the world expert in this field. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/48 "2011-04-30T13:13:44Z")
It don’t work like that, bud. You’re the one who’s putting this paper up as evidence; it’s up to you to defend it. PIRA ain’t here. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![proword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@proword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/proword)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/49 "2011-04-30T13:21:05Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > It don’t work like that, bud. You’re the one who’s putting this paper up as evidence; it’s up to you to defend it. PIRA ain’t here. > Powers &8^] They aren’t? [http://www.pira-international.com/Home.aspx](http://www.pira-international.com/Home.aspx) Well, I’m sure they’ll be heartbroken to hear that. Shall you tell them or shall I?😉 Joe ---
**Author:** ![proword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@proword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/proword)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/50 "2011-04-30T13:27:42Z")
There’s a very apt legal maxim "_Res ipsa loquitur"_ (roughly translated, “Let the thing speak for itself”.) I proceed to do precisely that. Joe ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/51 "2011-04-30T23:35:03Z")
> [@proword](#): > > There’s a very apt legal maxim "_Res ipsa loquitur"_ (roughly translated, “Let the thing speak for itself”.) And that’s wrong, too. You’re mistranslating the Latin, and the maxim does not even remotely address the issue of hearsay evidence, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![proword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@proword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/proword)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/52 "2011-05-01T00:14:03Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > And that’s wrong, too. You’re mistranslating the Latin,. > **[res ipsa loquitur](https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/res+ipsa+loquitur)** > > Definition of res ipsa loquitur in the Legal Dictionary by The Free Dictionary Joe ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/53 "2011-05-01T16:37:36Z")
> [@proword](#): > > Any putative “bias” which she may have had would relate to the creation of the Maltron keyboard, not what the QWERTY layout was designed to do, and so would be irrelevant to this thread. Incorrect. She was promoting Maltron, she had motive to disparage alternate layouts - especially the most commonly used form. If you are trying to break into a monopoly market (and QWERTY is a fairly strong monopoly), you use any tool you can, including using rumors about the origins. So far, you have presented that she could conceivably have had access to records. You have not shown the records, or that the records did exist but have been destroyed. Meanwhile, it is much more plausible that she was repeating a rumor because it conformed to her prejudices. > [@](#): > > If you have any queries as to the accuracy of the paper or Malt’s findings, I’d suggest that you contact either PIRA or Stephen Hobday, who collaborated with Malt. He can be contacted via the Maltron website. Or _you_ could contact PIRA and Stephen Hobday and request they provide the information that bolsters _your_ position. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/54 "2011-05-01T18:58:30Z")
> [@proword](#): > > [Res ipsa loquitur legal definition of res ipsa loquitur](http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/res+ipsa+loquitur) It plainly says that your translation is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/55 "2011-05-02T16:07:15Z")
Please explain for the slow the substantive difference between “the thing speaks for itself” and “let the thing speak for itself”. Granted, one of them has the word “let” in it, but what is the effect on the meaning? ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/56 "2011-05-02T18:13:21Z")
It’s the same as the difference between “Let Usama bin Laden be killed” and “Usama bin Laden is killed.” But that pales into insignificance compared to the fact that, as I have already remarked, the doctrine of _res ipsa loquitur_ has bugger-all to do with the question of the acceptability of hearsay evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841/57 "2011-05-03T22:25:06Z")
> [@proword](#): > > They aren’t? > > [http://www.pira-international.com/Home.aspx](http://www.pira-international.com/Home.aspx) > > Well, I’m sure they’ll be heartbroken to hear that. > > Shall you tell them or shall I?😉 What are you talking about? What did you think I meant by “here”? Powers &8^] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-qwerty-keyboard-purposely-designed-to-slow-typists/491841.md?page=2)