Yeah, but qwerty was designed so the keys wouldn't jam as much.  That's what I've always read at least.  So, even through daisy wheels, word processors, computers, and iPhones/androids/tablets, that don't have any keys to jam, we still keep the same layout.  More efficient layouts have been devised, but never really caught on.

My neighbor who brought me the Pencrest/smith-Corona a few weeks ago was telling me that she taught herself Dvorak and runs her computer with that layout.  I was thinking you'd have to by a Dvorak keyboard, which are kind of expensive, but she just uses a setting on the computer and does it by touch. I've always wanted to learn it, so I may give it a try after the kids go back to school and the comouter is not monopolized by Sims.

Last edited by Spazmelda (02-7-2015 13:03:16)

I don't know.  I didn't grill her about her decision.  She said she preferred it and not switch back. She did do a lot of keyboarding for her job

Last edited by Spazmelda (02-7-2015 15:35:40)

Uwe wrote:

Well, that`s just it; QWERTY wasn`t the first typewriter keyboard and it was developed over years of trial and error testing using other configurations. With so much time invested in its development it comes as less of a surprise to me that the layout is still being used today. After all, we still use the wheel and when was that invented? 

LOL. I didn't know I'd have to elaborate on that statement, but I'm fairly sure you understand what I was trying to say. 

I should have said "the first keyboard to get widespread use in a regular production typewriter". Of course, I'm sure that statement can be picked apart, with people questioning the definition of "widespread" and "regular production", etc. In this instance, I'm talking about early Sholes & Glidden and Reminton typewriters from the 1870s, so you might try not over-analyzing what I'm trying to convey. These typewriters used a QWERTY style keyboard (yes, in some older machines, the setup was a bit different but still bear a striking resemblance to the QWERTY we use today).

Yes, I know the wheel works, but that is because it is still relevant. However, do you see a lot of cars running around on wooden or stone wheels? Technology evolves as the resources and needs change, and QWERTY isn't being kept around because it works well preventing jams in devices utilizing it.

Again, I find the use of the QWERTY keyboard on today's devices fascination. Maybe you guys don't see the same fascination, but that's OK. We all have our own interests and curiosities. Who knows... maybe I'm not completely sure why I find it so fascinating. ;-)
 

Last edited by Retro-Z (05-7-2015 01:07:13)

Just picked this little guy up today!

Speaking of alternative keyboards, when I had a Palm OS PDA (remember those?) I outfitted it with an alternative stylus-entry keyboard software called Fitaly, so named for the middle row of letters. It had a square layout and was optimized for single-stylus entry, where the most common letters are near the middle. I got to be pretty quick with Fitaly for note taking, faster than using the Palm graffiti scrawl.

I've always thought Fitaly would make a good smart phone keyboard for texting.

~Joe