The Mystery of QWERTY Keyboards Explained!

Are you ready to find out why the QWERTY keyboard format cannot be changed? Unravel the age-old mystery with a quiz game and some deep explanations below.To know more visit Mystery of QWERTY Keyboards.

Mystery of QWERTY Keyboards Layout :

QWERTY has been the most popular format for keyboards since the beginning of time. From typewriters to modern virtual keyboards, everybody is used to a keyboard format be it for PCs, Smartphones, or any other device that eventually requires typing. 

The First Keyboard Layout

Do you know that they initially used keys in alphabetical order? Typewriters were invented to speed up writing, improve readability, and fluency. The levers were placed in alphabetical order.  Christopher Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel W. Soulé patented this 1867 typewriter in 1868. It was famously called the ‘Sholes’ Typewriter’ 

Why Are Keyboards QWERTY Instead of ABC?

Here is a quick recap before you start answering the quiz!

Origin of QWERTY Keyboard Layout

The ‘Sholes’ typewriter’ was the invention of the era except for one big drawback. The adjacent lever would often jam, making it difficult to type. This major drawback was identified soon after the hot selling typewriters hit the repair house. 

So why was the QWERTY format chosen? Why was this better than the hundreds of combinations that can be made out of the 26 English Alphabet?  Here is a quick QWERTY keyboard history for you.

Sholes and crew almost settled on the QWE.TY format before they finalized QWERTY. The initial typewriter had two rows and levers connecting the paper pad and finger pad. 

The aim was to arrange the alphabets, numerals, and other punctuations in such an order that the most used keys had the maximum separation.  The makers decided to scrap the QWE.TY just days before getting the patent for the QWERTY format. The AZERTY keyboard was the French adaptation of the QWERTY keyboard layout.  

Why Is QWERTY a Bad Format?

Historians are not sure why the QWERTY keyboard design was preferred over the QWE.TY format. ‘th’, ‘er’, and ‘re’ were the most commonly used pairs in the English language. The placement of ‘E’ and ‘R’ together didn’t make a difference until the ‘Touch Typists’ arrived. 

The QWERTY keyboard keys were very confusing for initial users. The unfamiliarity introduced a hunt and peck style. Touch typists, on the other hand, memorized the QWERTY keyboard keys and typed without looking. 

The QWERTY Layout Cannot be Changed

The Remington Typewriting School implanted the QWERTY format with such rigor that it was impossible to erase the format. Every expert touch typist found it incapable to shift to a new format. Plus, the school taught women predominantly. This impacted the US workforce to a great extent. Thus, the newer versions never stood in the market.