A Catalogue of Useless Facts

QWERTY

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QWERTY
- history / technology -

​​There are several theories behind the original design of "QWERTY", the leading layout for Western typewriters and keyboards. The spread of the letters may have been intended to slow typists and protect the fragile equipment. The fact that the keys required for the word "typewriter" all sit on the same row could allow salesmen to impress prospective buyers with a quick demonstration. A new keyboard layout would have helped the inventors to dodge existing patents.
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​The most widely-accepted reason, however, is that QWERTY was intended to separate letters commonly used in sequence, as two neighboring keys pressed simmultaneously had a high chance of jamming. While the advent of electronic keyboards has rendered this problem extinct, QWERTY remains the industry standard mainly due to inertia.

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Sources ▼

https://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20161212-why-is-qwerty-on-our-keyboards