Qwerty

Digital technology moves at a bewildering pace, but some things have the kind of longevity that today's geeks can only dream of. Praise, then, for the bods of the 19th century that came up with the Qwerty keyboard. It's what I'm typing on and I suspect it's what everyone else attached to this forum is typing on. A classic example of "if it ain't broke..."

 

Yes, indeed, hence the vowels being tucked away as they are. Except for the "a" of course.

My earliest experiences of typing were on a magnificent Imperial typewriter that weighed approximately 4,500 tons. Those things could take fingers off faster than an angry ferret and if they jammed, you - and half of your street - knew about it.

 

I don't know if it is true or not but that gave me a laugh, hahahaaa.

Anyway, I was raised in the qwewrty keyboard in school and I became a fast typist when my father bought me my own typewriter. But it's not easy to type because those olden typewriter keyboards were hard to the touch. When I got employed and used the electric typewriter, it caused me to type so many mistakes because I was used to banging the keyboard where the electric typewriter requiered a soft touch only. I don't think the keyboard can be replaced and God forbid if there would be a move to change the positioning of the keys.

 

I spent one year learning typing before starting college, and while my first typing experience was two-finger typing in my dad's 4,800 tons Smith Corona, my typing school experience was kinda heavier not only because learning how to position my fingers, but because of the 8,000 tons Remington machines for the practice, two different (and heavier) if compared with my new then Olivetti non-metal typewriter.

I still feel my fingers hurting just recalling this typing exercise: kiki kilo kiki kilo kiki kilo ... argh!

However on those days it was very common to hear people asking one about your choice, QWERTY or Dvorak keyboard layout?

I have to admit that never see any typewriter or a handheld device (time later) using a Dvorak keyboard layout, which graphically looked weird in charts for someone who had made it via kiki-kilo QWERTY.

 

Speaking of typewriter, let me relate a short anecdote on my personal typewriter. I learned typing in school using the Underwood typewriter which, according to my father, is the best brand of typewriter. But when my father bought me my personal typewriter, it is the portable one that is not really cheap although not expensive. During those times, having a typewriter at home is big deal so I was quite popular in the neighborhood since they would borrow my typewriter for short typing jobs like writing a letter of job application.

When my niece was in high school, we didn't know that she was into something not good - she was skipping her classes. I was already working as a new employee that time. When I needed my typewriter, you can guess that it was gone. And even if my niece did not admit that she had sold the typewriter, we are dead sure that she took it because no one in the house would do that.

Sorry for this negative story.

 

A later Dvorak version - all the vowels grouped on the left of the middle row.

 

@Tom Locke, that's an alien keyboard to me. I hope that will not be taken seriously because we would be like ignoramuses when it comes to typing. I really cannot fathom the thinking of some inventors in trying to invent something that is not really productive at all. There is a saying that you need not re-invent the wheel because it is already invented and functioning. So with the present keyboard, it is up and running, why the need to change? Just for the sake of changing?

 

Wow, I don't think to be able to memorize this keyword arrangement. you might not believe this but I can't tell you by memory the position of the QWERTY keys because learning is typing allows your fingers to develop their "own memory" so I can type with blinded/closed eyes, in fact this is the ultimate purpose taught in schools; develop the ability to type with your fingers composing at the pace your eyes are reading a side-document.

However, and back to the Dvorak keyboard, I guess it has to have some logic, but if the vowels are grouped, I don't understand why they are not a-e-i-o-u in this order... what brings to my mind another keyboard I saw once. Can't say what its name was, but they key layout was in the exact form of the alphabet sequence.

 

I just remembered my father-in-law who went to the US to take his oath as an American citizen at age 66. After gaining his legal papers, he applied work as a security guard. Since he is not computer literate, he underwent a week of training so he could handle the computer in the reception area of the company (I believe it was a bank). And since he was good in using the typewriter, his trainor admired his typing speed and easily passed the training. When he came home for a vacation and told us that story, he said that if he didn't know the qwerty keyboard, he probably wouldn't pass the test.

 

I can't imagine having to use a Dvorak keyboard, although it probably makes sense for someone just starting out. I can remember how much my fingers ached when I had to use a manual typewriter, and it was a pleasure to change over to an electric one. I didn't use work processors too much, but they were an improvement, and it would be very difficult to have to go back to using a typewriter for most tasks. It might be interesting to try using one for small projects, such as writing poems, but I can't imagine trying to do an involved project on one these days.

 

I learned to type in high school and earned a lot of my income because I could type close to 100 words a minute and 10 key by touch on a adding machine over 10,000 key strokes an hour with accurate input. I do have to adjust my touch to different keyboards but it has been skill that I have been using for years.

 

I learned typing in high school. Back then we had to take typing course or we wouldn't get our high school diploma because the future was with data processing. That's what they call computers back then data processing. All the boys grimaced at taking typing back then but it was required. Today those who took typing can enjoy the computer with ease. I really don't like texting with thumbs too! I like the keyboard as it is QWERTY!