Computer keyboards are arranged in qwerty, named after the first six keys on the keyboard, because this layout system was designed to prevent mechanical jams in early typewriters. This layout allowed for slower typing and prevented the arms of neighboring letters from getting stuck together.
It all started around the 1860s, with a guy named Christopher Latham Sholes, who tinkered with one of the first functional typewriters. His first prototype arranged the keys in alphabetical order, but he quickly noticed an annoying issue: the metal arms that strike the letters often get tangled when users type common combinations quickly. To solve this problem, Sholes tried several different configurations and eventually created the one we now know as QWERTY (named after the first six letters of the keyboard). This new layout deliberately spaced out commonly used letters to prevent the arms from overlapping. The patent was sold in 1873 to the company Remington, which produced the first commercial typewriter equipped with a QWERTY keyboard.
In the era of the first mechanical typewriters, adjacent keys struck too quickly tended to jam together. Christopher Sholes, the inventor of the QWERTY keyboard, then spread the letters in a less intuitive manner, precisely to slightly slow down typing and avoid these frequent jams. It was purely a mechanical issue, not an ergonomic one. By strategically spacing the most commonly used keys, QWERTY reduced the typical jams of the type rods. This trick, initially intended to improve the technical functioning of the early machines, eventually became a standard, even though our modern keyboards no longer have this jamming problem.
The Remington typewriter, which dominated the market in the 19th century, popularized the QWERTY layout. These machines sold in large quantities, leading to rapid standardization. As a result, companies invested in training their employees, further reinforcing its widespread adoption. The economic principle was simple: once it was widespread, it was economically difficult to switch to something else without losing time and money. Manufacturers then adapted to the only model that sold, thereby ensuring the continued dominance of the QWERTY keyboard.
Users become accustomed to the tools they use daily. For decades, the QWERTY keyboard has established itself as the standard on almost all typewriters and then on computers. As a result, learning a different layout requires a conscious effort and often discourages people: it involves breaking their reflexes, which can be lengthy and frustrating. Even if other layouts are potentially more efficient, most prefer to stick to their habits. Companies naturally follow this trend because adopting an unusual keyboard could discourage their customers and workers who are used to typing on QWERTY. The result: the historical layout remains in use simply out of habit, even if it is no longer technically the best possible solution.
The AZERTY layout, very common in French-speaking countries, mainly differs in the position of the letters A, Q, Z, W, M, and also for its specific keys for French accents. Not very intuitive for typing quickly, but adapted to the peculiarities of our spelling.
There's also the DVORAK keyboard, specifically designed in the 1930s to maximize typing speed by placing the most frequent letters directly under our fingers. In theory, it requires less effort to strike quickly.
Another example is the COLEMAK keyboard, a sort of recent compromise: it changes QWERTY habits less than Dvorak while keeping frequently used keys within immediate reach.
In any case, these alternatives promise to reduce hand fatigue, but they struggle to displace the well-established QWERTY, which has been in use for over a century.
On average, a user's fingers travel about 1.6 kilometers each day on a QWERTY keyboard during standard office use.
There are training software programs specifically designed for users looking to change their keyboard layout, facilitating the transition to alternative layouts that are more ergonomic than QWERTY.
The QWERTY keyboard was initially designed to slow down users' typing in order to prevent the keys of the early mechanical typewriters from jamming.
Despite its omnipresence today, the QWERTY layout is not the most efficient for typing speed. Alternative layouts like the Dvorak or Colemak keyboards allow for faster and more ergonomic input.
The first typewriters frequently experienced mechanical jams when the keys used in succession were too close together. The QWERTY layout was intentionally created to space out the most commonly combined characters, thereby reducing these mechanical jams. An alphabetical layout was therefore incompatible with these initial technical constraints.
Ergonomic models or specialized keyboards (such as Dvorak or Colemak) are designed to reduce physical strain, muscle fatigue, and enhance long-term comfort, particularly for individuals who type extensively or suffer from chronic pain due to the intensive use of traditional keyboards.
The QWERTY layout is primarily used in English-speaking countries, while other countries sometimes use configurations tailored to their language and alphabet. For example, the AZERTY keyboard is common in France, and the QWERTZ keyboard is used in Germany. Thus, each country has adapted keyboard layouts according to its language and linguistic specifics, which explains this international diversity.
Changing keyboard layout, such as switching from QWERTY to Dvorak or Colemak, requires a certain adjustment period during which typing speed temporarily decreases. However, after a few weeks of regular practice, users regain or even surpass their initial typing speed.
No, other layouts such as Dvorak or Colemak have statistically demonstrated better efficiency and less fatigue for prolonged typing. The popularity of QWERTY is more due to historical reasons and the resilience of habits than to any real ergonomic superiority.
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