The History of Computer Keyboard Layouts: From QWERTY to DVORAK
Have you ever wondered why the keys on your keyboard are arranged as they are? The standard QWERTY layout has been the most common design for well over a century, but it’s not the only way to organize keys. In fact, there are several alternative layouts out there, including the DVORAK layout, which some people swear by.
So how did QWERTY become the standard, and what led to the creation of alternative layouts? Let’s take a closer look at the history of computer keyboard layouts.
The QWERTY Keyboard
The QWERTY keyboard was designed by Christopher Sholes in the 1870s for the Sholes and Glidden typewriter. This layout was specifically designed to prevent jamming of the type bars, which frequently occurred on earlier typewriter models. Sholes rearranged the keys in a way that would separate commonly used letters to prevent them from being too close to each other, causing jams to occur. The result was what we now know as the QWERTY keyboard.
Despite several efforts to create alternative designs, including the DHIATENSOR keyboard and the August Dvorak Simplified Keyboard, QWERTY continued to dominate the market throughout the 20th century. This was due in large part to the fact that QWERTY was already a familiar layout for many typists, and the cost of retraining workers was seen as too great.
The DVORAK Keyboard
It wasn’t until the 1930s that the DVORAK keyboard layout gained traction. Named after its inventor, August Dvorak, this layout was designed with the goal of typing efficiency in mind. The DVORAK layout places the most commonly used letters on the home row in an effort to reduce finger travel distance, and also places the least commonly used letters on the bottom row where the fingers are less nimble.
Despite its potential benefits, the Dvorak keyboard has never really caught on in mainstream usage. Again, retraining costs were seen as a major obstacle, and it was difficult to convince businesses and organizations to invest in a new type of keyboard.
Conclusion
So where does that leave us? Despite its many flaws, the QWERTY keyboard remains the standard for keyboard design today, due primarily to historical inertia. However, as technology evolves and new input methods emerge, we may see a shift away from the traditional keyboard altogether. In the meantime, if you’re interested in trying out an alternative keyboard layout, the DVORAK layout is still widely available in most operating systems and is an interesting way to improve your typing efficiency.
