Have you ever wondered why the keys on your keyboard aren't in alphabetical order? The answer is rooted in history- and it's not as random as you might think!
Back in the 19th century, when typewriters were the cutting-edge technology, they had mechanical arms (typebars) that struck the paper to print letters. The problem? If frequently used letters were placed too close together, the typebars would jam. To solve this, inventor Christopher Latham Sholes designed the QWERTY layout to spread out the most common letters. This minimized the risk of jamming and helped typists type more smoothly.
The QWERTY layout wasn't just a random decision. It was created with English language patterns in mind, arranging the most commonly used letters so that typists could alternate between their hands, making typing faster and more efficient. Despite being designed to slow down typing just enough to prevent jams, it worked!
Once typewriters became mainstream, people got so used to QWERTY that switching to something new became a huge hassle. Even today, with computers and smartphones, the QWERTY layout remains the standard.
And though alternative layouts like Dvorak exist (designed to be faster and more ergonomic), QWERTY's decades of use have made it nearly impossible to replace.
