History of the Keyboard Layout
By Joshua Mcgee, eHow Contributor
http://www.ehow.com/about_5208439_history-keyboard-layout.html
The current keyboard has an interesting history that, many would say, has resulted in a keyboard layout that is less than desirable. For example, the most commonly used letters are placed in awkward positions on the left side of the keyboard. It takes most people who study typing several months to learn this skill efficiently. Several inventors have attempted or are attempting to improve the keyboard layout.
- QWERTY
The "QWERTY" keyboard, named for the first six letters on the left in the top row of letters, has been the standard U.S. keyboard since Christopher Sholes invented it in the 1870s. Back then, the type bars on the typewriter that Sholes had invented would clash together and jam when typing rapidly. In addition, because the printing point was below the carriage, the typist did not know of the error until after the fact.
In an attempt to minimize the clashing keys, Sholes moved the key locations. He separated letters commonly used together. Although Qwerty was not the only layout for typewriter keyboards, it became the standard when the U.S. moved toward a standard upright front-stroke typewriter. The competition quickly switched to this standard. When computers emerged, they also adopted the Qwerty layout, adding necessary keys such as the "Escape " key.
- Dvorak
Competitors of Qwerty have been seeking to improve the usability and typing speed of the keyboard since its invention. For example, the Blickensderfer typewriter used the 10 most common letters, "D," "H," "I," "A," "N," "S," "O" and "R," on the home row of the keyboard. In the 1930s, August Dvorak wanted to maximize typing efficiency. He studied letter frequency and how people typed. After placing the most common two-letter combinations closer together on the home row, Dvorak found that speeds increased by 74 percent, errors decreased by 68 percent, and the learning curve decreased to 52 hours. Current research also suggests that this reduces the strain on the typist's wrists, which could result in less carpal-tunnel syndrome and tendinitis. Although this is the second most commonly used keyboard, it has not caught on as a standard.
- XPeRT
Another alternative to the Qwerty keyboard is the XPeRT keyboard. XPeRT discovered that part of the reason the Dvorak did not catch on is the increased learning curve for people who already knew the standard Qwerty layout. The Dvorak moved 24 key locations. To increase typing speed and reduce this learning curve, XPeRT moved as few keys as possible while maximizing the key sequence. Therefore, the XPeRT layout moved fewer letters. In addition, this keyboard adds an extra "E," which is the most common letter in the English language.
- Ergonomic Keyboards
As typing has become more popular for professionals and home users, the development of health risks such as carpal-tunnel syndrome and tendinitis have become prevalent. In an attempt to reduce this risk, many keyboard companies have experimented with different keyboard layouts. The most common type of ergonomic or natural keyboard consists of the keys in the Qwerty layout but separated in half on a raised keyboard.
- Compact Devices
With the invention of compact devices such as Blackberries, GPSs, iPhones, Palm Pilots and iPods, it is no longer feasible to place your hands in the usual position used for the Qwerty layout. Therefore, companies have experimented with different designs, including Qwerty, alphabetical layout, and completely new layouts. For example, RIM is patenting a Blackberry with a design that places three letters in individual triangles.
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