I know this sounds stupid but why are the letters on the keyboard not in alphabetical order?

Answer 1

The current keyboard layout, called the QWERTY, was developed over a hundred years ago by typewriter inventer C. L. Sholes. It was chosen over the obvious alphabetical order because the old mechanical typewriters used long bars to print the letter on paper, and these bars would get stuck if the typewriter was typing English words very quickly. To reduce the bar clogging, Sholes placed letters that would be used together often as far apart as possible, like the letters "T" and "H".

Answer 2

This is not a stupid question! It shows that you have an intelligent and curious mind!
The keyboard was developed for typewriters. The typewriter had long lever actions that transfered the key-press to the end of a lever that had the actual letters attached to it. There were twice as many levers as keys since the keys could do upper and lower case as well as symbols. The problem was that typists could type too fast! They were faster than the machine's ability to swing the lever to the paper and out of the way before the next key was pressed. So, the letters were arranged in a rather awkward way to slow the typists down! It was purposely done to make typing more difficult!
There have been many keyboards such as the Dvorak Keyboard designed for computers that have almost no speed impediments. There are even one handed keyboards and virtual keyboards. On some computers, you can chose which keyboard layout you wish to use.

Answer 3

Its not a stupid question especially because the letters are in the QWERTY layout for a deliberate reason- to slow the typist.

In the alphabetical order, the keys were often jammed.
This typewriter was developed and patented by Sholes in the early 1800s.In the early 1900s the electric typewriter appeared and reduced the typist's typewriting fatigue. Not much later another alphabet layout developed by Dvorak who studied that typing letters with alternating ands and positioned the letters according to frequency of use. However, tho the Dvorak keyboard simplified typing, the use of the electric typewriter diminished the expected need and use for the Dvorak layout. Many feel Dvorak's is superior to the QWERTY layout, but typists accustomed to the QWERTY layout were reluctant to learn a new layout.

All that aside, the arrangement in alphabetical order was a pain-constant jamming as the typist typed the next letter without allowing the previous letter to return to its position, and this was due to the obvious speed/efficiency of the typist.

Answer 4

Back when they invented typewriters they found that if letters where put in alphabetic order the keys would constantly be getting stuck. So someone came up with the idea of spreading common key combinations as far away on the keyboard as possible. Along comes computers and you no longer have the problem of keys getting stuck together but since most people learned on the old typewriter keyboard, that was the one that ended up being the most popular even though there where other ones that came along that where logically better.

The keyboard stayed the same because that is what people where comfortable with...

Answer 5

It goes back to the days of manual typewriters. The letters were organized so that keys used rarely were interspersed with keys used a lot to give the mechanical strikers time to move back out of the way before a new striker would come up and possibly, physically hit (and jam) the other keys.

Since electric typewriters and computers have come to the forefront there have been attempts to use other keyboards, but it seems since people have been trained in this keyboard layout (Called qwerty, after the first 6 letters) it has become ingrained.

Answer 6

The first typewriters did have the letters in alphabetical order but due to the mechanics involved in a type boar striking the paper many jams occurred. So the gentleman, a Mr. Shouls, I believe in Milwaukee set about putting the keys used together often far enough apart so the type bars would not jam. A man named Dvorak tried another method based on frequency so the qwerty or keys on the home row were the most frequently used but it never caught on.

Answer 7

The Qwerty keyboard is used because of the typewriter. On at typewriter the letter that are most commonly used could not be close together or else they would stick all the time. Thus, the strangely ordered keyboard of today. You can get custom keyboards that have different orderings, but they are not common and much harder to learn to touch type on.

Answer 8

Your keyboard is arranged as a QWERTY keyboard arrangement, which is now standard on computer keyboards, and is a holdover from typewriters. Somebody back in the 19th Century thought it sped typing by arranging the keys so the keys used the most would be arranged so your fingers would rest on them, with the rest of the keys arranged within reach (easy or tricky depending on usage). So for example the Q key, which is not used frequently, has to be reached for by the pinky finger of the left hand. That was the theory anyway. As a lefty, I find a number of keys and the P and ? especially difficult to reach.

Answer 9

The arrangement of the keyboard is based upon what was the most convenient for typists using typewriters. In the way typing was (and is) taught, a student is shown where to place their fingers so as to reach the necessary keys. Frequency of letters was also considered when creating this typing matrix.

Answer 10

Having always thought it was arranged by the frequency of use, I look at it tonight and think "How many words have a J in them. The J key is in the center and the base of the right home row keys. Notice that the only time I have used the J is to type a J.

Would it have been harder to learn if they were in a different location. Hard to say. It was hard enough to learn as it is. I still remember Mrs. Norcross's typing class. Electric Typewriters and correction tape. How did I ever make it through a term paper?