If you’re reading this summary on a computer, chances are there is a QWERTY keyboard on your desk. This keyboard layout has been around since 1873, and it has been widely adopted ever since. However, its popularity has always remained a mystery to me. Why is everyone using a keyboard layout that doesn’t look that efficient on first sight? I’m not the only one asking this question. A lot of myths exist on the QWERTY keyboard layout, including the one that it was specifically designed to slow down typists. In preparation for a switch to the DVORAK layout, I did some research and found out that a lot of these myths are riddled with factual errors. Also, I started learning DVORAK and kept track of my progress and what I thought were the pros and cons. So was QWERTY designed to slow us down? Is it feasible to adopt an alternative layout like DVORAK? If so, how long will it take you to learn it, and should everyone consider it? Join this session to have your questions answered, and feel free to bring your keyboard layout of choice. :-)

1. QWERTYQWERTY
oror
DVORAK?DVORAK?
Debunking the Keyboard Layout MythsDebunking the Keyboard Layout Myths
Hanno EmbregtsHanno Embregts
@hannotify

2. The Origin ofThe Origin ofThe Origin ofThe Origin ofThe Origin of
QWERTYQWERTYQWERTYQWERTYQWERTY

6. -- An old keyboard-nerd joke-- An old keyboard-nerd joke
( )
"If alien archeologists landed on Earth
a million years from now and tried to
gure out what we looked like based on
our keyboards, they'd probably gure
that we had 10 tentacles coming out of
our chests."
https://shop.keyboard.io/

7. Ask theAsk theAsk theAsk theAsk the
AudienceAudienceAudienceAudienceAudience

8. So how do *you* feelSo how do *you* feel
about all this?about all this?
Let's nd out!

9. Myth #1Myth #1Myth #1Myth #1Myth #1
Created to slow typists downCreated to slow typists downCreated to slow typists downCreated to slow typists downCreated to slow typists down

10. Created to slow typists down?Created to slow typists down?
Questionable, as there were no fast typists at that
time!
The rst touch typist was Frank Edward McGurrin,
who started developing his own touch typing
method in 1881.
Fun fact: McGurrin could type 97 words per minute.
( )https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Edward_McGurrin

11. Created to slow typists down?Created to slow typists down?
Or to slow telegraph operators down?
Again very unlikely.
Morse senders were quite fast and almost
constantly waiting for new input.
At a typewriter demonstration in 1872, the morse
receiver almost *begged* the operator to type
faster.
"Typewriting and Telegraphy", Densmore, 1886.
( )http://www.kanji.zinbun.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~yasuoka/QWERTY/

12. Myth #2Myth #2Myth #2Myth #2Myth #2
Created to prevent jams in earlyCreated to prevent jams in earlyCreated to prevent jams in earlyCreated to prevent jams in earlyCreated to prevent jams in early
typewriterstypewriterstypewriterstypewriterstypewriters

13. Created to prevent jams?Created to prevent jams?

14. Frequently used digrams andFrequently used digrams and
their distancestheir distances
"On the Prehistory of QWERTY", Yasuoka & Yasuoka, 2009.
https://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/139379/1/42_161.pdf

15. The story of E & RThe story of E & R

16. Type-Writer, February 1873Type-Writer, February 1873
(image via The World of Typewriters)(image via The World of Typewriters)

17. Myth #3Myth #3Myth #3Myth #3Myth #3
Created so that the word andCreated so that the word andCreated so that the word andCreated so that the word andCreated so that the word and
brand name TYPEWRITER couldbrand name TYPEWRITER couldbrand name TYPEWRITER couldbrand name TYPEWRITER couldbrand name TYPEWRITER could
be typed by using the top rowbe typed by using the top rowbe typed by using the top rowbe typed by using the top rowbe typed by using the top row
onlyonlyonlyonlyonly

18. Created for the brand name?Created for the brand name?
-- Paul David Allen-- Paul David Allen
in "Understanding the Economics of QWERTY: the Necessity of History, Economic History
and the Modern Economist", 1986
"(...) it has been suggested that the
main advantage of putting the R into
QWERTY was that it thereby gathered
into one row all the letters which a
salesman would need, to impress
customers by rapidly pecking out the
brand name: TYPE WRITER."

19. Created for the brand name?Created for the brand name?
In May 1873, the brand name became "Sholes &
Glidden Type-Writer".
The R key moved to the top row, but the hyphen
key didn't.
"Sholes" or "Glidden" required multiple rows.
Sales demonstrations were done by sending and
receiving morse telegraph.
"On the Prehistory of QWERTY", Yasuoka & Yasuoka, 2009.
https://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/139379/1/42_161.pdf

20. So telegraph operatorsSo telegraph operatorsSo telegraph operatorsSo telegraph operatorsSo telegraph operators
created QWERTYcreated QWERTYcreated QWERTYcreated QWERTYcreated QWERTY
according to their ownaccording to their ownaccording to their ownaccording to their ownaccording to their own
preferences?preferences?preferences?preferences?preferences?

21. Overview of changesOverview of changes
Month Event Initiator Number
of keys
Comments
November
1868
First Type-Writer
shipped to customer
Sholes (inventor) 28 Piano-like,
alphabetical
arrangement
April 1870 Numerals &
punctuation marks
added
Porter ( rst
customer)
38 First keyboard-like
design
September
1870
QW on upper row, S
between E & Z, ..
Harrington & Craig
(second customer)
42 For e ciency
reasons
February
1873
I between 8 & 9 Jenne, Clough
(Remington)
42 To enable quick year
typing
April 1874 Y to center of top row Sholes (inventor) 42 Arrangement
patented by Sholes
"On the Prehistory of QWERTY", Yasuoka & Yasuoka, 2009.
https://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/139379/1/42_161.pdf

22. Bonus MythBonus MythBonus MythBonus MythBonus Myth
After mastering the DVORAKAfter mastering the DVORAKAfter mastering the DVORAKAfter mastering the DVORAKAfter mastering the DVORAK
layout I will be a faster typistlayout I will be a faster typistlayout I will be a faster typistlayout I will be a faster typistlayout I will be a faster typist

23. (Dvorak words may sound hard to pronounce, but studies show they actually put less(Dvorak words may sound hard to pronounce, but studies show they actually put less
stress on the vocal cords)stress on the vocal cords)

24. The Dvorak Simpli ed KeyboardThe Dvorak Simpli ed Keyboard
Patented by Dr. August Dvorak in 1936.
Invented to reduce nger motion and typing errors.
Claims to increase typing speed.
Well-supported on all major operating systems.

25. Keyboard strokes locationsKeyboard strokes locations
(in English)(in English)
QWERTY DVORAK
Top row 52% 22%
Home row 32% 70%
Bottom row 16% 8%

26. Keyboard strokes heat mapKeyboard strokes heat map
( )http://xahlee.info/kbd/myth_of_qwerty_dvorak_layout.html

27. The process of masteringThe process of mastering
DvorakDvorak
Start by memorizing the di erent locations.
Practice until you can touch-type each letter.
I used a LOT.
Increase your typing speed.
learn.dvorak.nl

28. Some challengesSome challenges
Crafting a Dvorak keyboard (stickers, overlays)
Punctuation, :-) o/ ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Bash commands (ls)
Shortcuts (Ctrl+C becomes a two- nger shortcut)
Typing the word "QWERTY" becomes a pain
The awkward 30 second explanation if a coworker
needs your computer.

30. SummarySummarySummarySummarySummary
andandandandand
ConclusionsConclusionsConclusionsConclusionsConclusions

31. On the QWERTY LayoutOn the QWERTY Layout
Never intended to slow down typists.
Not much evidence for solving the jamming
problem.
Layout was probably optimized for telegraph users.

32. On the DVORAK LayoutOn the DVORAK Layout
Extensive use is less tiring than QWERTY.
Reduces RSI.
Mastering DVORAK will take a lot of time.
But! You can't be sure that DVORAK will make you
type any faster (at least not soon).

33. Should I Switch?Should I Switch?
Only if...Only if...
...your ngers are killing you from time to time.
...you have a year to spare to crank up your
DVORAK typing speed.
...it just feels wrong to use a layout that was
optimized for a {profession|mechanical
problem} that doesn't even exist any more.

34. AnyAnyAnyAnyAny
questions?questions?questions?questions?questions?

35. Thank you! ☺Thank you! ☺
Just can't get enough?Just can't get enough?
https://hannotify.github.io
@hannotify
hanno.embregts@infosupport.com