The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (2024)

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  • Dead Men's Secrets

  • The Story of QWERTY as We Understand It

  • But Why QWERTY?

  • From Typewriters to Computers

It's on your computer keyboard and your smartphone screen: QWERTY, the first six letters of the top row of the standard keyboard layout. But no one knows how it originated, and the puzzle has been frustrating historians for over a century. Will we ever figure it out?

Dead Men's Secrets

Almost 150 years ago, the typewriter transformed the workplace just as dramatically as the personal computer did in the late 20th century. Since then, through path dependence, we've been stuck with QWERTY, an odd layout once called the "universal keyboard." The QWERTYUIOP arrangement lives on billions of devices both analog and electronic around the world.

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (1)

The weirdest thing about the evolution of the QWERTY keyboard layout is that no one knows for certain why the layout took the shape it did. It's a genuine mystery, despite many seemingly authoritative sources writing to the contrary. In a comprehensive 1983 paper titled The QWERTY Keyboard: A Review, Jan Noyes wrote, "There appears ... to be no obvious reason for the placement of letters in the QWERTY layout, and doubts concerning its origin still remain."

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (2)

We know who created the QWERTY layout and when it debuted, but the exact meaning behind most of the letter positions within the layout itself has been lost to history. None of the keyboard's inventors left a record explaining the layout before they died. "The origin is obscure and the historians disagree," wrote Roy T. Griffith in 1949. As a result, it's been the subject of frequent speculation for the past 100 years. Here's what we do know about it.

The Story of QWERTY as We Understand It

The road to QWERTY began around 1867 when a Milwaukee-based newspaper publisher and inventor named Christopher Latham Sholes began working on a typing machine with the help of Carlos Glidden, Matthias Schwalbach, and Samuel W. Soulé.

Sholes wasn't the very first person to create a typewriter, but his innovations lead to the first successful commercial typewriter model in 1874, the Sholes and Glidden Type-Writer, commercialized with the help of businessman James Densmore.

Prior to that, Sholes' first typewriter prototype (circa 1868), included a keyboard that looked much like a piano's keys, with a nearly alphabetical arrangement. In 1870-1871, with the help of Matthias Schwalbach, the piano keyboard on the next prototype became four rows of push-button keys, but the keyboard still retained a nearly alphabetical arrangement.

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (3)

What happened next is shrouded in mystery, as there are no surviving records that describe what took place. "It is positively known that Densmore and Sholes, laboring together, worked out the universal arrangement of the letter keys," wrote the Herkimer County Historical Society in 1923's The Story of the Typewriter. "Just how they happened to arrive at this arrangement, however, is a point on which there has always been much speculation."

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (4)

Working together in 1872, Sholes and Densmore rearranged the alphabetical keyboard layout into a "QWE.TY" arrangement similar to what we have today (with a period where the "R" would be later---and a hyphen in the top row where the "P" would later emerge). By 1874, the QWERTY layout we know today was mostly in place, with a few differences, such as the location of the "M" and semicolon keys.

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (5)

Remington licensed the typewriter technology from Sholes and Densmore and released the Remington Standard No. 2 in 1878, which proved very successful. A later revision saw the "M" and semicolon keys swap positions (as well as a swap between "X" and "C"), which cemented the QWERTY letter arrangement we know today into its final form.

But Why QWERTY?

Since we don't have any records from Sholes or Densmore about why they arranged QWERTY that way (and their 1878 patent doesn't even mention it), historians have had to rely on pure speculation to explain it. And there's plenty of it out there.

The most common origin theory about the QWERTY layout comes from a series of assumptions made and spread by historians over time. They claim that very early alphabetically-arranged typewriters were prone to jamming and the QWERTY layout fixed this by either jumbling the keyboard to confuse typists and slow them down, or by spreading out the most frequently used letter combinations in English to prevent the typebars in the machine from clashing and getting stuck.

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (6)

As for slowing typists down, in his 1918 book, The Early History of the Typewriter, Charles Weller (who witnessed and used Sholes' first typewriter prototypes firsthand), emphasizes the speed of the typewriter: "There were times when everything worked beautifully, and the speed that could be gotten out of it at such times was something marvelous." Writing speed was the entire point of the typewriter, and there was no desire to slow anyone down. (Interestingly, Weller doesn't spend any time describing the origins of the QWERTY layout in his book---it was likely a mystery to him too.)

So if they didn't want to slow typists down, the inventors still could have been trying to prevent jams during speedy usage by spreading out frequently-used letter combinations like "TH." Some critics have attacked this by pointing out that the letter combination "ER" is one of the most frequently used in English, and yet those two letters are right there, side-by-side, in the QWERTY layout. But if you look back, the original "QWE.TY" layout had placed the "R" in a different location. Other than the "ER" combination, analysis has shown that in general, the QWERTY layout does separate the most frequently-used letter combinations fairly well, at least as understood in 1874.

But it's still not a slam dunk. While it's true that the early typewriter prototypes did jam (according to this first-hand 1918 account), later QWERTY typewriters jammed too if you pushed too many keys at once---this is one of the reasons the inventors quickly transitioned away from a piano keyboard, which made early testers think they could push multiple keys at once. So the jamming issue documented in the historical record may not be related to the letter arrangement at all, but from misuse of the typewriter.

Also, a contradicting statistical study in 1949 showed that the QWERTY layout in the type basket (the layout of the typebars in a circle where they strike the paper) of the production 1874 model used more close-in-proximity typebars theoretically prone to clash (26%) than a completely random layout (22%). And to further complicate things, the layout of the keyboard that people press to type did not have to exactly match the layout of the typebars that struck the paper.

Overall, with all the back and forth, there's still no way to conclusively say this was the origin of the layout, but the theory persists because it sounds like a plausible technical explanation for the seemingly random jumble of keys that we all use today.

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (7)

Another more recent theory about the origins of QWERTY comes in relation to the telegraph. In their 2011 paper, "On the Prehistory of QWERTY," Kyoto University researchers Koichi Yasuoka and Motoko Yasuoka claim that the layout appeared organically following feedback from telegraph operators. They claim, with thin evidence, that a key appeal of the typewriter was in helping telegraph operators transcribe incoming messages from Morse code to regular Latin script quickly. They also claim that because of peculiarities with Morse code, certain key arrangements could speed up the process. Unfortunately, while this has been widely reported to be true, the evidence just isn't there to support these claims. Like the other theories, it's more speculation.

A much older theory for QWERTY involves a similarity to the "lay" (layout) of a compositor's type case for lowercase letters, which were arranged more by frequency of usage than by alphabetical order. When arranging type on a printing press, compositors manually selected type letters from a type case and put them in place to spell out words. Sholes, as a publisher, was familiar with the works of compositors (and reportedly once worked as one himself, according to Noyes), so it was a natural analogy to think of pulling type from a case and placing it on a page when operating a typewriter.

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One of the most informed opinions we have about the origins of QWERTY comes from historian Richard N. Current, who wrote The Typewriter and the Men Who Made It in 1954. Current had access to letters between Shoals and his business partner James Densmore as they developed their typewriter. Current mentions a few possible theories such as alphabetical order not being ideal for fast typing, as well as avoiding typebar jams---again, with nothing to go on but speculation. But ultimately he says that Sholes and Densmore "finally arranged the typewriter keyboard in the spirit of the printer's case, though they did not duplicate its particular arrangement."

Historians have supported and dismissed the QWERTY-type case connection over time, but interestingly, Current's book holds a potential clue in this theory's favor that Current didn't recognize. In a reproduced letter authored by Mark Twain on an early typewriter, Twain writes, "The having been a compositor is likely to be a great help to me, since one chiefly needs swiftness in banging the keys." This suggests that the QWERTY arrangement reminded Twain of pulling type from a compositor's type case. But still, since QWERTY doesn't exactly match any known type case layout, all of this is speculation.

What seems likely is that Sholes and Densmore began with an alphabetical arrangement and changed it to a layout that matched their mechanical needs and personal comfort, for whatever reasons. In the end, a few alphabetical vestiges remain in the standard layout, but the true secrets QWERTY are buried with Sholes and Densmore, where they will likely stay. As for the persistence of the myths and speculation about QWERTY, it's difficult for historians and experts to admit that sometimes they just don't know, and the fact that they will never know the origin of something so fundamental is doubly frustrating. In the face of that uncertainty, it's easy to grab onto the comfort of a false narrative instead.

From Typewriters to Computers

From the late 1800s on, typewriters exploded in popularity. Despite competing alternative keyboard layouts, QWERTY held on because people learned it first, and it made sense to not have to learn a completely new layout on a different machine. Other manufacturers imitated the Remington standard, and in the absence of patent enforcement of the layout, it proliferated.

Related: What Are Teletypes, and Why Were They Used with Computers?

In the 1920s, the Teletype corporation created teleprinters with keyboard layouts based on standard typewriters, and they borrowed the QWERTY layout along the way. By the 1960s, people often used Teletypes as computer terminals, so the standard made its way to computers and then personal computers in the 1970s. QWERTY received a further boost when IBM incorporated it into its 101-key Enhanced Keyboard layout, which became the basis of the desktop computer keyboard standards we use today.

As much as we in America think of QWERTY as a universal given, different keyboard layouts reign in different parts of the world. For example, France, Belgium, and some African countries use AZERTY. Germany and Austria use QWERTZ. But they're all derivatives of the original QWERTY layout---the same one cobbled together by Sholes and Densmore way back in 1874. Those men took QWERTY's secrets with them, but their invention's impact will likely continue as long as we use keyboards, which could be decades or even centuries to come.

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery (2024)

FAQs

The QWERTY Keyboard Is Tech's Biggest Unsolved Mystery? ›

In 1870-1871, with the help of Matthias Schwalbach, the piano keyboard on the next prototype became four rows of push-button keys, but the keyboard still retained a nearly alphabetical arrangement. What happened next is shrouded in mystery, as there are no surviving records that describe what took place.

What is the story behind the QWERTY keyboard? ›

QWERTY refers to the first six letters on the upper row of the keyboard. The key arrangement was devised by Christopher Latham Sholes, whose Type-Writer, as it was then called, was first mass-produced in 1874. Since that time, it has become what may be the most ubiquitous machine-user interface of all time.

Why is the QWERTY keyboard arranged the way it is? ›

The "qwerty" keyboard arrangement stems from mechanical typewriters. The keys are arranged to make fast typing difficult as old typewriters would easily jam. Of course humans being adaptable sorts have learned to overcome this obstructionist system and now (some folks) type faster than they talk, or even think.

Why is QWERTY so special? ›

Contrary to popular belief, the QWERTY layout was not designed to slow the typist down, but rather to speed up typing. Indeed, there is evidence that, aside from the issue of jamming, placing often-used keys farther apart increases typing speed, because it encourages alternation between the hands.

Was the QWERTY keyboard random? ›

The QWERTY keyboard doesn't have a random layout, as it might initially seem. The developer of the QWERTY typewriter layout, Christopher Sholes, had in fact based the layout of his keyboard on one simple principle: how to make typists type more efficiently by avoiding typebar jamming.

What is QWERTY problem? ›

To write with this keyboard, a person has to press many sequences of keys that are far from each other, making the work more difficult. Fact is that this keyboard wasn't designed considering ease of movement in writing. It arose about 150 years ago, when mechanical typewriters began to become popular.

Why is the keyboard arranged in QWERTY not in ABC? ›

The QWERTY layout was designed to prevent the keys on a typewriter from getting stuck when typing fast. The letters on the keyboard were arranged in a way that kept the most commonly used keys apart from each other, so that they would not get jammed together.

Is there a better keyboard than QWERTY? ›

Dvorak was designed with the belief that it would significantly increase typing speeds with respect to the QWERTY layout by alleviating some of its perceived shortcomings, such as: Many common letter combinations require awkward finger motions. Some common letter combinations are typed with the same finger.

Is the QWERTY keyboard inefficient? ›

The QWERTY keyboard layout wasn't designed to be efficient - it was designed to prevent jamming in typewriters. Today, jamming is no longer an issue, but we still use this layout. Alternative keyboard layouts like Dvorak, designed for efficiency, never caught on.

Who uses AZERTY keyboard? ›

It is mainly used in France and Belgium. It is almost the same as the QWERTY keyboard, but it swaps the letter Q and A, as well as W and Z. The letter M is moved from right to N to the position of the semicolon on QWERTY keyboards. This short article about technology can be made longer.

Why doesn t everyone use QWERTY? ›

Some people are specifically seeking keyboards to work with their existing injuries or physical limitations. Whether the key layout is QWERTY or Dvorak doesn't make quite as much of a difference when the user's concern involves equipment that requires a repetitive striking of keys with both hands.

What are the cons of QWERTY? ›

Disadvantages of QWERTY layout:

This layout was designed to prevent typewriter jams, not to optimize typing speed and efficiency. That's why the QWERTY layout may not be the best option for people who type frequently and for long periods.

What is the difference between QWERTY and QWERTZ? ›

The main difference between QWERTZ and QWERTY is that the positions of the Z and Y keys are switched (hence the nickname "kezboard").

What is the logic behind the QWERTY keyboard? ›

The arrangement of characters on a QWERTY keyboard was designed in 1868 by Christopher Sholes, the inventor of the typewriter. According to popular myth, Sholes arranged the keys in their odd fashion to prevent jamming on mechanical typewriters by separating commonly used letter combinations.

Why is the keyboard qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnm? ›

However, 'Qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnm' isn't just some random nonsense, instead, it happens to be the string of letters that form when you press every key from the Standard QWERTY keyboard arrangement starting from the first row.

What is trivia about QWERTY keyboard? ›

QWERTY layout was invented by Christopher Sholes in 1872 for his new typewriter design (of course there was no computers these days). It turns out that when you would place keys in alphabetical order, people would type so fast, that the mechanical parts (so called hammers) would jam.

What are AZERTY keyboards? ›

AZERTY (/əˈzɜːrti/ ə-ZUR-tee) is a specific layout for the characters of the Latin alphabet on typewriter keys and computer keyboards. The layout takes its name from the first six letters to appear on the first row of alphabetical keys; that is, ( A Z E R T Y ).

What is the meaning of Qwertyuiop? ›

Top row of letters on a QWERTY keyboard.

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