qwerty keyboards

[johnlambert]

why not abc?

[JDOvengloves]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qwerty

[kempie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY#History_an d_purposes

[kempie]

Doh!

[jno]

given the general lack of keys getting snarled up on clunky metal typewriters these days, perhaps it's a pity they don't rethink the whole idea for computers and just do it abc, as you say. I expect the typists' union has objected. But of course people texting don't have to put up with this qwerty nonsense on mobiles.

The longest word you can type on the top line of a typewriter is TYPEWRITER.

[brionon]

Mine's an 'AZERTYY'.

[Spikey88]

Aghhh no..don't change it...I've only just got used to where the keys are on Qwerty ..change it & I'll be known as Ljhrtn88 (took me ages to work that out too)

[juliacornwal]

As a typist of over 40 years, I can tell you that the QWERTY keyboard is great, since the letters you use most are easiest to reach. When computers first came out the keyboards had no moving keys, because it wasn't necessary for them to go down as in a manual typewriter. Touch typists found that almost impossible to cope with, and that's why keyboards are now as they are; time honoured typewriter keyboards!