Christian Ross

QWERTY

When I taught 7th grade C0mputer Literacy, 0ne 0f the subjects we c0vered was the 0rigin 0f the QWERTY keyb0ard as well as several 0ther keyb0ard m0dels available t0 use.

The QWERTY keyb0ard was patented by a man named Christ0pher Sh0les in 1868 f0r use 0n the typewriter. The first keyb0ard was actually laid 0ut alphabetically but as typists began t0 gain speed Mr Sh0les realized that the keys laid in alphabetical 0rder were getting stuck fr0m the arms m0ving t00 fast inside the machine. All t00 0ften, the pers0n typing w0uld have t0 st0p and manually unstick the bars. Thus, the change in design t0 its current f0rm t0day.

The results are a bit disputed 0n the advantages 0f the changes. S0me say the new arrangement sl0wed d0wn the typist resulting in less sticking 0f keys, while 0thers say that the arrangement 0f the QWERTY keyb0ard helped just by m0ving the bars t0 a p0siti0n inside the typewriter s0 that they w0uld less likely get stuck n0 matter the speed. Either way, it w0rked and it stuck.

Further research (n0t by me 0f c0urse) has sh0wn that the QWERTY keyb0ard itself lends t0 be a little m0re friendly t0 left-handed pe0ple. Th0usands 0f English w0rds can be spelled using 0nly the left hand while 0nly hundreds can be d0ne with the right. C0ngrats lefties. (First y0u get preferential treatment in baseball and n0w c0mputer use as well)

I guess y0u may be w0ndering where I am g0ing with this and why I am giving y0u a hist0ry less0n 0n keyb0ards. Ab0ut a m0nth ag0, I made the mistake 0f p00ring my tasty beverage 0f ch0ice (with 23 flav0rs and past rum0rs 0f including prune juice in the mix) right 0n t0p 0f my Dell 9300 lapt0p.

I was fast en0ugh and f0rtunate en0ugh t0 catch it and get it cleaned up bef0re t00 much damage c0uld be d0ne. The 0nly issue that I c0uld find fr0m the wh0le thing was s0me 0f the keys 0n my keyb0ard weren’t nearly as resp0nsive as they sh0uld have been (read: sl0w t0 c0me back up). The w0rst was the Caps L0ck key s0 at least I wasn’t in huge tr0uble but I still wanted everything t0 get cleaned up.

Ab0ut tw0 weeks ag0 I decided t0 fix the key issue s0 I grabbed my trusty screwdriver and d0ve in. I was happy t0 find that it wasn’t nearly as c0mplicated as I had feared but with my luck and lack 0ff great ‘fix-it’ skills, I br0ke 0ne key partially. Again, t0 s0me it may n0t be a huge deal but the Tab key is 0ne 0f the m0st widely used keys 0n my b0ard. If y0u d0n’t kn0w what Alt+Tab d0es when y0u have multiple wind0ws 0pen, y0u sh0uld.

Anyways, I decided t0 replace the b0ard with a new 0ne I f0und 0nline. $25+S/H gave me a t0tal 0f $30.77 t0 the fr0nt d00r. I 0rdered just bef0re leaving last week kn0wing I w0uld have t0 make d0 until I returned. I was happy t0 see Mr. FedEx t0day and began the replacement pr0cess s00n thereafter. Easy m0ney, back in business, n0 pr0blems whats0ever. Unless y0u have read this p0st. Surely by n0w y0u have n0ticed? Need pictures?

0n the 2nd picture h0pefully y0u can see the t0p r0w right-hand keys in 0rder U – I – R – P. N0w l00k at y0ur keyb0ard, l00k c0rrect? I think n0t. N0t 0nly is my new keyb0ard missing the 0 (n0t the zer0 key but the 0ne just d0wn and t0 the left fr0m it) but the key in its place (R key) d0esn’t even w0rk. Any0ne ever try typing anything m0re than a sentence with0ut the 4th v0wel in the alphabet? N0t easy. Thanks a l0t www.etech4sale.c0m, real useful. And they th0ught my last ph0ne call wasn’t pleasant…