Re: OT: Path dependent keyboard

In article <rvien-F9D963.05165413042005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Robert Vienneau <rvien@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> In article <1113364550.332154.208470@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> skearney@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > It has been said that the most common letters were taken off the home
> > row of the first typewriter keyboard to slow down the typist and
> > prevent jamming.
>
> That's a claim that two things have been said. As far as I know,
> the second is true.

The statement that "it has been said" is I think true, but not terribly
interesting. What is stated to have been said is, I think, three claims:

1. The most common letters were taken off the home row.

At least an exaggeration, since the home row contains "a" and "s," which
are among the most common letters--my vague memory of long ago readings
on cryptography is that "a" is about number 3.

2. The reason they were taken off was to slow down the typist.

3. The reason to slow down the typist was to prevent jamming (although
one could perhaps read this as "taken off ... to prevent jamming).

According to the Liebowitz and Margolis piece, both of those are false.
The keyboard was designed to prevent jamming, but the means was not
slowing down the typist or controlling what was on the home row.

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