PRS-900 Isn't it QWERTY?

I just purchased the Sony Daily Edition. I should note that this is my first touch screen device and that was a major selling point for me.

One thing I was struck by was the touch screen key board that can allow text notes to be 'typed' in using a stylus. Now I've been typing for so long, going clear back to typing on a old mechanical typewriter, that when I type I just sit down and type. So it has been a long time since I thought about the key board layout. So when I try and use the touch screen keyboard on the Daily Edition reader I can't help thinking: “Why are these keys so jumbled? Why aren't they just in alphabetical order?” So why aren't they? In the interest of those who still 'hunt and peck' when they type on a regular keyboard?

[Dusty]

I'm not a typist, I hunt and peck, been doing it for over 20 yrs.
Two years ago I purchased a Garmin GPS. It has the touch keyboard arranged alphabetically. What a screw up, now I really have to hunt and peck. The newer versions are now qwerty.

[grooks]

Even for those who hunt and peck I think the mindset is still on the QWERTY layout.

Dusty had a good example on Garmin GPS units where the keyboard was alphabetical and was a pain in the butt to type in street names.

[SCION]

Good point about the Garmin unit. I'm a touch typist and that really irks me.

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

I just purchased the Sony Daily Edition. I should note that this is my first touch screen device and that was a major selling point for me.

One thing I was struck by was the touch screen key board that can allow text notes to be 'typed' in using a stylus. Now I've been typing for so long, going clear back to typing on a old mechanical typewriter, that when I type I just sit down and type. So it has been a long time since I thought about the key board layout. So when I try and use the touch screen keyboard on the Daily Edition reader I can't help thinking: “Why are these keys so jumbled? Why aren't they just in alphabetical order?” So why aren't they? In the interest of those who still 'hunt and peck' when they type on a regular keyboard?

The original reason for the QWERTY keyboard layout was to speed up typing by slowing typists down. A problem early typewriters had (the ones with individual striking keys for each letter) was the keys would often jam. The QWERTY keyboard layout separates letters that are often used together to reduce key jams. For example, S and T are separated by 8 keys, Q and U by 18 keys, and the vowels are scattered around the keyboard.

Once the IBM Selectric was introduced (which used a replaceable print element in the form of a ball containing all of the letters), key jams became a thing of the past. Also, it would be fairly easy to change the keyboard layout since all it would take is replacing the print element and change the keyboard key tops. But standards inertia have caused people to stay with the QWERTY layout.

Although there have been other keyboard layouts that have been proposed (such as the DVORAK layout) and changing the keyboard layout on your computer is fairly easy, the QWERTY standard has been difficult to overcome. It's sort of a circular situation, where people have been typing on QWERTY keyboards, so they expect that layout on the keyboards for their devices, and since people expect the QWERTY keyboard layout device makers use that layout.

I hope this helps.

[Dusty]

I recently saw on some documentary how QWERTY actually allowed typist to type much faster. If the most common letters were clumped together it would force you to type certain words with only one finger.. tap tap tap
With the common letters scattered as they are you can sometimes use six fingers at once to type out a long word, much faster.

Not an exact review but you get the gist of it

Originally Posted by Dusty

I recently saw on some documentary how QWERTY actually allowed typist to type much faster. If the most common letters were clumped together it would force you to type certain words with only one finger.. tap tap tap
With the common letters scattered as they are you can sometimes use six fingers at once to type out a long word, much faster.

Not an exact review but you get the gist of it

Yes, that was always my understanding of why the QWERTY layout is what it is. I guess I am just odd then, but the problem for me is that I have been touch typing for so long that when typing I do not have any visualization of the QWERTY layout in my mind. So presented on the touch screen of my 900 for me to punch in characters one-by-one with the stylus it just seems a jumble; that an alphabetical arrangement would be better. But I am new at it and I am sure I will soon get the hang of it.

[Kiasmama]

Just an aside about the Garmin GPS units- I have a setting in mine (old street pilot) to change the setting from alphabetical to qwerty. Carry on. :-)

[SCION]

Originally Posted by Kiasmama

Just an aside about the Garmin GPS units- I have a setting in mine (old street pilot) to change the setting from alphabetical to qwerty. Carry on. :-)

Too funny...I have a Street Pilot. Hubby has the vehicle now. I'll be sure to check when he gets home.

[georget99]

Why argue over alphabetic vs. qwerty vs. Dvorak? With a soft keyboard on a touch screen, you should be able to choose, or even dream up your own layout.