This Is Why Keyboards Look The Way They Do

Have you ever looked down at your computer and wondered why we have QWERTY keyboards instead of alphabetical ones? Contrary to what it might seem, it isn't because someone threw a handful of Scrabble pieces in the air and just decided the order they fell in was good enough. There actually is a good reason why the letters are laid out the way they are — and a new video from Business Insider, much like Clarissa, explains it all.

If you're like most Americans, you probably use a computer keyboard every day. We type emails, social media posts, web addresses, passwords — the list goes on. If you're like me, you probably started figuring out how to type in elementary school. And if you're a kid growing up today, you might have learned typing at around the same time you learned how to read in the first place. But despite the fact that computer keyboards are something we all use — and the fact that most people are familiar enough with the position of the keys to type pretty fast — you might not actually know why the letters are laid out the way they are.

After all, they clearly aren't alphabetical. So what's the story? This video explains it all, and it's actually pretty fascinating. Here are the highlights:

1. The Standard Keyboard Is Called A Qwerty Keyboard

See how the letters in the top left spell Qwerty?

2. It Wasn't Always The Keyboard People Used

The first typewriter, in fact, listed the keys out in alphabetical order, the way you might expect.

3. But There Was a Problem With Alphabetical Order

Too many common letters were situated right next to one another, so the keys would often get jammed.

4. Thus, The Qwerty Keyboard Was Devised

For more about how the keyboard was created and why we still use it today, even though no one uses typewriters anymore, watch the full video. I mean, hey — doesn't this thing we all use every day deserve a little time in the spotlight instead of just the background?

Images: Business Insider/YouTube (4)