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Inventor Christopher Latham Scholes didn't know it, but his typewriter, the first with a modern layout, would end up being the forerunner to one of the most popular
communication tools of the 21st century. Because even though in 1874, a typing device that assigns
one letter to each key wasn't exactly the most
brilliant idea in history, that title clearly belongs to the cinnamon bun,
Scholes' typewriter was notable for introducing the now ubiquitous QWERTY layout, which was effective,
supposedly, because it kept letters that were commonly used together
away from each other to prevent the mechanical arms of the typewriter from hitting each other and causing jams.
Mmm, jam.
Now, of course, E and R are placed together in lots of words, and in fact, the original
design had a period where the R key is today.
But whatever the reason for this, QWERTY typewriters became very popular, and this keyboard layout
remained the standard for the teleprinters that became widespread in the early 20th century.
So it wasn't surprising, then, that when actual computers like the 30-ton ENIAC started popping onto the scene in the
1940s, these same teleprinters often ended up getting used for data input with that
same QWERTY layout, setting the stage for the now-familiar
keyboard layout to be integrated into later machines that weighed less than an entire family of elephants.
In the 1960s, video terminals started becoming popular, and these typically included
keyboards that allowed users to more quickly and easily manipulate data on a screen
instead of using cards or paper tape like those earlier teleprinters that were adapted for use with computers.
Although, the QWERTY typewriters were more popular in the early 20th century than they were in the early 20th century.
While these terminals looked like full-fledged computers,
they were usually just a monitor and keyboard combo that had to be plugged into a larger size system.
However, since it was much easier to type than operate a computer by
flipping a bunch of switches on the front or whatever, most computers featured keyboards of some fashion by the early 1980s.
And we even started seeing some of the first ergonomic keyboards in the late 70s, with companies like Maltron
seriously thinking about the QWERTY typewriters.
And everybody was thinking about the user's comfort in a way that led to some very interesting designs.
And it was a period of great innovation under the hood too.
Many early keyboards used key switches that were...
pretty different from what you're probably typing on right now.
Including ultrasonic switches that actually listened to the different vibration each key would make as it was pressed.
And, this one was a bit more common, ones that used magnets that got close to a pair of magnets.
pair of metal pieces causing them to come into contact with each other whenever the key was
pushed down. These were called reed switches, and while this concept is actually still in use today
in applications like switching off a laptop when you close the lid, they proved to be too fragile
and inaccurate for keyboards. So a couple of alternative designs quickly replaced reed switches.
One was the familiar membrane, which works by placing a metal layer under each key that directly
contacts traces on the keyboard circuit board when a key is pressed down. This design is both
inexpensive and resistant to debris, making it very common on cheaper keyboards today.
Another was a technology that IBM patented in 1978, a spring-loaded key switch called a buckling
spring. These puppies also worked by direct contact in that pressing down caused two pieces
of metal to touch, but they proved to be not only extremely durable, but also a
pliable and durable keyboard.
So while not the first mechanical switch, buckling spring switches gained enormous popularity
thanks to their inclusion on the Model F keyboard that came with the original IBM PC in 1980,
and later the Model M, which is still beloved by keyboard enthusiasts today for its high build
quality and trademark springy sound. And not to be outdone in the mechanical switch arms race,
German manufacturer Cherry started gaining notoriety,
in the mid-1980s, after their switches came installed on some keyboards for the Commodore
Amiga, and proved to be of better quality than a lot of the alternatives.
Of course, noisy, heavy mechanical switches aren't always the best solution, which I'm sure you,
the viewer, can attest to if you've ever had a roommate typing away on their cherry blue keyboard
while you're trying to sleep. So rubber dome keyboards were developed around the same time.
These gave the user tactile feedback,
due to the rubber dome snapping like a suction cup, but they were cheaper and quieter than their
spring loaded counterparts. Rubber domes have become common on chiclet style keyboards,
as well as on laptops in the form of the lower profile scissor switch variant, which helps to
save space. This trend towards light, cheap keyboards drove much of the evolution of the
keyboard for the next decade or two, with IBM having the brilliant idea to cut costs by putting
stick-on letters on keycaps in
1985 rather than having a different manufacturing process for every key.
So fast forward to today, and basic keyboards are lightweight commodity items that can be
easily found for less than 10 bucks. But there's also an enormous variety of other options out
there at all price points, whether you want something tricked out with individual RGB
backlighting and macro keys for gaming or productivity, a model with optical switches
for fast response times,
a trick we actually first saw in the early 1980s, or even a keyboard with no keys at all.
Just remember, whatever you go with, there's one thing that hasn't changed over the decades.
Dorito crumbs are still the enemy.
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