QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Eveything that is canon in the Elite: Dangerous universe.
User avatar
damon8r351
Novice
Novice
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:22 pm
CMDR: damon8r351
CMDR_Platform: None Specified
Contact:

QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby damon8r351 » Sat Aug 05, 2017 11:52 pm

While taking a 378,000ls supercruise trip to a station, I got bored and was looking around the cockpit of my Cobra. Turns out they still use keyboards with the QWERTY arrangement here in 3303 in the Milky Way. Which I found amusing, because the only reason keyboards are arranged that way is because that's what was used for the first ever commercially successful typewriter, back in the 1870s. See, that typewriter used metal arms that would swing up and hit the paper to print a letter on it. To keep these arms from hitting each other and jamming the machine, the arrangement of the letters was gradually tweaked to the arrangement we know today. So the way we type today is influenced by a typewriter from the 19th century. Computers don't have to worry about metal arms jamming, so there's no real reason to continue using that arrangement for any other apparent reason than that's what is comfortable and familiar. So it's funny to me to see after 1286 years of advancement, we still can't bring ourselves to change the way the keyboard is arranged.
Image

TorTorden
Deadly
Deadly
Posts: 4021
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 11:13 am
CMDR: TorTorden
CMDR_Platform: None Specified
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby TorTorden » Sun Aug 06, 2017 11:02 am

I suggest you switch your keyboards layout to Dvorak and see how that goes.

There's very real value in what "everybody is used to" that far outweighs what is theoretically more optimal.
Besides what is optimal ?

The optimal letter layout for English is not necessarily the optimal layout for French, or Spanish or, or.
But having just one layout, fairly internationally recognised means I can pretty much pick up a keyboard anywhere and get to work.

What is more disconcerting is that 3303 era spaceships still use BBC micro's.

Image
Image

Hey I'm Thor -
People call me Bob.

Rule 1: Pillage. Then burn.
Rule 2: No such thing as overkill, as long as there are reloads.

User avatar
DarkMere
Master
Master
Posts: 913
Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:46 am
CMDR: DarkMere
CMDR_Platform: PC-MAC
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby DarkMere » Sun Aug 06, 2017 12:17 pm

TorTorden wrote:What is more disconcerting is that 3303 era spaceships still use BBC micro's.

That's true, but got to be better than a spectrum dead flesh keyboard
Image

PuddleJumper
Harmless
Harmless
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 1:08 am
CMDR: Trobli
CMDR_Platform: XBOX
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby PuddleJumper » Wed Mar 28, 2018 1:26 am

I'd argue that as long as they're predominantly speaking English in universe that a QWERTY keyboard still makes perfect sense.
Love good/bad dad jokes

TorTorden
Deadly
Deadly
Posts: 4021
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 11:13 am
CMDR: TorTorden
CMDR_Platform: None Specified
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby TorTorden » Thu Mar 29, 2018 6:59 pm

PuddleJumper wrote:I'd argue that as long as they're predominantly speaking English in universe that a QWERTY keyboard still makes perfect sense.

Qwery only really made sense for mechanical type writers, and from what I understand it was developed specifically so letters commonly used together would not be in close proximity so the type heads would tangle and get stuck.

I remember doing this on our type writer as a kid for fun, by pressing E, R, and or F at the same time.
Also why each row of keys is staggered diagonally.
Thus speeding up overall typing speed.

On electrical keyboards that problem doesn't exist anymore. And only remaining benefit is tradition and "everybody knows it".

And yes.
those spectrum keyboards where terrible.
Image

Hey I'm Thor -
People call me Bob.

Rule 1: Pillage. Then burn.
Rule 2: No such thing as overkill, as long as there are reloads.

LeDoyen
Expert
Expert
Posts: 342
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 7:48 pm
CMDR: Le Doyen
CMDR_Platform: PC-MAC
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby LeDoyen » Thu Mar 29, 2018 10:56 pm

There are the same discussions here in France where a new BEPO keyboard is introduced to replace our AZERTY (same stuff.. typerwriter heritage)..
I guess they should push to introduce these to the younger generation, so they start on these.. and once we'll be all dead and gone ,our kiddos won't have RSI (yes : repetitive strain injuries... We all know they won't get Robert space industries :p)

User avatar
Stabby_Dave
Harmless
Harmless
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:53 pm
CMDR: Stabby Dave
CMDR_Platform: PC-MAC
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby Stabby_Dave » Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:52 pm

LeDoyen wrote:There are the same discussions here in France where a new BEPO keyboard is introduced to replace our AZERTY (same stuff.. typerwriter heritage)..
I guess they should push to introduce these to the younger generation, so they start on these.. and once we'll be all dead and gone ,our kiddos won't have RSI (yes : repetitive strain injuries... We all know they won't get Robert space industries :p)


Try getting anyone here in the UK over the age of 50 to accept the metric system. The hand-over would be a nightmare ;)

User avatar
raorn
Competent
Competent
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2017 3:51 pm
CMDR: raorn
CMDR_Platform: PlayStation
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby raorn » Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:38 pm

Stabby_Dave wrote:
LeDoyen wrote:There are the same discussions here in France where a new BEPO keyboard is introduced to replace our AZERTY (same stuff.. typerwriter heritage)..
I guess they should push to introduce these to the younger generation, so they start on these.. and once we'll be all dead and gone ,our kiddos won't have RSI (yes : repetitive strain injuries... We all know they won't get Robert space industries :p)


Try getting anyone here in the UK over the age of 50 to accept the metric system. The hand-over would be a nightmare ;)
But in 34th century everybody is using meric system.
Image

LeDoyen
Expert
Expert
Posts: 342
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 7:48 pm
CMDR: Le Doyen
CMDR_Platform: PC-MAC
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby LeDoyen » Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:56 pm

I saw the disaster it was in Ireland.. west coast, between Galway and the cliffs of Moher.. super tight curves, hills like road bumps, no visibility.. and they put a 100km/h speed limit.
I tried driving there over 60 it was just super scary, tires screeching, car slightly lifting off the road sometimes.. crazy irish blokes.

We'd struggle with these new KB layout for sure but it's just temporary.
I remember when i was there trying to write french with the accents on a qwerty keyboard.. took a few weeks it's like learning a new music instrument.. muscle memory

TorTorden
Deadly
Deadly
Posts: 4021
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 11:13 am
CMDR: TorTorden
CMDR_Platform: None Specified
Contact:

Re: QWERTY Keyboards In-Universe

Postby TorTorden » Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:59 am

LeDoyen wrote:I saw the disaster it was in Ireland.. west coast, between Galway and the cliffs of Moher.. super tight curves, hills like road bumps, no visibility.. and they put a 100km/h speed limit.
I tried driving there over 60 it was just super scary, tires screeching, car slightly lifting off the road sometimes.. crazy irish blokes.

We'd struggle with these new KB layout for sure but it's just temporary.
I remember when i was there trying to write french with the accents on a qwerty keyboard.. took a few weeks it's like learning a new music instrument.. muscle memory


Anyone who has any clue for driving knows that the speedlimit is a Maximum limit.
NOT a required speed.

It is your responsibility to make the assessment that no, I can't do more than 60kph here.

If you are not able to make that call you should never have been given a license in the first place.

Honestly speed limits should have been unnecessary, but people are idiots and far to many of them have a license to drive.
Image

Hey I'm Thor -
People call me Bob.

Rule 1: Pillage. Then burn.
Rule 2: No such thing as overkill, as long as there are reloads.


Return to “Official Lore Talk”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests

i