• Keyboard keys could be arranged in any order.keyboard image by Fyerne from Fotolia.com
  
  When typewriters were first invented, the letter keys were in alphabetical order. A good typist would sometimes jam the keys together if he typed too fast. The problem was solved by rearranging the letters so that it would slow down the typist. After keyboards improved, education professor August Dvorak designed a more efficient keyboard, but it was too late -- everybody was used to the old way of doing things.
  
  

Physical Similarities

• The physical act of typing is very similar with Dvorak or QWERTY keyboards, and they will both use the same number of keystrokes to type the same passage. Some of the keys and concepts are identical. The alphabet keys are arranged in three rows in both schemes and both have the space bar in the same place. In both systems the numbers and punctuation symbols are arranged in a fourth row above the three letter keys. The shift, shift lock and return keys are also in the same positions on both keyboards. The numerical keypad is to the right of the letter keys on both keyboards -- neither keyboard makes concessions for left-handed typists.
  
  

Conceptual Similarities

• Both Dvorak and QWERTY keyboards use the concept of home keys. The difference is that with the Dvorak keyboard the most frequently typed keys are under the home row fingers. With either keyboard, there are two keys between the fingers on the home row, and the fingers all hit three keys except the more agile index fingers, which hit six keys each. Concepts like shifting and spacing are the same in both systems, and the keys that control these operations are in the same place on the keyboard. For computer keyboards, the control, alternate and option keys are in the same place and operate in the same way.
  
  

Similarities in Availability

• Although the Dvorak and QWERTY are in competition, they share the distinction of being the only keyboard arrangements that most people are even considering. They are both registered with the American National Standards Institute, and they are the only arrangements provided with all major operating systems. They are both equally easy to learn, and except for expert typists, seem to provide the same average typing speed for all people.