: I don't think its better. I just think that some countries use it (France
: does, I think, and maybe others). They use it for the same reason they
: speak whatever language it is they speak: they've always done it like
: that.
Actually, it is "better", because it was designed to be better. More efficient anyway.
The QWERTY keyboard is said to be a relic from the days of mechanical typewriters, back when typing too fast would cause the hammers to get all tangled up together (I can vouch for that happening). So the QWERTY layout basically was designed either to slow down typists (imagine: something designed to suck is an entrenched standard... sounds familiar) or to make the mechanical layout of the hammers less prone to jamming.
The dvorak keyboard groups commonly-used and commonly associated letters together near the home positions, the theaory being you have to move your hands less to type most common words. Never used one myself, so I can't vouch for it.
I do believe Steve is right though: if you're a touch-typist on QWERTY boards, you'll cause yourself an aneurism trying to break the habit, and if you have to switch keyboards like between home, work, and school, you'll be all confused. Personally, I'n just a really fast hunt-n-peck typist, and I've been tempted.
