why aren't keyboards in alphabetical order?

Because QWERTY Keyboards were cleverly engineered so we can type really fast. The letters are carefully placed in order so that most common words are easy to use and the vowels are carefully placed as well.

The reason for QWERTY goes way back. This order was chosen to reduce the probability that mechanical typewriters’ hammers would get entangled. Over time, typewriters were replaced by computers. Though various alternative keyboard layouts have been developed from a user-centred perspective, to enable more comfortable and faster typing, the QWERTY layout remains the standard today. Once a technology has become the norm, it seems to take on a certain aura of authenticity. To supplant it, an alternative must be significantly better.

So basically it originally was created to prevent typewriters from jamming, then when computers came along it was already the norm and proved to be easy usage overall.

I actually know this. When the first keyboard/typewriter was made, the keys were harder to push and would often stick. Like if it was in alphabetical order, the R and S and T would be next to each other. They are used very frequently and could get stuck on the earlier typewriters.

The QWERTY keyboard layout was designed so that successive keystrokes would alternate sides of the keyboard so as to avoid jams in manual typewriters.

First designs of manual typewriters using keyboards with letters on alphabetical order could not keep up with the speed of fast typers and the QWERTY keyboard layout was designed to reduce jamming.

The QWERTY keyboard layout survived the era of electrical typewriters and the digital age because it was the first standard design.

I put this answer together from different sources to give the most accurate reason for why the letters are arranged the way they are.

In the days of mechanical typewriters a means of preventing the hammers striking each other was needed, in practice this also meant slowing typists down. Reorganising the layout of the keys into the QWERTY pattern was the answer. Although mechanical typewriters are now obsolete the convention of the keyboard layout has remained.

Basically what samuel adams said. The keyboard the most common qwerty keyboard, has it letters placed according to their usage e.g z is its position because it is used less than most key.

Their are many other keyboards including the Belgiumm

You can buy keyboards that are in alphabetical order actually, they cost more though.

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They used to be, on type writers. But the machinery in those old machines wasn't advanced enough to handle how fast exceptional typers became. The type-writer company then designed a new keyboard that actually made is HARDER to type. (i.e, the A where your weakest finger, the pinky is) They never tried to change it back, because everyone got used to the way it was set up.

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