Conundrum!

[Rudi]

The early engineers of the modern computer had to arrange these letters on the top row of the keyboard to easily be able to type out the description of their invention!
What 10 letter word and I talking about?

[Carolynkerr]

<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold">Typewriter ?</span hide>

[Rudi]

Perfectly correct Carolyn.... <img src=/S/clever.gif border=0 alt=clever width=15 height=15>

[Bowlie]

Don't you mean <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold">tzpewriter</span hide>? Looks that way on my <img src=/S/flags/Switzerland.gif border=0 alt=Switzerland width=18 height=18> kezboard.

[Rudi]

If it makes sense to you, I will accept it.... <img src=/S/laugh.gif border=0 alt=laugh width=15 height=15>

[Leif]

A typewriter is a modern computer?

[Rudi]

Is that a question or a statement?
A typewriter didn't have a monitor and it made a noise when these little arm thingies hit the drum to imprint the characters. Aweful computer!!!!

[Leif]

Not having an Australian accent, it is a question.
I was just trying to decipher your original question, where it appears (to me) that the answer is implied to be the 'invention' the engineers were working on.

[Rudi]

I suppose it is just my opinion that the forerunner to the modern computer was the typewriter. Its the only cryptic clue I could think up at the time. <img src=/S/smile.gif border=0 alt=smile width=15 height=15>

[Leif]

Ah!
The forerunner to the modern computer was more than just a typewriter; it was the abacus, the drawing board, the filing cabinet, the air-brush, the slide rule, the fax machine, the double-entry ledger.... and a few other things as well.

[Rudi]

I suppose the abbacus tops them all... <img src=/S/laugh.gif border=0 alt=laugh width=15 height=15>

[Drew]

Ah, but why did the inventor of that invention arrange the letters as you see them today?

[Ruff_Hi]

see <post#=401316>post 401316</post#>

[Drew]

Yep, it was to slow down the typers. The original typewriter layout had the letters in alphabetical order. But people began to type to fast, so fast, that it would constantly jam up the letter 'arms' as they flew out to hit the ink ribbon and paper. So instead of reengineering the typewriter, the inventory just scrambled the letters, to slow down the typists! <img src=/S/grin.gif border=0 alt=grin width=15 height=15>