Fundamental question of life - or keyboards at least

Fundamental question of life - or keyboards

Didn't find your answer?

Inspired by Constantly Confused's NINO post and my desire for a MTD-free afternoon, I wish to ask one of the most fundamental questions in life: why do 789 form the top row on a calculator or computer keyboard but the bottom row on a phone? On my mobile 789 is bottom row when dialling but top row on the calculator app.

Replies (3)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

Red Kite
By Red Kite
30th Sep 2016 14:01
Thanks (1)
Replying to Red Kite:
Quack
By Constantly Confused
30th Sep 2016 14:08

Red Kite wrote:

I'm happy to assist the debate
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question641.htm

So it is the same (alleged) reason as for the keyboard keys being in the order they are (I read 'to slow women down' a lot when I looked into it after assuming it would be some sort of 'common keys in the centre' thing).

So it is to slow people down on dialing? Well I have a related question then (assuming this one if solved): why on earth did they make UK emergency 999, when that is the (second) longest dialing key (we still had a rotary 'phone when I was young and it took forever for it to register a 9). I wonder if it was so it was very hard to accidentally dial (but then why not 000, as that is even more... definite)?

Thanks (1)
Replying to Constantly Confused:
avatar
By GW
30th Sep 2016 14:29
Thanks (1)