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I've often heard that the QWERTY keyboard layout was designed to slow typists so as not to jam mechanical typewriters, but I've heard that refuted equally often. What was the layout of the first known keyboard device, and what is the real reason for QWERTY ultimately becoming the dominant layout?

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I've often heard that the QWERTY keyboard layout was designed to slow typists so as not to jam mechanical typewriters, but I've heard that refuted equally often. What was the layout of the first known keyboard device, and what is the real reason for QWERTY ultimately becoming the dominant layout?	211