Summary

This book explores the history of typewriting, specifically the “Shift Wars” of the 1880s and the ongoing efforts to improve upon the dominant QWERTY keyboard. It details the contributions of figures like Arthur Schawlow, August Dvorak, and Margaret Longley in developing alternative typing methods, alongside the shadowy involvement of Soviet agents monitoring American keystrokes. The narrative highlights the rise of women in the workplace and the enduring fascination with mechanical keyboards, evidenced by contemporary enthusiasts seeking to blend historical techniques with modern design. The book incorporates interviews and explorations of related topics including photographic restoration, keyboard design (particularly the work of Rick Dickinson), and speculative technology, culminating in reflections on the future of keyboards and their impact.

Title

Shift Happens

Description

Shift Happens

Keywords

book, keyboard, time, keyboards, like, typing, more, keys, type, shift, read, university, using, will, photos, writing, mode

Upstreams

bloggy.garden

Downstreams

google.com, archive.org, loc.gov, princeton.edu, upenn.edu, figma.com, mastodon.online, twitter.com

NS Lookup

A 173.236.139.151

Dates

Created 2024-02-23

Updated 2025-06-09

Summarized 2026-02-23