LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Today, Feb 2004

A few comments on the "A Brief History of Data Entry" article

The article (published in the October 2003 issue of TODAY) seemed to be a "history" of the keyboard, not data entry. Even within that scope there was no mention of the methods used in modern electronic devices far dealing with the results of depressing more than one key at a time, e.g. N-key, Multi-key and two-key rollover are the most common today.

On mechanical typewriters it was very easy jor even a slow typist to jam the keys.

Without examining demand for, or the pluses or minuses of, the Dvorak keyboard, it should be pointed out that a Web search on "Dvorak Keyboard" produced 17,517 results-a bit more than might be expected from the comment that "Today, few computer programs...are available to transform...into the Dvorak keyboard...."

Typists speak in "words/minute"; data entry usually uses "keystrokes/hour"; the differences between these professions are more important than apparent similarities.

Most importantly is the author's strong intimation that RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) is only a typing problem and all of that due to the elimination of the carriage return. I can't decide which assertion is wilder But, speaking of Web searches, the phrase "repetitive stress injury" resulted in five hits-the number one being an article concerning how instrumental musicians are a special risk group for repetitive motion injuries.

Cordially,

Edward F. Feist

Operations Manager for ICC Services, LLC

Editor's Note: Mr. Feist points out the risk of summarizing a topic as broad as the illustrious history of data entry. Arthur Gingrande has written extensively on this topic, but space limitations, and the history still unfolding make the story incomplete.

Mr. Feist wisely points out the importance of another topic-ergonomics-which, coincidentally is the featured category in the new "Preparing for the ICP" column that debuts in this issue.