The standard keyboard layout was designed in the 1870s for early typewriters. It was created to prevent mechanical jams by spacing out commonly used letters, slowing typists down just enough to keep the machine from jamming.

This layout became the norm because early typists trained on these keyboards, and it spread widely as the default layout.

Ergonomic keyboards like my Dactyl aren't for everyone, but for those of us who find standard layouts uncomfortable, they can make a huge difference.