QWERTYUIOP

(Did you mean the Sam Long fanzine?)

A standard typewriter's keyboard arrangement is called “QWERTYUIOP,” after the first line of letters. Typewriter keys were deliberately so arranged to slow typing speed, since early typewriters were apt to jam if typed on too fast.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959

Typewriter etaoin shrdlu. Ted White used QWERTYUIOP as a publishing house name, and at one time ('56-58) it seemed that at least 50% of all published fanzines appeared with this frank. He has steadfastly disregarded suggestions that it should be qwertyuiop ½ or ¼, for abbreviation is a recognized privilege of fan publishing houses.

---

Fanspeak

This is a fanspeak page. Please extend it by adding information about when and by whom it was coined, whether it’s still in use, etc.