Something else that's always bothered the hell out of me

[pokerfan]

The digits on a telephone count from top to bottom; calculators and computer keyboards count from the bottom up.

I uderstand why this is so but I don't have to like it.

In the future, space aliens will use this as evidence to justify our extermination as they are afraid that our stupidity might contaminate the rest of the universe.

[fishwax]

1. I'm pretty sure the digits on a telephone don't count top to bottom

they count in a circle, counter-clockwise:



Unless you're using some kind of fancy elitist phone, I suppose :shrug:

;)

[pokerfan]

3. Yeah, well, the rotary dial is part of the problem

It is easier for right-handed people to dial in a clockwise manner so the digits got arranged in a CCW fashion. Then, when letters were added, it seemed logical for '1' to represent A, B, and C; '2' to represent D, E G etc. When all this got translated to a keypad, it seemed natural that the keys should be ordered alphabetically.

Cash reigister and calculator manufacturers thought it was natural for the big numbers to be at the top and the small numbers at the bottom.



And our long slow descent into hell began...

[truedelphi]

2. Being dyslexic, this situation is one reason I could never work for

An accounting firm.

My brain has entrained itself to remember the telephone keypad.

I remember the accounting industry was disenheartened when the telephone keypad came out so differently.