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Yes. But why that permutation? And although there is a relationship (like Q and 1 being on the same key) there isn't a relationship with Baudot or ITA2 (e.g. Q/1 isn't 00001 it's 11101).


In case you're not already aware (and/or for readers who aren't, because I wasn't yesterday), they made substantial modifications to Model 15 Teletypes to get their chosen coding and key layout (numeric-pad-like rather than QWERTY), including modifying and permuting levers, type bars, and keycaps. It could be that KSNJFL was somehow most convenient in that respect, though it's hard to imagine.

https://archive.org/details/modificationofte56mill


Yeah. It's pretty interesting because they clearly did this super intentionally. As you say they moved everything around. Since they are using the existing keycaps which have Q/1, W/2 etc. they lose QWERTYUIOP but they've still got ASDFGHJKLZXCVBNM from which to get the hex digits.

The one clue I haven't explored deeply is that there are references to ORDVAC and ILLIAC I using the same teletype equipment as prepared for the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) Machine (i.e. von Neumann's machine). These machines all have the same principles and it's possible that these teletypes (prepared by the US Bureau of Standards) are the source of KSNJFL.




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