[kuroikyu]

If you're going to list facts, at least get them right. The version that Europe uses is also called QWERTY. The US uses the ANSI variant of the QWERTY layout while the "European" variant is called ISO. One of the differences between the two versions is indeed the left shift being longer or shorter to accommodate the extra key but it's not the only one.

AZERTY (a variation of the ISO QWERTY, with 105 keys, the big enter, etc) is used in France like you say but nowhere else. The rest of Europe use other layouts within the ISO QWERTY. Here you'll find Spanish, UK, Italian, Norwegian, and many other layouts that move and add the necessary symbols for their languages.

edit: corrected right to left, stupid me. I didn't express myself correctly when talking about AZERTY. It is used in a few other places besides France. What I meant is to say that is not Europe's standard as the parent comment seemed to indicate.

[pluma]

I think you mean left shift. The Enter/Return key is also different, though looking at different layouts I have no idea why, as the extra key on that side seems to be present in different places regardless of the actual shape of those keys.

[garaetjjte]

>The rest of Europe use other layouts within the ISO QWERTY.

This is also not exactly true. e.g. in Poland ANSI QWERTY is typically used, with diacritics typed with right Alt. (there are other layouts with diacritics directly available, like Windows "Polish (214)", but nobody uses them)

[benibela]

My keyboard is AYERTZ, but perhaps I just put the keys at the wrong place after cleaning

[kuroikyu]

Did I say no other layouts exist outside of AZERTY and QWERTY? I was pointing out that the assertion that the parent comment made about AZERTY = Europe and QWERTY = US was wrong.

[thanatropism]

Doesn't Germany use QWERTZ?

[zaarn]

QWERTZ largely maps to QWERTY with exception of special characters and Z/Y being swapped. QWERTZ can be bought in ISO or ANSI, though ANSI QWERTZ is hard to get from any sane manufacturer since everyone here likes DIN/ISO.

[reaperducer]

AZERTY is used in France like you say but nowhere else.

Interesting. I used an AZERTY keyboard when I was in Austria in the 90's. Did I end up with a French keyboard? I just assumed it was the local form.

[Arocalex]

Belgium also uses AZERTY.

[kuroikyu]

You're right, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't express that thought correctly and I've added a note to my previous comment.

[Arocalex]

Thanks, it's a bit clearer what you mean with your edit.