[ImprovedSilence]

For those reading this that don't know, it's so your hands stay on the "home row"

[Edit:] or at least that's what I thought, wavetossed's comment below provides interesting insight.

[keporahg]

Then wouldn't have 'jkl;' made more sense? (assuming index fingers were placed on 'f' and 'j' back then as well)

[amurmann]

Wouldn't jkl; be even better for that? (not saying that hjkl isn't a huge step up form the arrow keys)