Final answer:
The QWERTY layout debuted in 1867 as part of a typewriter innovation by Christopher Sholes. It has since become the standard layout for keyboards, initially designed to prevent mechanical jams. Related technological advances in typesetting include the Linotype and Monotype systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
The earliest form of the QWERTY layout made its debut in 1867. This innovation was part of a typewriter perfected by Christopher Sholes, a newspaper publisher who was looking to improve typing productivity. The QWERTY keyboard layout was designed to prevent jams in mechanical typewriters by spacing out commonly used letter pairings. This design became the standard for typewriters and eventually for computer keyboards as well.
While the QWERTY layout emerged in the 19th century, advancements in typesetting and printing technology also progressed. Notably, Ottmar Mergenthaler invented the Linotype machine, which was installed for the first time in New York Tribune's newspaper office in 1886, and Tolbert Lanston invented the Monotype casting system, with the Lanston Monotype Machine Company being founded in 1887.