The concept of path dependence posits that historical events and decisions, particularly early ones, can have a profound and lasting influence on subsequent developments, often constraining future choices in ways that are not necessarily optimal. This principle challenges the conventional economic assumption of perpetual optimization, suggesting instead that 'history matters.' A seminal example illustrating this phenomenon is the persistence of the QWERTY keyboard layout. Developed in the 1870s to prevent mechanical typewriter keys from jamming, its design was not predicated on typing efficiency. Despite the later invention of demonstrably superior layouts, such as the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard, QWERTY became entrenched. This lock-in occurred not because of its intrinsic superiority, but through a series of historical accidents and the network effects that followed; as more people learned QWERTY, more manufacturers produced it, creating a self-perpetuating cycle. The significant switching costs—both in retraining typists and retooling manufacturing—effectively precluded the adoption of a more efficient alternative. This case demonstrates how an initial, somewhat contingent, choice can establish a technological paradigm that is remarkably resilient to change, leading to what economists term suboptimal equilibria. The implications are far-reaching, indicating that market outcomes are not always the most efficient, but are often shaped by the idiosyncratic trajectories of their past.