“Individuals key-entering data back in the beginning of computerization would NOT use the “qwerty” keyboard. The 9 is nowhere near the 0 on the keyboard that would have been used back then. Nowhere at all near it.”
Except we’re not talking about the early days of computerization. Obama’s SSN was issued in the late 1970s. And there were keyboards in the late ‘70s (like the Apple II) that definitely had the 9 next to the 0.
Without a clear understanding of the process used at the time, I don't think a solid conclusion can be drawn.
In 1977, when Obama’s SS# was issued, Apple II was cutting edge as a HOME computer. Personal computers took years, almost a decade, to show up in schools and then later in businesses. They were not used for volume data entry.
I can virtually guarantee you that the government was NOT using Apple IIs or anything remotely like them to key enter SS information. It’s far more likely they still used keypunch machines (and CARDS) or at least IBM key-to-disk data entry machines, with verification. Those keyboards were NOT qwerty-like, because of the amount of numerical data that was entered using them.
The 0 was nowhere near the 9.
But even if we accept your premise that a typewriter-like keyboard was used to initially enter the data, it still would not have gotten through the multiple error checks I outlined before.
It was standard operating procedure to have another data entry person VERIFY the other person’s entries.
It was standard operating procedure for a computer program to perform multiple cross-checks to find and produce an ERROR report or an EXCEPTION report, before data was accepted for the files. All errors would be investigated and resolved before the record would go into the official files.
Since it was crucial to the way the SSA assigned numbers, based upon state residence, then it is extremely unlikely that a CT number would be assigned to a person who applied from a HAWAIIAN residence.