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Alphanumeric keyboard
 
 
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Alphanumeric keyboards include typewriter
Typewriter

A typewriter is a Machine or electromechanical device with a set of "keys" that, when pressed, cause Typeface to be printed on a medium, usually paper....
s and computer
Computer

A computer is a machine that manipulates Data according to a list of Code .The first devices that resemble modern computers date to the mid-20th century , although the computer concept and various machines similar to computers existed earlier....
 keyboards
Keyboard (computing)

In computing, a keyboard is an input device, partially modeled after the Typewriter#Keyboard layout, which uses an arrangement of buttons or Push-button, which act as mechanical levers or electronic switches....
. An alphanumeric keyboard is a device with many keys (usually marked with the letters of the alphabet
Alphabet

An alphabet is a standardized set of letter basic written symbols each of which roughly represents a phoneme, a spoken language, either as it exists now or as it was in the past....
, the numerical digit
Numerical digit

In mathematics and computer science, a digit is a symbol used in numerals , to represent numbers, in Positional notation numeral systems. The name "digit" comes from the fact that the 10 digits of the hands correspond to the 10 symbols of the common base 10 number system, i.e....
s, and various extra keys.)

Computer Keyboards
After punch cards and paper tape, interaction
Interaction

Interaction is a kind of action that occurs as two or more objects have an effect upon one another. The idea of a two-way effect is essential in the concept of interaction, as opposed to a one-way causal effect....
 via teletype-style keyboards became the main input device
Input device

An input device is any peripheral used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system . Input and output devices make up the hardware interface between a computer as a or 6DOF controller....
 for computers. During the 1980s and 1990s almost all computers came equipped with them as the main form of interaction, and most users are familiar with using them.

There are different types of keyboard technologies
Keyboard technology

There are many types of Computer keyboard, usually differentiated by the switch technology employed in their operation. Since there are so many switches needed and because they have to be highly reliable, this usually defines the keyboard....
.

The most popular layout
Keyboard layout

A keyboard layout is any specific mechanical, visual, or functional arrangement of the keys, legends, or key?meaning associations of a Computer keyboard, typewriter, or other alphanumeric keyboard keyboard....
 of keys on the modern-day English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 keyboard is called the QWERTY
QWERTY

QWERTY is the most used modern-day keyboard layout on English-language computer keyboard and typewriter keyboards. It takes its name from the first six Graphemes seen in the far left of the keyboard's top row of letters....
 design, based on the most popular typewriter
Typewriter

A typewriter is a Machine or electromechanical device with a set of "keys" that, when pressed, cause Typeface to be printed on a medium, usually paper....
 keyboard layout further extended to the standard 104-key PC
Personal computer

A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
 keyboard layout, with the addition of cursor keys, a calculator
Calculator

A calculator is a device for performing mathematical calculations, distinguished from a computer by having a limited problem solving ability and an interface optimized for interactive calculation rather than programming....
-style numeric
Numeric

Numeric may refer to:* of, or relating to, numbers* NumPy or Numerical Python* floating point data type...
 keypad, two groups of special function
Function (engineering)

In engineering, a function is an action or task that a system is designed to perform....
 keys, a key for the Windows
Windows key

The Windows key or Windows logo key is a computer keyboard key originally introduced for the Windows 95 operating system. On keyboards lacking a Windows key, Ctrl+Esc can instead be pressed, though some functionality is lacking....
 Start menu
Start menu

The Start Menu and Start Button are graphical user interface elements in the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, which serve as the central launching point for application and tasks....
 (on IBM
IBM

International Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue" , is a multinational corporation computer technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, New York, United States....
 and clones), and other modifier keys.






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Encyclopedia


Alphanumeric keyboards include typewriter
Typewriter

A typewriter is a Machine or electromechanical device with a set of "keys" that, when pressed, cause Typeface to be printed on a medium, usually paper....
s and computer
Computer

A computer is a machine that manipulates Data according to a list of Code .The first devices that resemble modern computers date to the mid-20th century , although the computer concept and various machines similar to computers existed earlier....
 keyboards
Keyboard (computing)

In computing, a keyboard is an input device, partially modeled after the Typewriter#Keyboard layout, which uses an arrangement of buttons or Push-button, which act as mechanical levers or electronic switches....
. An alphanumeric keyboard is a device with many keys (usually marked with the letters of the alphabet
Alphabet

An alphabet is a standardized set of letter basic written symbols each of which roughly represents a phoneme, a spoken language, either as it exists now or as it was in the past....
, the numerical digit
Numerical digit

In mathematics and computer science, a digit is a symbol used in numerals , to represent numbers, in Positional notation numeral systems. The name "digit" comes from the fact that the 10 digits of the hands correspond to the 10 symbols of the common base 10 number system, i.e....
s, and various extra keys.)

Computer Keyboards


After punch cards and paper tape, interaction
Interaction

Interaction is a kind of action that occurs as two or more objects have an effect upon one another. The idea of a two-way effect is essential in the concept of interaction, as opposed to a one-way causal effect....
 via teletype-style keyboards became the main input device
Input device

An input device is any peripheral used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system . Input and output devices make up the hardware interface between a computer as a or 6DOF controller....
 for computers. During the 1980s and 1990s almost all computers came equipped with them as the main form of interaction, and most users are familiar with using them.

There are different types of keyboard technologies
Keyboard technology

There are many types of Computer keyboard, usually differentiated by the switch technology employed in their operation. Since there are so many switches needed and because they have to be highly reliable, this usually defines the keyboard....
.

The most popular layout
Keyboard layout

A keyboard layout is any specific mechanical, visual, or functional arrangement of the keys, legends, or key?meaning associations of a Computer keyboard, typewriter, or other alphanumeric keyboard keyboard....
 of keys on the modern-day English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 keyboard is called the QWERTY
QWERTY

QWERTY is the most used modern-day keyboard layout on English-language computer keyboard and typewriter keyboards. It takes its name from the first six Graphemes seen in the far left of the keyboard's top row of letters....
 design, based on the most popular typewriter
Typewriter

A typewriter is a Machine or electromechanical device with a set of "keys" that, when pressed, cause Typeface to be printed on a medium, usually paper....
 keyboard layout further extended to the standard 104-key PC
Personal computer

A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
 keyboard layout, with the addition of cursor keys, a calculator
Calculator

A calculator is a device for performing mathematical calculations, distinguished from a computer by having a limited problem solving ability and an interface optimized for interactive calculation rather than programming....
-style numeric
Numeric

Numeric may refer to:* of, or relating to, numbers* NumPy or Numerical Python* floating point data type...
 keypad, two groups of special function
Function (engineering)

In engineering, a function is an action or task that a system is designed to perform....
 keys, a key for the Windows
Windows key

The Windows key or Windows logo key is a computer keyboard key originally introduced for the Windows 95 operating system. On keyboards lacking a Windows key, Ctrl+Esc can instead be pressed, though some functionality is lacking....
 Start menu
Start menu

The Start Menu and Start Button are graphical user interface elements in the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, which serve as the central launching point for application and tasks....
 (on IBM
IBM

International Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue" , is a multinational corporation computer technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, New York, United States....
 and clones), and other modifier keys. Some computer manufacturers have added keys specifically related to the Internet
Internet

The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers, enabling users to share information along multiple channels. Typically, a computer that connects to the Internet can access information from a vast array of available server and other computers by moving information from them to the computer's local memory....
 and e-mail
E-mail

Electronic mail, often abbreviated as e-mail, email, E-Mail, or eMail, is any method of creating, transmitting, or storing primarily text-based human communications with digital communications systems....
, but these have not become standard. A few other keyboards may include: Dvorak Simplified Keyboard
Dvorak Simplified Keyboard

The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard is a keyboard layout patented in 1936 by August Dvorak, an educational psychologist and professor of education at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, and William Dealey....
, ABCDEFG layout, etc.

The fastest typists (as of 2007) use a stenograph
Stenograph

Stenograph Corporation is a U.S. manufacturer of equipment for court reporters, including stenotype machines and computer-aided transcription software....
, a kind of chorded keyboard
Chorded keyboard

A keyset or chorded keyboard is a list of input devices that allows the user to enter characters or commands formed by pressing several keys together, like playing a "chord " on a piano....
 used by most court reporters and closed caption reporter
Reporter

A reporter is a type of journalist who researches and presents information in certain types of mass media.Reporters gather their information in a variety of ways, including tips, press releases, sources and witnessing events....
s.

Despite the development of alternative input devices such as the mouse
Mouse (computing)

In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting dimension motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons....
, touch sensitive screen
Screen

Screen may refer to:...
s, pen
Pen

File:03-BICcristal2008-03-26.jpgA pen is a writing instrument used to apply ink to a surface, usually paper. There are several different types, including ballpoint pen, rollerball pen, fountain pen, felt-tip....
 devices, character recognition, voice recognition, and improvements in computer speed
Speed

Speed is the rate of Motion , or equivalently the rate of change of distance.Speed is a Scalar quantity with dimensions length/time; the equivalent Vector quantity to speed is velocity....
 and memory
Memory

In psychology, memory is an organism's mental ability to store, retain and recall information. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of mnemonic....
 size, the keyboard remains the most commonly used and most versatile device
Device

Device may refer to:...
 used for direct human
Human

A human being, also human or man, is a member of a species of bipedalism primates in the family Hominidae . Mitochondrial DNA evidence indicates that modern humans originated in east Africa about 200,000 years ago....
 input
Input

Input is the term denote either an entrance or changes which are inserted into a system and which activate/modify a process. It is an abstract concept, used in the model ing, system design and system exploitation....
 into computers.

Mechanical Keyboards


  • Typewriter
    Typewriter

    A typewriter is a Machine or electromechanical device with a set of "keys" that, when pressed, cause Typeface to be printed on a medium, usually paper....


Electric Keyboards


  • Stenotype
    Stenotype

    File:Estenotipia.jpgA stenotype or shorthand machine is a specialized chorded keyboard or typewriter used by stenographers for shorthand use....
  • Key punch
    Key punch

    File:IBM card punch 029.JPGA key punch is a device for entering data into punched cards by precisely punching holes at locations designated by the keys struck by the operator....


See also

  • Keyboard (computing)
    Keyboard (computing)

    In computing, a keyboard is an input device, partially modeled after the Typewriter#Keyboard layout, which uses an arrangement of buttons or Push-button, which act as mechanical levers or electronic switches....
  • British and American keyboards
    British and American keyboards

    There are two major English language keyboard layouts, the Keyboard layout#US and the Keyboard layout#UK and Ireland defined in BS 4822 . Users in the United States do not frequently need to make use of the ? and ? currency symbols, which are common needs in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland....
  • Mouse (computing)
    Mouse (computing)

    In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting dimension motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons....