Keyboard

Different Types of Keyboards

Keyboard:

1.  Keyboard is the most used input device.

2.  It is used to enter textual data.

3.  Today, mostly use of keyboard styles are the QWERTY style keyboards.

4.  This is a standard arrangement designed for easy and fast entry of numbers.

5.  Such keyboards have numeric keypad at the right.

6.  There are two types of keyboard style.

a.      PC/XT-Style Keyboard.

b.      AT-Style Keyboard.

7.  There are four divisions of a keyboard.

a.      Alphanumeric Keypad.

b.      Numeric Keypad.

c.      Function Keypad.

d.      Screen Navigation & Editing Keys.

Keyboard Styles

a.      PC/XT-Style Keyboard keyboards were developed earlier which were different and complicated to use.

b.      AT-Style Keyboard was developed later with different keyboard having 101 keys. This is the most widely used style nowadays.

Division of a Keyboard

a.      Alphanumeric Keypad:

The position of various keys at the right of the keyboard similar to those on a typical typewriter and is also called typewriter’s area. Alphanumeric Keypad consists of:

                                     I.          Alphabet keypad consists of keys A to Z having upper case (capital) and lower case (small) letters.

                                   II.          Number keys consists of keys from 0 to 9.

                                  III.          Punctuation keys special character keys & space bar for punctuation marks, special characters such as + ) * % $ # @ } etc.

b.      Numeric Keypad:

A numeric keypad is a set of keys at the right of the keyboard similar to calculator. These keys can also be used for rapid entry of numeric data as well as for editing and cursor control. Mostly used in banks.

c.      Function Keypad:

a.      These are 10 or 12 function keys labeled as F1, F2… F10… F12.

b.      These are located on the left or at the top of the keyboard.

c.      These are used to instruct the computer to perform certain commands.

d.      These keys provide shortcuts for doing routine tasks on a computer.

e.      Function keys perform different tasks in different software packages.

f.       By combination with one or more other keys such as SHIFT, CTRL, and ALT. Carry out certain commands.

g.      For example:

ALT + F4; close the windows.

SHIFT + F2; copies the text (Edit menu).

CTRL + F2; chooses the print preview (File menu).

d.      Screen Navigation & Editing Keys:

Four cursor control keys are used to move the cursor on the screen in the direction shows on the keys. These are special keys for doing special jobs and editing. Some of the keys are:

·        Esc: Escape key performs a variety of functions defined by the operating system.

·        Enter: Moves the cursor from final position on a line to the first position on the next line.

·        Num Lock: Pressing the Number Lock Key once places keys 0 to 9 in numeric mode. Pressing it again returns it to cursor control.

·        Delete: The characters at the cursor position is deleted.

·        Caps Lock: By pressing it once, locks the characters A to Z in the upper case position. Pressing it again returns it to lowercase position.

Keys of Keyboard