Keyboard Types, Layout & Technology

What is Keyboard?

Keyboard is an input device attached to a computer. This is used to print the text, numbers and special characters on screen in a document. What we are using today is a refined design of yester year’s research and development. 

There are lots of improvements happen from its invention to development keeping in user’s point of view and ease. Now keyboard is most useful peripheral device of a computer.

History of Keyboard 

The invention of this wonderful device based on tele printer and keypunch machines. Christopher Latham Sholes was an American Inventor who invented the QWERTY keyboard. He was the first man who invented the first commercially used typewriter. He was born in Mooresburg, Pennsylvania on 14th February 1819. His design is the base of development in the field of keyboard. The first computer ENIAC was based on a punch card reader as its input and output device. But after 2years another computer BINAC was developed that was designed to use electro-mechanically controlled typewriter. In this continuity, in 1964 a multi used system was developed named MULTICS. This system encouraged the development of VDT system (Video Display system). First time, this system allowed the user to see the character typed character on a display screen. In 1970, keyboard was started to appear on front of computer like Apple, Radio Shack and Commodore. 

Keyboards started to use what we use today at the start of the 1970s.

In 1986, IBM unveiled the Model M keyboard, which had the same top row of function keys that modern keyboards have today.

A keyboard contains different type of keys: 

Typing keys or alphanumeric keys: These keys consist of alphabet, numbers, and punctuation and symbol keys.

Control keys: These keys are used in combination to perform certain actions. Ctrl, Alt, Shift & Windows keys.  These keys are also used to initiate a shortcut command. 

Function Keys: Function keys are used to perform specific task only. There 12 such keys in a standard keyboard.

Navigation Keys: These keys are used to move around in documents. These keys are Home, End, Page Up ,Page Down, Delete and Insert Keys.

Enter Key: It is used to register a command into computer. It works like an Ok Button.

Tab Key: Tab key is used to set the space in a word processing document. It is also used in combination of certain key to perform some specific task. 

Delete Key: This key is used to delete the word, alphabet, numerals and special character on screen.

Backspace Key: This key is used to delete the character or numeral one by one.

Esc Key: This key is used to cancel any command or program. It is also used in combination to perform some specific task.

Spacebar:  It is used to put space between to words. 

Caps Key: This key is used to change the alphabet to upper and lower case. It is a toggle key. 

Three Odd keys : 

Prtscn Key : This key captures an image of entire screen and copies it to clipboard.

Scroll Lock Key : This key change the behaviour of arrow and PageUp/down keys. Using this key cause scrolling of document without changing the position of cursor.

Pause/Break : This key is rarely used. The basic function of this key is to stops the running program.

Fn Key : The Fn key on laptop  is used to give other keys more than once function.

Why keyboard keys are not placed in alphabetically order?

During the development of Typewriter, the developer faced the problem of key jamming due to the sequential layout of alphabet keys. 

To rectify this problem the arrangement of keys is placed in QWERTY layout manner. That is quite popular nowadays and it proved to be effective in resolving the issue. 

The QWERTY keyboard was meticulously designed by Sholes. He covered the board with the most frequently used letters—E, T, O, A, N, and I—and made sure that frequent combinations like "ed" had to be pressed with the same finger in order to prevent the machine from jamming. The QWERTY keyboard was created to reduce typing speed, in other words.

What are guiding keys on a Keyboard?

On a computer keyboard, keys ‘F’ and ‘J’ are called guide keys for left and right hand, respectively. Both contain a small raised tangible mark with the help of which the typist can place the fingers correctly on the home keys.  Home keys are F, D, S, A keys on your left and J, K, L, “;” (semi colon) on your right side. These keys play an important role to guide your fingers to press the right key during typing without actual seeing the keys.

Why there are some keys in two set on a Keyboard?

On a typical keyboard, there are two modifier keys; two enter keys, and two windows keys. The Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys are the three modifier keys on the keyboard. The purpose of these keys is to alter the typical function of keys if pressed in combination with other keys. Beside this, these keys activate corresponding shortcut in combination with other keys. Together with other keyboard keys, these keys function as a unit.

For ease of hand movement over the keyboard, these keys are provided in two numbers. Our typing speed is also accelerated by it.

The two enter keys each have a separate function for two halves of a typical keyboard. In order to enter text quickly, one portion is used for alphanumeric input and the other is set aside for a number keypad.

For streamlined operation and simple key movement when combining keys, the keyboard has two sets of keys.

Two Windows keys are also available on some keyboards, making it simple to use the corresponding keyboard instructions.

Different Types of Keyboard Layout: 

Layout of keyboard is based on regional requirement and a part of improvement in speed and accuracy: 

As per regional requirement we can see many types of keyboards in which three prime keyboards are as follows: 

QWERTY Keyboard: 

The most popular design in the entire globe is this one. This keyboard's name is derived from the six consecutive keys on the top row's left side.

AZERTY Keyboard:

This keyboard's name is derived from the six consecutive keys on the top row's left side. The AZERTY keyboard layout is the de facto standard in France (de facto means existing in reality but not officially recognised).

QWERTZ Keyboard:  

This keyboard's name is derived from the six consecutive keys on the top row's left side. The majority of Central Europe uses it. It also goes by the name Swiss keyboard. Generally speaking, German-speaking nations use it.

The main difference between these three keyboards is the position of the Q, W, Z and A keys.

There are two more keyboard layout namely Dvorak & Colemak. These layouts are alternative to QWERTY keyboard. These layouts developed to reduce the movement of finger an ultimately improving the overall speed of user ergonomically.

Dvorak Keyboard: 

Dr. August Dvorak created the Dvorak layout in the 1930s. Dvorak developed his unique keyboard in order to be more productive than the QWERTY keyboard. The Dvorak layout places the most frequently used letters in the home row to reduce the amount of movement required from the typist's fingers. The right hand only contains consonants, while the left hand has all vowels and some neighbouring consonants.

Colemak Keyboard: 

Colemak is a keyboard layout for Latin-script alphabets that puts the most commonly used English language letters on the home row in order to increase typing efficiency and comfort. It was established on January 1st, 2006, and is named for its creator, Shai Coleman.

Keyboard Layout for small devices like Tablet or Phablet  

KALQ Keyboard: 

KALQ is a new Split Screen Keyboard designed for thumb typing on tablets and big phones. It is a virtual keyboard developed by the Max Planck Institute of Informatics (Germany), the University of Montana, and the University of St. Andrews (Scotland) for the best English typing with both thumbs.

Types of Keyboards 

Mechanical Keyboard: 

A mechanical keyboard uses specific tactile switches with audio feedback to enable rapid and precise keystroke execution. These keyboards are built on special keys which is more durable than membrane type keyboards. They are more responsive to keystrokes and working on these types of keyboards are comfortable and quite faster.

Membrane Keyboard: 

A keyboard consists of a thin layer of flexible material that represents the keys for activating signals for a system. There are two types of membrane keyboard one is flat type, and another is doming type keyboard. Dome type keyboards are the hybrid of thin layer membrane and mechanical switch keyboard. 

Membrane switches started to take the role of mechanical key switches in the 1990s because they were quieter, lighter, and more suited for the needs of the new laptop generation. Membrane keyboards were significantly more affordable to build, this was also advantageous for the manufacturers.

Virtual Keyboard: 

Software that resembles a regular keyboard is called as a virtual keyboard. On a computer screen, a picture of a keyboard is shown, and the user points at and clicks on the images of the keys to enter text.

In windows you can activate Onscreen keyboard by following command:

• Press Windows Key + R (Run Command Window)
• Then Type OSK (To start Virtual Keyboard) 

Additionally, you can use the touch keyboard button that appears on the taskbar.

Number of Keys on a Keyboard:

There were 83 keys on a first IBM PC keyboard thereafter 84 keys came on AT keyboard. There are generally 101 to 104 keyboard keys on a standard keyboard. A de facto standard is 104 keys. In contrast, a laptop has 84 keys if numeric pad is missing. A gaming keyboard contains more than 104 keys for the ease of playing games on keyboard. These keyboards are special types of keyboard for gaming enthusiast peoples.

An Apple keyboard is slightly different from normal QWERTY keyboard. In an apple QWERTY layout there is change in modifier keys. In apple’s keyboard there are Command key, option key and control key with different shape, size and symbol.  Command key (⌘), is a unique key exclusively available on Apple Keyboards only. There is no backspace key available on Apple’s Keyboard also. 

Types of Keyboard based on Connection Technology: 

Wired Keyboard: 

PS2 Port :

PS2 port is a mini 6 pin DIN connector used for connecting keyboard and mouse to a computer. It was introduced by IBM in the Year 1987. A DIN standard is a standard drawn up at the German Institute for Standardisation (DIN) in Berlin. Keyboard connector and port always comes in purple connector. 

USB Port :

These keyboards have Universal Serial Bus type attachment for easily connected to computer via USB port. Now days, C type USB connector keyboards are installed in computer and laptop. 

Wireless Keyboard:

This is another way of attaching keyboard to computer. These keyboards are wireless keyboard using a USB sensor key attached to computer to make it work. Wireless keyboards can use either Bluetooth or USB Radio frequency (USB-RF) to connect to computers without any wires.

Sticky keys on a Windows system (An Accessibility feature)

Stick keys are a useful Windows feature that lets you press combination keys sequentially rather than all at once. It is beneficial to use the modifier keys (CTRL, ALT, SHIFT & WINKEY) without constantly pressing them. This feature is especially good for physical disable person. 

You can turn on and off this feature in 2 ways. 

First Way 

• Press Windows Key + U
• Go to Left Side Panel 

Under Interaction Click Keyboard

• Under Use Stick Keys 
• Turn On or Off
• Also tick the check mark to allow the shortcut keys to start toggle keys 

Second Way

Now you can easily turn on and off sticky keys just by pressing Num Lock Key for five seconds. If Num lock key is not available on your laptop use first way.

Tips to improve your typing skills:

• Always place your hand on right position.  I mean your hand should be on home position. 
• Do not look down your hands while typing.
• Maintain good posture 
• Say the letters to yourself as you type them
• Practice continuously to improve you typing speed and accuracy

Above all, keep in mind that perfecting touch typing requires practice.

Watch this video to improve your typing skill in gaming spree !!!!

Improving Typing Skills