Computer keyboard: key assignment, description. English computer keyboard

The Keyboard is one of the earliest and most important hardware components of the computer. Range of models and design solutions is quite wide. There are absolutely original products. That is a very interesting concept, which made the computer keyboard (photo below).

However, despite the large number of design solutions on the market keyboards, functions, and key assignment in almost all modifications of products of this type organized on the same principle. What?

Keyboard Structure

Modern computer keyboards contain 101 or 102 buttons, which are divided into several groups. This function keys, alphabetic, numeric, office, managers, as well as so-called modifiers. Consider the purpose of keys of each type.

Function keys

All buttons of this type 12. They are very long includes computer keyboard. Key assignment, their description can be found in many textbooks on information technology, published even before the invention of the PC in its present form. Function keys are arranged in a single row (usually) at the top of the keyboard. Examine their features.

Assignment of the function keys are largely due to traditions among the manufacturers of computers and software, and not by any strict standards. There's a kind of universally accepted principles of associating buttons of a given group with a specific action. But we can not exclude that some manufacturers prefer to specify the function keys assign what you want. Let's take a scenario where we have to press these buttons working in Windows, for example, 7-th version.

Recommended

How to get out of "Skype" on the "Android" and not only

How to get out of "Skype" "Android"? This question bothers many users. The thing is that the messenger is not so difficult. But there are features that are only for mobile versions. To log out of Skype in this case more difficult than it seems. But i...

Kingo ROOT: how to use the program to gain administrative rights on Android

The Gadgets on the platform Android regained the lion's share of the market. Developers are continually perfecting the OS, trying to fit the needs of the users, but from year to year admit palpable mistake: forbid the owner to "stuffing" of his gadge...

How to get from Stormwind to Tanaris: practical tips

World of Warcraft is an iconic MMORPG, uniting millions of players around the world. There are many locations and puzzles, secret trails and larger, but rather dangerous paths. Sooner or later, every player chose the side of the Alliance, we have to ...

In this case, F1 will be responsible for the call of help system. Most programs running in Windows, also implies the activation of the help by pressing F1.

The F2 Key usually is responsible for renaming files and folders in Windows. A similar function for it is fixed when working on some file managers.

The F3 Button in Windows causes the search engine of the OS, separate folder or the same interface in most programs. For example, if you open a text editor, by pressing F3, you can search the desired word or phrase.

The F4 Key, usually associated in Windows with two functions: go to the address bar in the integrated file Manager of the OS, and display history.

The F5 key allows to refresh the display of objects in a folder on the desktop or, for example, the page in the browser window.

The F6 has some similarities in purpose with the F4. It allows you to translate the text cursor in the address bar of the built-in file Manager Windows, but does not display history.

Assigning keys of the computer keyboard in the row F7-F9, and F12 buttons in Windows are not strictly defined. All depends on the particular application in which the user works. In this case, can be used specialized software to assign keys.

The F10 Button responsible for calling the far left of the menu item in the interface programs. For example, if the window is open Word, the user by pressing F10, open the menu "File".

The F11 Key allows to carry out quick switch window in full screen mode (or Vice versa).

Control keys

To those usually include arrow keys - left, right, up and down. They are designed to perform operations on the movement of objects on the screen to control characters in computer games, etc. they can Also be used for cursor positioning in the text.

Letter keys

Occupy the Central space of the keyboard. In the numerical measurement of such keys, the most typical standard - 47 pieces. English computer keyboard usually includes alphabetic buttons in pure form. That is, besides them, on the keys of anything is usually not depicted. Russian usually allows for the simultaneous use of some letter buttons and as "carriers" of punctuation marks. If you press them without combining with others (e.g., modifiers), you will be introduced to basic letters. When the appropriate combination of punctuation marks.

In some cases, letter keys allow you to control the object on the screen, if required by the program or computer game (the second more common option). In this sense, the letter keys can sometimes be "managers".

Numeric keys

They are, depending on the specific configuration models of keyboard can be placed on top regarding a literal unit, and in some cases, be supplemented with buttons on the right side of the device (usually on the "big" keyboards for PCs and laptops, they often do not fit).

In the second case, the block of keys is especially convenient to use in calculations. There are a variety of auxiliary buttons for the operations of multiplication, division, subtraction, addition, there is the Enter key.

Modifiers

The Purpose of keys, identify the "modifiers" to change the nature of input commands by a function, letter, ornumeric buttons by simultaneously pressing. It's CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT. Some experts also refer to the modifiers button, CAPS LOCK, INSERT, SCROLL LOCK and NUM LOCK. Other experts have singled out these four keys in a separate group, the so - called "sensitive" buttons.

Consider the most common actions for which you can use these keys. Computer keyboard arranged so that the user can enter the data not only when using single keystrokes, but also in combination. Functions of several "modifiers" are performed thanks to this ability.

Users often combine button on the keyboard with the ALT key. For example, if you press ALT and TAB, you can switch between Windows of different programs - from one to another. Utilizing a combination of ALT and F4 closes the active application.

Equally popular combination of keyboard buttons with CTRL. For example, the combination of this key and "C" allows you to quickly copy the object or the data area is a file, folder, text, image, etc. to the clipboard. Quickly insert a "copy" by pressing CTRL+V. If instead of "C" substitute "X", then the selected data will be "cut" from the original location and after pressing CTRL+V moved to the new.

One of the most commonly clicked buttons-modifiers - SHIFT. In combination with her most of the users typing an uppercase letter in the text.

Hotkeys

Some experts call buttons-modifiers hotkeys. This is because the latter gives the user the ability to quickly perform any action in the application of, say, the mouse would have taken more time. Some examples of assigning hot keys, we have already cited: for example, copying text using the CTRL, C, X and V, as a rule, is faster than the context menu by the mouse.

Often use a combination of "modifier" with each other. For example, if the user has enabled the "Russian" keyboard - layout can be changed to "English" if you press the combination ALT and SHIFT. And Vice versa.

Service key

Their keyboards quite a lot. Experts usually treat them by pressing the ESC key, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, PRTSC, PAUSE, DEL, BACKSPACE, HOME, END, WIN, ENTER, TAB, and SPACE, or, in Russian, a space. It is believed that, in the broad sense of the word "service" are also control keys and modifiers, and therefore to classify the buttons it would be better another way. But uniform standards, however, this question is no.

Most popular

Perhaps the Most frequently used service key is the SPACE. It puts a space when typing text. In combination with the INSERT (when activated by the associated mode) this key erases letters printed.

Probably the second most popular key among service is ENTER. Functions her very much. The main highlight is difficult, we can say that there is a group key: this is the opening of a file, folder, start the program (or any action in already running), as well as the translation of the text on a new line. On keyboards equipped with a specific area of digital buttons (on the right), usually there is an additional ENTER key.

Frequently used the ESC button. Typically responsible for canceling any action. For example, if you open the viewer of images, by pressing ESC you can close it. Unless, of course, the corresponding Association of a button incorporated in the application: in many cases, the ESC program is not responding.

I Wonder the purpose of the PRTSC. With it you can do so-called "screenshots" - graphic snapshots of the screen contents in a specific time. To save the image in a separate file, you need to run some program for processing pictures, for example, Paint or Photoshop, then paste it into the editable region (alternatively, use the CTRL and V), and then save it to a file format.

Rare, but necessary

Learn now rarely employ, but very necessary in some cases, a service button. To include SCROLL LOCK, and PAUSE. The first key is called to change the mode of use governing the shooter. For example, when you press the buttons "right" or "left" moved to the corresponding side of the active window. Key PAUSE can be useful, if the PC is running a program or process which provides the function of the suspension. For example, to boot Windows on the PC screen displays various kinds of system information. If the user is interested to read it, but he doesn't have time to do because of quick switching the PC to boot Windows, it may "slow down" the process by pressing PAUSE. Unless, of course, it allows you to make software interface the algorithms have been laid down by the manufacturer of your computer or motherboard. To continue the progress of the programs, just usually press any button on the keyboard.

And New useful

Over time, in the course of technical progress, constantly improving and modernizarea computer keyboard. Keyboard mapping, the description can change. But this is not the only aspect of technological evolution. You can also add new keys and subsequently to become, de facto, part of the generally accepted standards.

Among the new buttons WIN and menu. They are designated on the keyboards, usually with drawings. WIN - a branded box of Microsoft, the second key - inthe form, in fact, context menu items, sometimes the arrow of the mouse.

Contains Key WIN almost any modern, adapted for a Windows computer keyboard. Photos below.

In Fact, the appearance of both buttons in question is believed to have been caused by entering the world market of the Windows operating system.

The WIN Key

A Key WIN, in principle, can be attributed to "hot", as in many cases, the associated actions are carried out, first, in combination with other keys, and second, they duplicate (at a relatively faster execution) of the operations you perform with the mouse. Note that if you press WIN alone, then, as a rule, open the menu "start".

Consider a useful "hot" combinations using the keys WIN.

The Combination of WIN+D minimizes all open Windows applications (or, conversely, deploy).

The Combination of WIN key and R it is useful from the point of view of a call to the Windows quick launch (which you can enter the name of the main file and then the application starts).

The combination of the WIN and PAUSE (this, by the way, another useful property of the second button) opens the menu properties of "My computer".

That useful in the button "Menu"? It is, in principle, associated with the same action that the user performs by pressing the right mouse button while hovering over the file or folder the cursor. That is, a shortcut menu with various options. Many users prefer to use this feature is through the keyboard and not the mouse.

The Nuances of standardization

Assigning keys of the computer keyboard, as we noted above, is more a set of rules, dictated by tradition rather than international standards. However, the manufacturers of computers and one way or another, I try not to experiment with associating buttons with a new, unsuitable for other solutions market, by functions.

Many users may not like the unusual computer keyboard key assignment, a description of its functions. Many PC owners prefer to have the usual "hot", functional or auxiliary buttons worked like they do in most applications. Because of the above regularities for the purpose of various kinds of keys, as a whole, is fair practically for all models of keyboards. In turn, the producers FOR trying to associate application functions in a more or less familiar market algorithms.

Standards of Windows in other systems

Moreover, even in operating systems other than Windows (e.g. Linux), the range of mapping in General is very similar to the above. In many competing OSes focused initially on Windows computer keyboard - key assignment, a description of its reflect the same features that are present in the OS from Microsoft. This even sometimes applies to key the WIN. Despite the fact that it is typical for Windows, it features in other OS's in some cases very similar to the original spectrum assignments. Not to mention the "modifiers", which contains a computer keyboard. The layout between languages by using the ALT and SHIFT changes not only in Windows.