The PC keyboard

HISTORY

The introduction of IBM's Personal Computer on 12 August 1981 did many things. One was to standardize the layout and key usage of the PC keyboard. Since then, there have been a few changes to the keyboard:

The function keys moved from the left to the top of the keyboard;

two extra function keys, F11 and F12, were added;

and “Windows” keys were added to the bottom row.

Some changes are often made to the layout of keys on the right size to fit the smaller keyboards on laptops and netbooks, and some additional application shortcut keys have been used, but have never been accepted as standard.

The common keyboard in Australia is a QWERTY keyboard (so named because those are the first letters on the top row) and is the US version (the UK version has a pound sign instead of the dollar sign).

HOW IT WORKS

Each key generates a unique scan code when depressed. The scan code is determined by its position on the keyboard, not what is written on the key. The scan code is associated with a status byte which keeps track of whether a modifier key is depressed to determine what to put in the keyboard buffer. Each key also generates a different scan code when it is released.

USING YOUR KEYBOARD TO PERFORM TASKS

A character at a time right or left arrow keys

A line at a time up or down arrow keys

Beginning of line home key

End of line end key

Up one window page up key

Down one window page down key

Beginning of text ctrl home

End of text ctrl end

Backspace key deletes to the left of cursor

Delete key deletes to the right of cursor

Insert key overtypes or inserts

INDIVIDUAL KEYS AND KEYS IN COMBINATIONS

Only usages common to Windows and Linux are discussed.

Escape Esc is used to back out of situations. When you find yourself in a place you don't want to be, try the Esc key.

Function keys (F1 to F12):

F1 brings up the application's help menu.

F5 in Evince, bring up Presentation view

F11 toggles between full screen and normal

Backspace deletes the character to the left of the cursor

Delete deletes the character to the right of the cursor

PrScr copies the screen contents to the clipboard

Alt-PrScr copies the active window to the clipboard

SysRq has never been used by DOS or Windows

Alt-SysRq + letter performs many system functions in Linux

Scroll Lock not used by most software

Pause interrupts screen output until another key is pressed

Break terminates a program

Ctrl-Break May be used to try to terminate a program

NumLock Normally ON on Windows computers, thus activating the numbers on the numeric keyboard. Switch off to use the arrow keys etc. on the numeric keyboard.

Tab moves cursor to next tab mark or through options in an option box or to next field

Shift-Tab moves backward

Alt-Tab displays a list of open application windows.

hold down Alt and press Tab to cycle through the list.

release to select the highlighted window.

Alt-Shift-Tab cycles in reverse direction

CapsLock The most useless key on the keyboard. It's probably best if you never use it.

Home moves to the beginning of the line

End moves to the end of the line

Enter executes a command

in text, moves down a line (LF/CR combination)

Modifier keys

Shift, Ctrl, Alt, Windows (Super) and combinations thereof

Shift

Shift-alpha key capital letters (upper case)

Shift-other keys selects the character on the upper part of the key

Shift-backtick ~ tilde

Shift-2 @ at sign

Shift-3 # octothorp (in telephony called the hash key)

Shift-7 & ampersand

Shift-Delete permanently deletes an item instead of moving it to the Recycle Bin

Shift-* expand threads in Firefox

Ctrl

Ctrl-A select all

Ctrl-B toggle bold text

Ctrl-C copy selected text or images

Ctrl-I toggle italic text

Ctrl-P send to printer

Ctrl-Q quit the active application

Ctrl-S save the current document

Ctrl-U toggle underlining

Ctrl-V paste the contents of the clipboard

Ctrl-X cut selected text or images

Ctrl-Z undo

Ctrl-right arrow move to beginning of next word

Ctrl-left arrow move to beginning of previous word

Ctrl-Home move to the start of a document

Ctrl-End move to the end of a document

Windows key Press to display start menu (Windows only)

PageUp moves up one screen

PageDown moves down one screen