Keyboard: a history of development. Interesting and surprising facts about the keyboard The world's first computer keyboard

The history of the creation of the keyboard

Have you ever wondered why the letters on the keyboard are in that order? This fact has a little background.

Birth

Let's call this keyboard "QWERTY", since the letters of the first row are arranged in that order. With a quick glance, you can really see that this is the case. Plunging into the history of the creation of the keyboard, it turned out that the first typewriter was invented in 1873 by Christopher Scholes to improve calligraphy. But there was one problem with it: a person began to type at a high speed, the letters collided with each other and the typewriter jammed. Scholes then came up with the QWERTY keyboard, a keyboard that made typists work slower. This means that more people were forced to learn this system and more companies to make such keyboards, until it became the only standard in existence. I repeat: the keyboard of typewriters and computers was invented in order to type more slowly, not faster! However, try to swap the letters, and no one will buy your product.

The first computer keyboards

1943 was marked by the advent of the ENIAC computer, which made a splash in the world of science. This computer was used by the military for ballistic calculations. Software control of operations was carried out by switching plugs and dial pads.

In 1948, the development of UNIVAC and BINAC computers began, designed not for single, but for relatively more mass production. Special attention in these machines was paid to input-output devices.

Capacitive keyboard

1960 is a turning point in the history of the development of computer keyboards - an electric typewriter enters the market. It had a capacitive keyboard.

The name of the technology speaks for itself - this type works due to capacitors located in the device. Let's see how it works. When the key is pressed, the electrical capacitance changes, which when pressed is approximately 2 picofarads, and when not pressed - 20 picofarads.

The decrease in capacitance creates a stream of charged particles, which is processed by the keyboard controller, which in turn generates the key code that was pressed. So, back to our typewriter. Its main advantage was the ease of entering text - now, in order to type, it was not necessary to make as much effort as, for example, on a classic typewriter.

In 1965, the laboratories of Bell and General Electric teamed up to create a fundamentally new kind of multi-user operating system. The main feature of the project was the creation of a new user interface - a video terminal display. Now users could see what text they are typing, and at the same time had the opportunity to edit it right away.

First personals

Around the late 1970s and early 1980s, manufacturers began to produce computers that not only the offices of large companies could afford, but also mere mortals for home use. There are plenty of varieties and different lines. Maybe your house once stood, for example, Amiga or Spectrum. These computers consisted of a conventional keyboard, in which the computer itself was built (processor, ROM, RAM, and several modules for additional devices). All this was done compactly and did not take up much space. Of course, the keyboards of these machines were superior in function and in the number of keys to electric typewriters. So, for example, a number of keys like Control, Alt was added. The key with a curved arrow became known as Enter and performed the function of not only a carriage return, but also the completion of data entry. To work with electronic documents, cursor control arrows were added, but so far they were on numbers. These elements found their active use in graphical interfaces and, of course, computer games, which began to develop actively as soon as personal computers became widespread.

Keyboard compartment

The next stage is related to the development of modular PCs. All the main components, such as the processor, RAM, were hidden in a separate case, and, accordingly, the keyboard was made separately from them, that is, it became a full-fledged device. It looked like this: a total of 83 keys, divided into two blocks. The first block is alphanumeric, it also had control arrows, and the second block is service (for system keys). This keyboard did not include Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock. The main drawback was the placement of the controls. You had to stretch to the function keys, and typing became simply inconvenient, and the Enter button dangled somewhere in the corner and did not stand out among the rest for its size.

The recent past - AT

In the early 1980s, manufacturers were not producing specific computers, but inventing and improving more and more new devices. Of course, this also applies to keyboards. Progress does not stand still - new computers, respectively, and new keys. But in order to somehow stand out, and maybe fearing criticism (it turns out that there were also opponents of the “QWERTY” layout who wanted the arrangement in alphabetical order), the manufacturers began to make some adjustments: for example, the layout was changed directly on the go, they even came up with a separate key for this. Several years have passed, and manufacturers have taken another step towards standardizing the AT keyboard. Many new features have been added, including a new Sys Rq key. The Enter key has become much larger, and in general the device has become much more convenient to use.

Extended keyboard

1987 came, a new development was put on the conveyor. It became known as the extended keyboard. the new keyboard has acquired a form that is already familiar to our days - 101 keys. We added “F11” and “F12” (by the way, all the “functionals” were moved to a separate top row), the cursor control keys were allocated to a separate block, the Ctrl and Alt keys were duplicated and spaced on both sides of the main block.

Looking a little ahead, you can see how much more the keyboard has to go, and how it will continue to evolve. And you just need to remember how it all began.

The roots of the modern computer keyboard go back to the 19th century. It all started with the advent of a simple typewriter. In 1868, Christopher Latham Sholes patented his typewriter. The main key moment of this stage was the birth of the first layout. It looked like a collection of characters arranged in alphabetical order. As it turned out later, this is, to put it mildly, inconvenient, since rarely used symbols were in the most prominent places and vice versa.

In 1890, they came up with the QWERTY layout, which we still use when typing in Latin letters. The name of the layout "QWERTY" comes from the first six Latin letters on the keyboard, starting from the upper left corner from left to right. And the Russian keyboard layout, paradoxically, was invented in America at the end of the 19th century. Since then, it has not undergone major changes.

The key moment in the transformation of the typewriter into a computer keyboard was the invention at the end of the 19th century of the body of the Bodo typewriter. This method replaced the telegraph. In the Baudot connection, a code was used to encode the letters of the alphabet, with the help of which complex electromechanical devices printed the received text onto paper. Communication was synchronous, and the telegraph operator had to press the button only when receiving a special sound signal.

In 1948, the development of UNIVAC and BINAC computers began, intended not for single, but for relatively more mass production. Special attention in these machines was paid to input-output devices. The means of input-output for them were teletypes or tabulators-punchers. BINAC could record information on magnetic tape.

1960 is a turning point in the history of the development of computer keyboards - an electric typewriter enters the market. She had a capacitive keyboard. The capacitive keyboard was made on printed textolite boards. Such a keyboard allows you to enter text at a speed of up to 300 characters per second. Its main advantage was the ease of entering text - now, in order to type, it was not necessary to make as much effort as, for example, on the classic Sholz typewriter. 1960

1965 - the creation of a new user interface - a video terminal display and the beginning of the 1980s - manufacturers began to produce personal computers. The keyboards of these machines were superior in function and number of keys to electric typewriters.

1980s - development of modular PCs. The keyboard was connected to the computer with a cord and looked like this: a total of 83 keys, divided into two blocks. Late 1980s - extended keyboard. It changed the location of the keys. Their number was also increased, and the new keyboard has acquired the form that is already familiar to our days - 101 keys.

Manufacturers are always trying to reduce the cost and simplify production. New technology has come to the aid of the consumer. In a hard contact keyboard, each key works like a small switch. When a key is pressed, an electric current begins to flow in the closed conductors, and a special circuit detects its presence.

Thanks to this keyboard, the computer can be turned off and on programmatically. As you know, laziness is the engine of progress, and in order not to reach for the button on the body or not to perform several operations with the mouse, the Power key, the Sleep button and others were added to the keyboard.

Not only with the development of hardware, but also with the improvement of software, they tried to cram more and more keys into the keyboard. Microsoft, which has been making software all its life, began to produce keyboards and also had a hand in the appearance of new keys.

Have you ever wondered why the letters on the keyboard are in that order? This fact has a little background.

Birth

Let's call this keyboard"QWERTY", since the letters of the first row are located in this sequence. With a quick glance, you can really see that this is the case. Invented the first typewriter in 1873Christopher Scholesto improve calligraphy. But there was one problem with it: a person began to type at a high speed, the letters collided with each other and the typewriter jammed. Scholes then came up with the QWERTY keyboard, a keyboard that made typists work slower.

The first computer keyboards

1943 was marked by the advent of the computer ENIACwhich made a splash in the world of science. This computer was used by the military for ballistic calculations.

Capacitive keyboard

1960 is a turning point in the history of the development of computer keyboards - an electric typewriter enters the market. It had a capacitive keyboard.

First personals

Around the late 1970s and early 1980s, computer manufacturers started making computers. These computers consisted of a conventional keyboard, in which the computer itself was built (processor, ROM, RAM, and several modules for additional devices). All this was done compactly and did not take up much space. Of course, the keyboards of these machines were superior in function and in the number of keys to electric typewriters. So, for example, a row of keys like Control, Alt. The curved arrow key became known asEnter.

Keyboard compartment

The next stage is related to the development of modular PCs. All the main components, such as the processor, RAM, were hidden in a separate case, and, accordingly, the keyboard was made separately from them, that is, it became a full-fledged device. It looked like this: a total of 83 keys, divided into two blocks. The first block is alphanumeric, it also had control arrows, and the second block is service (for system keys).

The recent past - AT

In the early 1980s, manufacturers did not produce specific computers, but invented and improved keyboards. But in order to somehow stand out, and maybe fearing criticism (it turns out that there were also opponents of the “QWERTY” layout who wanted the arrangement in alphabetical order), the manufacturers began to make some adjustments: for example, the layout was changed directly on the go, they even came up with a separate key for this. Several years have passed, and manufacturers have taken another step towards standardizing the AT keyboard. Many new features have been added, including a new keySysRq.The Enter key has become much larger, and in general the device has become much more convenient to use.

Extended keyboard

1987 came, a new development was put on the conveyor. It became known as the extended keyboard. the new keyboard has acquired a form that is already familiar to our days - 101 keys. We added “F11” and “F12” (by the way, all the “functionals” were moved to a separate top row), the cursor control keys were allocated to a separate block, the Ctrl and Alt keys were duplicated and spaced on both sides of the main block.

Hard contact keyboard 1990

Ministry of Education of the Penza Region

State Autonomous Penza Educational Institution

Penza Region

"Penza College of Transport Technologies"

Individual project

" Keyboard. The history of development."

Completed by: Plakhov.K.Yu

1st year student of group 16et17

Majoring in Vehicle Operations

electrical equipment and automation

Grade:______________________

Checked by: Tsybuzina E.Yu.

G.Penza

2017

Who created the keyboard………………1

Beginning of development………………….2

What are the keys on the keyboard responsible for…………………3

Cursor keys………………..4-5

Types of keyboards…………………….6-9

Service keys………………….10

Keyboard is……………………….11

Who created the keyboard

The history of the computer keyboard goes back over 150 years.

Typewriters, which appeared in the middle of the 19th century, were the prototype of the modern keyboard. The first typewriter was patented by Christopher Lathe Scholes, its keys with letters arranged alphabetically.

Over time, users realized that such an arrangement was inconvenient, since the letters that were used often were far from the center. A little over 20 years later, a Latin keyboard layout called "QWERTY" was invented. It is still in use today.

Interestingly, the Russian keyboard layout was invented in America at the dawn of the 19th century and has survived to this day almost unchanged. The name "QWERTY" comes from the first 6 keys of the upper letter row of the layout.

Start of development

The Baudot machine used a five-bit code to encode the letters of the alphabet, with the help of which complex electromechanical devices printed the received text onto paper.

Communication was synchronous, and the telegraph operator had to press the button only when receiving a special sound signal. Later, data transmission became asynchronous, and this method of communication was called "teletype" (literally - "printing at a distance").

1960 is a turning point in the history of the development of computer keyboards - an electric typewriter enters the market. It had a capacitive keyboard. The capacitive keyboard was produced on printed textolite boards.

The name of the technology speaks for itself - this type works due to capacitors located in the device. Two pads made of tin and nickel-plated copper, which, by the way, are not connected to each other in any way, either mechanically or electrically, form each key. This keyboard allows you to enter text at a speed of up to 300 characters per second.

Of course, the keyboards of these machines were superior in function and in the number of keys to electric typewriters. So, for example, a number of keys like Cntrl, Alt was added. The key with a curved arrow became known as Enter and performed the function of not only a carriage return, but also the completion of data entry. To work with electronic documents, cursor control arrows were added, but so far they were on numbers.

What do the keys on the keyboard do?

Keyboard keys are divided into several groups, depending on their functions:

Alphanumeric:

The main purpose of alphanumeric keys is to enter character information and commands that are typed in letters. Each key can work in two modes (registers) and, accordingly, can be used to enter several characters.

Functional:

The function keys F1-F12, located at the top of the keyboard, are programmed to perform certain actions (functions). So very often the F1 key is used to call up help. The functions of these keys depend on the specific program running at the time, and in some cases, on the operating system. There is no fixed key value.

F1 - help
F2 - insert key name
F3 - select line fragment
F4 - deselect
F5 - shift window to the left
F6 - shift window to the right
F7 - left paragraph border
F8 - centering
F9 - rus/lat alphabet
F10 - enter the menu
Each of these keys is associated with a menu command. The action of almost all function keys can be modified with three special keys: alt(from ALTernative - optional), ctrl(ConTRoL - manager) and Shift(SHIFT-shift).

These keys are used like the temporary shift key on a typewriter: you need to press one of them and then, without releasing it, press the function key.

In the future, such a joint pressing of two keys will be denoted by a dash or a plus. For example, Alt-F3 means to press the F3 key together with the Alt key, Ctrl-F9 means to press F9 together with the Ctrl key, and so on.

Numeric keypad useful for quickly entering numbers. The keys are grouped in a block, as on a conventional calculator or adding machine.

The numeric keypad contains the numbers 0 to 9, the arithmetic operators + (addition), - (subtraction), * (multiply), and / (division), as well as the decimal point like on a calculator or adding machine.

Although these characters are duplicated by other keys, their placement on the numeric keypad allows you to quickly enter numeric data or mathematical operations with one hand.

To work in this block, you must press the Num Lock key in the upper left corner of the block. At the same time, a dot on the indicator light should light up.

Cursor keys:

Cursor keys give commands to move the cursor on the monitor screen relative to the current image. A cursor is a screen element that points to the place where character information is entered. These keys allow you to control the data entry position. The exact meaning of the cursor keys may depend on the program. However, the most common use of the arrow keys is to move the cursor in the direction indicated by the arrow or to scroll text across the screen.

Home- move the cursor to the beginning of the line.

End- moving the cursor to the end of the line.

pgup- move up the "page".

PgDn- moving one page down.

Delete- delete

Service:

Service keys are used for various auxiliary purposes, such as changing case, insert modes, forming combinations "hot" keys, etc.

At the bottom of the keyboard is a large longitudinal key ( Space Bar) without symbols on it. It's called the space key. It moves the cursor one space to the right.

Key Enter(input) - terminates the input of a command and causes it to be executed. When typing, it is used to complete the entry of a paragraph.

A key Baskspace(return) - deletes the last character to the left of the cursor.

Control keys are used very often. They are not collected in one group, but placed so that it is convenient to press them.

Key Esc located in the upper left corner of the keyboard. Usually used to cancel an action that has just been performed.

Keys Shift, Ctrl, Alt correct the action of other keys.

cap lock- is an uppercase key that fixes uppercase letters. When a key is pressed, the keyboard indicator light in the upper right corner lights up. When you press the key again, the light pointer goes out, after which you can enter lowercase letters.

Shift- is called the shift key. It is used in the same way as in a typewriter. Shift keys are located on both sides of the keyboard. If the Shift key is pressed and the Caps Lock key is pressed at the same time, uppercase letters will be changed to lowercase.

Alt, ctrl- have no independent meaning, they work together with other keys.

Ins (Insert)- switching between insert and override mode when entering information in text editors and editors without data.

Del (delete)- delete the character under which the cursor is located.

Three Mysterious Keys:

So, we have considered almost all the keys that can only be used. But for the most inquisitive, let's explore the three most mysterious keys on the keyboard: PRINT SCREEN, SCROLL LOCK and PAUSE/BREAK.

PRINT SCREEN (or PRT SCN)

A long time ago, this key really did what it says on it - it sent text from the screen to the printer. Today, pressing PRINT SCREEN takes an image of the entire screen ("screen shot") and copies it to the clipboard in the computer's memory. From there, you can paste (CTRL+V) this image into Microsoft Paint or another program and, if necessary, print it from there.

Even more incomprehensible is SYS RQ on the same PRINT SCREEN key on some keyboards. Historically, SYS RQ was conceived as a system request, but this command is not included in Windows.

SCROLL LOCK (or SCR LK)

In most programs, pressing SCROLL LOCK has no effect. In some programs, pressing the SCROLL LOCK key changes the behavior of the arrow keys and the PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys; pressing these keys allows you to scroll through the document without changing the position of the cursor or selection. The keyboard may have a SCROLL LOCK on indicator light.

This key is rarely used. In some older programs, pressing this key would pause the program or, in combination with CTRL, stop the program from running.

Keyboard shortcuts are a way to perform actions using the keyboard. They are called keyboard shortcuts or "hot keys" because they speed things up. Indeed, almost any action or command performed with the mouse can be performed faster with one or more keys.

In help topics, a plus sign (+) between two or more keys indicates that those keys should be pressed in combination

Types of keyboards.
The ergonomic keyboard was invented to relieve the stress of constant typing and create certain comforts. Constant use of the keyboard can cause carpal (tendon) syndrome and constant pain from exertion. An ergonomic keyboard with a special shape and design is very useful in such cases and is even recommended by doctors.

Although there are no design features of an ergonomic keyboard, it usually has a special shape design for more comfortable typing, unlike a standard keyboard.

Membrane keyboard

Membrane keyboards are the most common implementation of this input device. The device of the membrane keyboard is very simple and consists in the fact that the rubber membrane under the key closes two contacts when pressure is pressed. As a result, a keystroke is registered. Further, the rubber membrane, straightening, returns the key to its place.

This principle of operation is very simple to implement in terms of technology. No complicated mechanisms are used. Everything is extremely simple, as a result of which membrane keyboards are very cheap.

Virtual keyboard

The principle of operation of the virtual laser keyboard is simple and clear without much explanation. The design uses two semiconductor diode lasers - "red" to create a projection of the keyboard and an invisible infrared with an IR photodetector to determine the key that your finger has touched. While you are typing at ease on the laser projection of the keys - as on a conventional keyboard, an invisible beam analyzes the coordinates of the position of the fingers and processes the information received accordingly. Add to thisdesigns Bluetooth wireless interface - and virtual keyboard for all types of stationary and mobile devices - PCs, laptops, PDAs or smartphones, ready

mechanical keyboard

A mechanical keyboard has a more complex key closure mechanism. The contact is not closed by pressing itself. The closure of the contact occurs at the moment when the key passes a certain line. The key is returned by an ordinary spring.

Mechanical keyboards are more expensive than membrane keyboards. The closure mechanism is more complex, and mechanical keyboards have many more elements made of metal.

In terms of tactile sensations, the mechanical keyboard is much superior to the membrane counterpart. When you press a key, you clearly know at what point the key is pressed. This keyboard is perfect for touch typing. Accidentally underpressing a key is quite difficult, since the key travel has one feature. At first, the move is relatively heavy, but at a certain moment it becomes very light and during this light move the key will be pressed.

The main difference is that the return of the keys is responsible forspring . Such a solution is designed to increase the durability of the work and improve the tactile sensations when typing, especially with speed typing.

Rubber keyboard

The rubber keyboard consists of two parts. The bottom part is usually the circuit board of the device. At the locations of the keys on it is a grid of conductive tracks. The upper part is a rubber plate with keys on domed ledges, in the center of which there are pads of conductive rubber. When you press the key, the dome is pressed through, creating a tactile feedback (feeling of overcoming the mechanical resistance of the key) and conductive rubber closes the tracks. The reliability of the rubber keyboard is not very high, since moisture and dirt can accumulate between the board and the rubber plate, breaking contact

Service buttons

Let's now study the rarely used, but very necessary in some cases, service buttons. These include SCROLL LOCK and PAUSE. The first key is designed to change the mode of using the control arrows. So, for example, so that when you press the "right" or "left" buttons, the active window moves in the corresponding direction. The PAUSE key can be useful if you are running a program or process on your PC that has a pause feature. For example, before Windows boots up, various system information is displayed on the PC screen. If the user is interested in reading it, but he does not have time to do so because the computer is quickly switching to Windows, then he can "slow down" the process by pressing the PAUSE key. Unless, of course, this allows you to make a software interface - its algorithms are laid down by the manufacturer of the computer or motherboard. To continue the course of the program, it is usually enough to press any button on the keyboard.

Ctrl , Alt, Escape, Win, PrintScreen, ScrollLock, Pause/Break, AppsKey are special keys, they are used alone or in combination with other keys (so-called hotkey combinations) to perform all sorts of tasks. For example, the combination Ctrl + C will copy the selected element, and clicking on Escape- causes the action to be canceled or the dialog box to close.

The keys of this group do not have a specific place on the "keyboard", for ease of use they are spaced in all corners.

ctrl and alt- These are modifiers - they are used only in conjunction with other keys.

PrintScreen- designed to take a screenshot (screenshot).

scroll lock- used to fix the position of the cursor. When ScrollLock is enabled and you are navigating the page with navigation keys(see below for the purpose of this group) your screen will move. If disabled, the cursor will move. This mode is now used very rarely and does not work everywhere, in particular it is present in Excel.

Pause/Break- to interrupt a running process. For example, you can pause the download of the program and even the download of OS Windows itself (you can see what your PC is writing), press pause in the game. Also, sometimes (for example, Punto Switcher) can be used to quickly change the language.

AppsKey- analogue of RMB (right mouse button). The button is between the right Ctrl and the right Windows flag. It shows a cursor and a menu.

Windows- opens the start menu.

Keyboard

The keyboard is the main device for manually entering information. There are full-sized (desktop PCs) and reduced (portable PCs). Pressing a key transmits to the processor a code (conditional number) of the pressed key, which, based on the program used, can be interpreted differently. For this reason, the same keyboard can be used to enter Latin characters, Cyrillic, Japanese, Chinese and other characters. But this requires appropriate programs. Some keys do not form an independent code and are usually used in conjunction with other keys.

The keyboard belongs to the standard means of a personal computer. Its main functions do not need to be supported by special system programs (drivers). The necessary software to get started with the computer is already in the ROM chip as part of the basic input/output system (BIOS), so the computer responds to keystrokes as soon as it is turned on.

Bibliography

1.http://yandex.ru/clck/jsredir?from=yandex.ru%3Bsearch%2F%3Bweb%3B%

2. http://yandex.ru/clck/jsredir?from=yandex.ru%3Bsearch%2F%3Bweb%3B%3B&

Why are the keys not in alphabetical order?

It is worth noting that on the first typewriters they were arranged alphabetically, and shortcomings were exposed very soon - frequently used letters began to fall or be pressed simultaneously with their less popular neighbors, so a keyboard was proposed, the letters on which were arranged based on the frequency of use, and also according to the typical combinations inherent in the language.

A monument to the keyboard has been erected in Yekaterinburg.

On an English keyboard:

• the longest word that can be typed with the right hand is lollipop,
• of left-handed words, the longest is stewardess
• from letters that are exclusively in the top row, typewriter is obtained
• and of the singular nouns, composed of all three rows with both hands, antidisestablishmentarianism is in the lead.
• The shortest sentence that makes sense is I am.

The most common, and therefore often clicked on. The "clave" of the vowel in English is rightfully recognized as E, and the consonant - T.

The most ambiguous word in English is Set, it can mean both installation, and set, and sunset.

56% of printed text is typed with the left hand.

Internet jargon "Lytdybr" appeared as a result of typing the word "diary" in the layout of the Latin alphabet lytdybr with a further reading of it in Russian.

Finding the letter Ё in the Russian keyboard is not constant. The most unprintable letter is not included in the "main composition", therefore it is based either above the top row, or to the right of the bottom one. Some keyboard modifications are not included at all.

The Latin letter C is on the same button as the Russian C, while the A / F button is the opposite of the F / A key.

Despite the fact that Russians and Bulgarians write in Cyrillic the same way, the arrangement of letters on the Bulgarian keyboard differs from the layout used in Russia. Often SMS messages from cell phones in Russian are written using the Bulgarian layout, since it is alphabetically closer to English than Russian, while containing the same letters.

The most common mistake people make when they forget to switch keyboard layouts is ghbdtn instead of "hello".

The Chinese keyboard is no larger in size than the European one. Hieroglyphs are made up of phonetic characters and tones, the number of which in Chinese is small.

The handwriting recognizer helps you find among the letters or graphemes of an unfamiliar alphabet those that look like signs of a familiar language and even abstract shapes.

Come to ours and you will learn even more interesting things!