What is a Keyboard?

The keyboard is a compulsory part of a computer, we cannot use a computer without it. Many keyboard manufacturers worldwide but Microsoft and Logitech are the most popular.

Definition:

The part of the computer hardware that is used to input text, commands, or characters into a computer.
It is an external device that sits outside the computer case or is virtual in a tablet PC.

History:

In 1925 the first time Keyboard input entered the computing age, A teleprinter which was modified by a naval researcher in California became one of the first keyboard computer terminals. After 11 years in 1936, Z1 the first programmable computer using an old typewriter for input was completed by Konrad Zuse. In 1950 Keyboards became the mainstay of computers, The first very easy-to-use keyboard was made in 1986 by IBM, 5 years after releasing its first Personal Computer (1981) by IBM.

Typical keyboard Description:

The latest computer keyboards were modeled after, but they are still very similar to old typewriter keyboards. There are many keyboard layouts in the world like DVORAK or JCUKEN, but for the English language, The QWERTY layout is mostly used. Other languages of the world have different formats that are used as default, such as AZERT for French and QWERTZ for German.
Most keyboards have letters, numbers, arrow keys, and symbols, etc. But some models of the keyboard have a separate numeric keypad and many additional features, such as Buttons to power off/on or sleep the computer and many other dedicated programmable shortcut keys for users’ accessibility.

Others have keys that light up when used and even some models have built-in trackball mice to provide more and more accessibility to its user for use both the keyboard and mouse without lifting your hand off the keyboard.

Features:

Physical Keyboard Connection Types

There are different types of keyboards according to their connection points. Many are wireless, communicating with the computer via Bluetooth signals or an RF receiver.

Other are wired keyboards, which connect to the motherboard of a computer via a USB cable or USB Type-A connecter, or some connect themselves with a USB Type-C connecter). Older keyboards make their connection with the computer via a PS/2 Connection.

Keyboards of laptops are integrated but technically it would also be considered Wired after seeing how it is connected to the laptop.

The computer requires a specific driver to use the both wireless or wired keyboard. But Drivers for standard or non-advanced keyboards usually don’t need to be installed because they’re already installed or included in the operating system.

Keyboard Shortcuts

We use the keyboard nearly in our daily lives, there are many keys that usually we don’t use or also we don’t know why we use them, we aren’t sure what is for they are used for. Below I will tell you an example, which can form a new function when they combine.
The Ctrl key and the C key are used for copying something like text or media etc. when we press them together.

But how? Press the Ctrl key first, keep hold, and press the C key, when you combine these keys, it will be used for the Copy function.
Then you will Press the Ctrl key and V key together for pasting like you use the Ctrl key and C for copying.

Touch Screen Keyboard

Those small computers using touch interfaces often don’t include wired or wireless keyboards.

Instead, the keyboard appears on the device’s screen when we want to use it.

It is very easy to use but if you want to attach an external keyboard, you can attach it via USB receptacles or wireless by using Bluetooth.

Nowadays all the latest versions of tablets or phones have an on-screen keyboard when want to use it, this type of keyboard is called a Touch screen keyboard.

Changing Keyboard Options:

In Windows, from the Control Panel, we can change some settings of our keyboard, such as blink rate, repeat delay or repeat rate, etc.

We can also make advanced changes to our keyboard by using third-party software such as SharpKeys. By using this free software, we can remap our keyboard keys. For example, we can remap the Enter key to the F1 key, or any other key.

That’s why I will say that Sharpkeys software can be extremely useful for you when your keyboard missing a key, such as your keyboard doesn’t have the Enter key so you can set the F1 key to the Enter key Function.

The Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator is another free tool for that process.

Pros of Keyboard

• Nowadays every model of computer comes with a keyboard.
• People need very little training to use it, if they don’t know, it means it is very easy to use and input data.
• A skilled man can enter data very quickly.

Cons of Keyboard

• Mistakes can easily be made while entering data.
• It can be time-consuming if you are not skilled.
• Keyboards aren’t suitable for drawing diagrams.
• It is difficult to use for disabled and patient people.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a keyboard is an input device that has changed a lot over time. It helps turn what you type into actions on a screen, making it crucial for computers and communication. From old typewriter styles to new ergonomic designs, keyboards are made to fit different needs, like gaming, coding, and everyday use. Knowing about the keyboard can help you in choosing the best one for you and make your work easier and more comfortable. As technology keeps advancing, keyboards will keep getting new features to match the latest trends.

FAQ‘s

• What is the Mechanical Keyboard?
  They have physical switches under the keys, and when you press a button, it gives you the experience of typing on a typewriter, Due to which it is called a Mechanical Keyboard.It can give you better results and increase typing accuracy.
• What is the Membrane Keyboard?
  The Membrane Keyboards have pressure pads under the keys instead of separate moving keys. The membrane keyboards don’t provide noticeable feedback due to which it is used as computer keyboards.
• What is a Backlit Keyboard?
  Underneath its keys, the backlit keyboards have lights that illuminate the symbols and letters on the keys for user accessibility. This is extremely useful in low-light environments. The backlit keyboard lights will turn on with F5, F9 or F11 commonly on Windows computers.