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com

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Keyboard &
Mouse
The keyboard and mouse fall
in the category of primary
input devices that are needed
by almost every individual
who makes use of a computer
system. With use of keyboard
one can enter text with just a
click of button, making data
entry easy and effective.

The mouse has

revolutionized the term
“pointing device”. It has
made the computer world
more user friendly and has
provided us with
Graphical User Interface.

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Keyboard

Computer keyboard as known to the world as a

character/text input device used worldwide. The credit for
developing a working QWERTY keyboard is showered on the
American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes, who
invented typewriter and keyboard.

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Keyboard Layout
Keyboards are designed using different layouts depending upon the
language they are designed for. The popular layouts are.

QWERTY – This is the most common layout in use today, the

QWERTY represents the first five alphabets on the keyboard alphabet
panel.

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QWERTZ – Not making much a difference, the QWERTZ is used in

Germany, Switzerland and Austria etc. The basic difference is just
swapping of ‘Y’ with ‘Z’.

QZERTY - Italy had it as the traditional layout, but was replaced by

the QWERTY one in the last decade. Apple also supported the same
layout in its Italian keyboard, at present the iPod touch keyboard also
uses it.

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Dvorak Keyboard – The best alternative for the QWERTY keyboard

also known as DSK & ASK. The keyboard is layout after it’s developer
August Dvorak.

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Keyboard Types
According to the functionality the keyboards are classified under
different categories.

 Handheld Keyboard

 Flexible Keyboard

 Multi-functionality

 Standard

 Laptop-Size

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Key Types
The layout of keyboard is divided as per the key sections. The keys
are divided according to the function they perform.

Alphanumeric Keys – This set of keys provides support to numeric,

alphabets and special character input. These keys consist of numbers
from 0-9 alphabets A-Z (QWERTY or similar keyboard).

Modifier Keys – As the name suggests, modifier keys are special set
of keys that are used to modify the normal action of a key when they
are pressed in combination. Alt+F4 is one the best example of the
same. The example for modifier keys is:

 Control Key

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 Shift Key

 Alt Key

Function Keys – Function keys begin with F1 and ends with F12, are
keys that are designated with special functions by software.

Toggle Keys – These keys toggles the state, for example:

 Caps Lock Key

 Num Lock Key

 Scroll Lock Key

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Mouse

A mouse is a pointing device that is used to move the cursor in to

and fro motion. Douglas Engelbart is known as the developer of
mouse. Mouse has eased the use of computer, the one who is aware
of the basic functionality of a system can operate the entire
computer with just a click of mouse, typing can also be done
through mouse.

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Types of Mouse
The mouse is available in different variants according to their use
and technology they work upon. The most common one are

Mechanical Mouse

The very common one and outdated too, this technology of mouse
made use of a metal ball layered with rubber for gripping. The ball
mouse came into existence in the year 1968, the mouse was
equipped with a ball and set of gears that captured the motion of the

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ball. The motion of the ball was transformed and was converted into
the motion of cursor on the screen.

Optical Mouse

The optical mouse works on the concept of implementing Light

Emitting Diode and a group of photodiodes which senses the motion
of the mouse makes the cursor move according to the movement of
the mouse. The LED mouse can work on most of the opaque surface.
The laser mouse works on the same concept and gives good quality
output.

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