Keyboard Definitions

AT keyboard

Alternatively referred to as the 101-key keyboard, the AT keyboard is a US standard keyboard introduced in 1986 by IBM. Unlike new keyboards the ATkeyboard does not include the additional three Microsoft Windows keys now found on many IBM compatible keyboards.
An AT keyboard may also be used to describe a keyboard that uses the AT (Din5) port as shown in the picture to the right. The Din5 Port is rarely used today since most computers use PS/2 and USB keyboards.

AT keyboard

Alternatively referred to as the 101-key keyboard, the AT keyboard is a US standard keyboard introduced in 1986 by IBM. Unlike new keyboards the ATkeyboard does not include the additional three Microsoft Windows keys now found on many IBM compatible keyboards.
An AT keyboard may also be used to describe a keyboard that uses the AT (Din5) port as shown in the picture to the right. The Din5 Port is rarely used today since most computers use PS/2 and USB keyboards.

Keyboard controller

With IBM compatible computers, the keyboard controller or Intel 8042 keyboard controller is responsible for handling input received from the computer keyboard as well as the PS/2 mouse.

Alt

Short for Alternate, Alt is a modifier key located on both sides of the spacebar key on IBM compatible computer keyboards. In the picture to the right, is an example of what this keyboard key may look like. This term may also be used to describe a key combination such as the below example.

Ctrl + Alt + Del

The above combination means press and hold on the keyboard CTRL, ALT, and DEL all at the same time to reboot the computer or open the task manager window.

Users more familiar with the Apple Macintosh computers can relate this key to the Option key.

Any key

Any key on the keyboard such as the space bar or enter key. When a program gives the prompt: Press any key to continue, this indicates to press any of the keys on your keyboard to continue. Keep in mind that there is no computer keyboard key labeled "any key".

Single quote

Alternatively referred to as an apostrophe a single quote is a symbol on the keyboard that looks like a small single vertical lines ( ' ) that is found on the United States QWERTY keyboard by the Enter key. In computer programming single quotes are used to contain commands or literal strings. In the below example, the variable $example would not be treated as a variable, instead it would print "Do not print $example".

Arrow keys

Alternatively referred to as cursor keys, arrow keys are keyboard keys located in-between the standard keyboard and the numeric pad on computer keyboards. These four keys are the left arrow (back arrow), up arrow, down arrow, and the right arrow (forward arrow). In the picture to the right, is a closer look at what the arrow keys may look like on your keyboard. Some keyboards such as the Microsoft natural keyboard may arrange these keys differently. Below are just a few of the different ways these keys can be used.

1. Move the text cursor on the screen.
2. Use in combination with other keys for shortcut keys. For example, pressing the Alt key and the left arrow key in Microsoft Internet Explorer will take you back one Internet page.
3. Move a character in a computer game.
4. Select text. For example, holding down shift and pressing the arrow key in the direction you want to highlight text.
5. Move the mouse pointer using the keyboard instead of the mouse.

• How to move the mouse cursor with the keyboard in Windows.

In the below picture of the Saitek Gamers' keyboard is an example of where the arrow keys can be found. In addition to the traditional arrow keys as shown above the numeric keypad can also function as arrow keys when Num Lock is off.

Computer keyboard key explanations

Symbol	Explanation
Windows	PC keyboards have a Windows key represented by a flag.
Command	Apple Mac computers have a command key.
F1 - F12	Information about the F1 through F12 keyboard keys.
Tab	Tab key
Caps lock	Caps lock key
Shift	Shift key
Ctrl	Ctrl key
Alt	Alt key (PC Only; Mac users have Option key)
Back Space	Back space key
Delete	Delete or Del key
Enter	Enter key
Prt Scrn	Print screen key
Scroll lock	Scroll lock key
Pause	Pause key
Break	Break key
Insert	Insert key
Home	Home key
Page up	Page up or pgup key
Page down	Page down or pgdn key
Num Lock	Num Lock key
~	Tilde
`	Acute, Back quote, grave, grave accent, left quote, open quote, or a push
!	Exclamation mark, Exclamation point, or Bang
@	At or At symbol
#	Octothorpe, Number, Pound, sharp, or Hash
£	Pounds Sterling or Pound symbol
€	Euro
$	Dollar sign
¢	Cent sign
¥	Japanese Yen
$	Generic currency
§	Micro
%	Percent
°	Degree
^	Caret or Circumflex
&	Ampersand or And
*	Asterisk and sometimes referred to as star.
(	Open parenthesis
)	Close parenthesis
-	Hyphen, Minus or Dash
_	Underscore
+	Plus
=	Equals
{	Open Brace, squiggly brackets, or curly bracket
}	Close Brace, squiggly brackets, or curly bracket
[	Open bracket
]	Close bracket
|	Pipe, Or, or Vertical bar
\	Backslash or Reverse Solidus
/	Forward slash, Solidus, Virgule, or Whack
§	Section
:	Colon
;	Semicolon
"	Quote, Quotation mark, or Inverted commas
'	Apostrophe or Single Quote
<	Less Than or Angle brackets
>	Greater Than or Angle brackets
,	Comma
.	Period, dot or Full Stop
?	Question Mark