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It's interesting to note that quite often in these discussions the idea that no other key exists comes up. In the 1990s, keyboard manufacturers started adding
by JdeBP 10y ago
It's interesting to note that quite often in these discussions the idea that no other key exists comes up. In the 1990s, keyboard manufacturers started adding "multimedia" and "Internet" keys to keyboards, including keys whose sole and explicit functions were to move backwards and forwards in a WWW browser's navigation history (or in GUI applications in general).
These keys have obviously, even in this everything-in-the-WWW-browser age, still not embedded themselves thoroughly in the public consciousness. There are clearly sizeable classes of people who don't yet regard them as the norm; and people who still first think of keys other than those explicitly engraved for the purpose as the ones to use for it, or do not even know that such keys exist.
To those who are about to miss the point: Yes, your current keyboard doesn't have these keys. You didn't regard them as the norm when you bought a keyboard/computer. They haven't become so established that you don't regard systems without them as deficient, as you very probably would regard systems without (say) a "Super"/"Windows"/"Apple"/"Command" key. This, even in a world where doing many if not most things in a WWW browser is seen as the norm.
- touristtam 10y agoHow many keys do you feel is sufficient? Already the number pad is an extension that is adding a few keys. And a lot of laptop keyboard are using a Fn (function) key to access additional keys.