Keyboard

A keyboard, along with the mouse, is the main input device of a PC. A standard PC keyboard contains 104 keys. The computer keyboard is based on the typewriter keyboard and is used to control the functions of a PC.

QWERTY

The most common keyboard layout is known as QWERTY. The name comes from the first six letters from the keyboards top row of letters. QWERTY was first used in typewriters in the 1870's. QWERTY was designed to slow down typing, which would prevent jamming on typewriters. Since jamming is not and issue with PC keyboards, keyboards for speed typing were designed. One of these is the Dvorak keyboard. Dvorak keyboards are designed so that the middle row of keys includes the most common letters and common letter combinations are positioned so they can be typed quickly. However, QWERTY still remains the most widely used keyboard layout.