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Apple Desktops
The Apple Keyboard is a keyboard designed by Apple first for Apple line, then the Macintosh line of computers. more...
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Layout
To serve the functionality of the Mac OS (and because of historical differences), the Apple Keyboard's layout differs somewhat from that of the more ubiquitous IBM PC keyboard, mainly in its modifier and special keys. Features different from other keyboards include:
The Command key (⌘), used in most Mac keyboard shortcuts. The key functions as the Windows key in Windows environments, or a Meta key in Unix-like environments. In common applications, such as word processors, it is the equivalent to the Windows Control key.
The "open" & separate "closed" Apple logo keys () on the original Apple II series, worked much like the Command key. Eventually the "open" Apple was combined with it on hybrid Apple Desktop Bus keyboards, where it remained after the Apple II line was discontinued.;
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The Option key (⌥), for entering diacritics and other special characters. Like the Shift and Control keys, the Option key serves as a modifier for the Command key shortcuts. The key functions as the Alt key in Unix and Windows environments.;
Additional function keys (F13 through F15 or F16) instead of Print Screen/SysRq, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break. On keyboards with 16 function keys, F13 was placed above Delete/Backspace.;
A Clear key, instead of a Num Lock key, on models with full numeric keypads, as these are dedicated to numerals and not generally used for cursor control.;
An "equals" key (=) added to the numeric keypad.;
A Help key, instead of an Insert key.;
Two delete keys: Mac keyboards typically label the backward delete key as "delete", while the forward delete key has the label "del" and the forward delete symbol (⌦) to differentiate it from the backward delete key.;
Notebook computers typically include additional assignments shared with function keys — reduce and increase brightness, volume up, volume down, mute, and eject (⏏). Apple, since the release of the Pro Keyboard, provides these last four keys on desktop keyboards above the numeric keypad where status indicator lights are on many IBM PC keyboards.;
On Apple Desktop Bus keyboards, a power key (◁), used to turn on computers that supported it (and to type the Mac three-finger salute). It was placed in the upper left or upper right (in line with the function keys on keyboards that had them, otherwise above the other keys). The key was replaced with a more conventional power button on early USB keyboards, thanks to a proprietary pin wired to the Macintosh's power supply in Apple's early USB implementations, and eliminated completely on the Pro Keyboard alongside the special pin. Most of its functions were transferred to the eject (⏏) key in such later keyboards (holding down the control key in addition to make the eject key act like the power key).;
There is a difference between the return (↩) and the enter (⌅) keys. They generate different keycodes and have different functions according to Macintosh User Interface Guidelines.;
Similarly, while most software ignores it, the left versus right sets of modifier keys and the top number versus numeric keypad produce distinct keycodes (even on laptop keyboards where they only exist using the function key).;
Read more at Wikipedia.org
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