Contrary to popular belief, for the first time Shift appeared not on computer keyboards, but also on typewriters, back in 1878. Then Christopher Scholes and Carlos Glidden developed and released their second typewriter “Remington 2 ″, its innovation was the ability to put in capital letters. This mechanism was implemented by pressing everyone already known and familiar Shift.
What does Shift mean on the keyboard?
She got this name because of the way she worked, she physically shifted the carriage, which made it possible to strike the paper not in capital letters, but in capital letters. Literally, “Shift” means “shift”, hence the designation of this key, so incomprehensible today.
But it is also worth mentioning that it got accustomed precisely because of the great popularity of the Remnington typewriters. This is the first commercially successful model that was mass-produced for the broad masses of the population. And, perhaps, if the machine with a different mechanism won on the market, even now such a familiar “Shift” would have a completely different name.
Where is the Shift button on the keyboard
Almost all modern input devices, such as:
- Personal Computer;
- A laptop;
- Netbook;
- The tablet.
Shift is located in two places, in the left and lower right corner of the keyboard. Exceptions are only specialized input devices, for specific tasks, on such devices there may be no “Shift” at all.
The left shift is located between "Caps Lock" and "Ctrl". And right between “Enter” and “Ctrl” near the control arrows. Both keys are in the second row, if you count from a person.
On the keyboard for a laptop usually do not write the inscription "Shift", and cost only a large hollow arrow pointing up. It is for her and you can recognize this button on laptops or their younger brothers netbooks.
IMPORTANT. If you did not find the usual button labeled Shift, then you need to look for it by its graphic designation: a hollow arrow pointing up. Usually this is due to the small size of the input device, which does not allow to place a full key.
Why Shift on the laptop keyboard is in this place
To fully understand the reason for finding Shift in these places, it is necessary to delve into history again. It all started with the Remington typewriters. There this button was due to the structural features of the mechanism. It was easier and safer to place it on the side, to make it easier to move the carriage, to activate the capital letters on a typewriter.
But at the beginning of development only one shift button was added. But in the process of testing it became clear that it is very inconvenient to combine some letters and shift. This happened due to the fact that the hand was already busy pressing the button with the letter, and to press the shift it was necessary to tear off the hand and interrupt the typing of the text, which markedly reduced the typing speed. And it was decided to add another shift from the other side.
Then everything went along the path of optimization, and, moving to laptops, it became clear that the usual keyboard would be too large. The buttons are slightly reduced, the shift is removed, and the shift has found its usual place.
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