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What are the F-Keys on the Keyboard for?

Question by Compi | 2016-01-11 at 15:42

On the top of my keyboard, there are some F-Keys. They are starting at F1 and they are going up to key F12. However, I have never used such keys so far.

As far as I know, those F keys were necessary at the beginning of the computer development, but who needs those keys today?

Is there any usage of those keys today or is the interest in them just historical? And, my main question, why are the manufactures of keyboards still producing keyboards with keys nobody uses?

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Of course, today, most people prefer operating their computer using the mouse rather than the keyboard. Nevertheless, even the F or function keys on the keyboard still have their meaning.

First of all, the assignment of those keys may vary from application to application. In most applications, you can show the help using the F1 key, in most browsers, you can use the F5 key to refresh the current page. Also the F11 key for the fullscreen mode is set is usable in in many programs today. Using those standard keys for standard actions often is more intuitive than going through one menu after the other. Especially in complex programs, such a function selection through the F keys can be very comfortable. Of course, at this point we are not talking about a computer usage not going beyond using Word and the Media Player.

It is even possible to execute some operating system functions via the F keys on the keyboard. In Windows, for example, it is possible to close the current window using CTRL and F4 and it is possible to rename files and folders with the F2 key.

Next to operating applications are the operating system, often the F keys are double assigned with some hardware functions. A typical example is a laptop where you can adjust the volume, the brightness of the screen and so on via the F keys. Also for those functions, the F keys are offering themselves because otherwise, you have to add other keys for those functions.

Surely, today it is possible to operate a computer without using the F Keys, but as I had tried to explain, in my opinion, I do not think that the F keys are no longer justified today.
2015-01-11 at 20:09

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