The day Return became Enter
12 days ago
- #keyboard-history
- #computers
- #typewriters
- The transition from typewriters to computers was complex, not straightforward.
- Typewriters initially lacked keys like 0 and 1, requiring workarounds.
- The carriage return lever on typewriters was a mechanical function for advancing paper and returning the carriage.
- Electric typewriters in the 1940s-1950s transformed the carriage return into a key.
- Teletypes used QWERTY keyboards and introduced control characters for communication.
- Teletypes decoupled Carriage Return and Line Feed to manage transmission speed.
- Early word processors allowed text saving and editing, introducing text reflow.
- Word processors required users to adapt to automatic line breaks, reserving Return for paragraphs.
- Computers adopted QWERTY keyboards but introduced new keys like Execute or Enter for command execution.
- IBM terminals popularized the Enter key placement next to the spacebar.
- Personal computers in the 1980s standardized keyboard layouts, with Apple using Return and IBM using Enter.
- Modern keyboards repurpose keys like Esc, Tab, and Shift for diverse functions beyond their original meanings.
- The Return/Enter key's functionality varies by context, causing occasional confusion in software.
- The author muses on the ideal key being a nameless, unambiguous 'let's go' button.