by Michael S. Kaplan, published on 2013/03/25 07:01 -04:00, original URI: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/michkap/archive/2013/03/25/10405053.aspx
Over in the Suggestion Box, Stuart asked:
Someone just posted this image on my Facebook: sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/.../21765_3587733825712_796558586_n.jpg
My first reaction was to wonder if it's a real keyboard, and if so, for what country. My second reaction was: I bet I know someone who'd know how to find out!
I could probably google the answer to what keyboard that actually is, if any, but it seems like an interesting question in the abstract: given only a picture that shows a small fraction of the keyboard layout, is there some way to find out, either in the documentation or programmatically which keyboard it is?
The image in question:
Now in the past I have posted how the folks who create the actual hardware keyboards (in Microsoft Hardware) and the people who own the software layouts in Windows (me) are not in the same group.
And that we seldom communicate.
Now in most (perhaps all?) European layouts, the Euro was added to the AltGR+E keystroke combination.
And in Microsoft Word, sometimes they override us and insert it there.
And the Euro is quite visible in their Insert Symbol UI:
So it does not surprise me that things would be so prominent in the keyboard hardware. Probably most European keyboard hardware has this, today.
Because Microsoft Word trumps Microsoft Windows, in this case, at least.
In the hardware sold in Europe.
And in the hearts and minds of most users. :-)
Now I love Windows, but you know what Love means in Tennis.
It means Zero.
C'mon people! Word sits on top of Windows, so of course it often gets to win.
If your sister is sitting on her brother, she won that fight!
John Cowan on 25 Mar 2013 8:19 AM:
The E key has a euro sign on it, and that's all you can find to say about this keyboard? Sheesh. And furthermore furrfu!
(I know, I know, probably someone just rearranged the keycaps. But is it just possible that this is a real layout?)
metathinker on 25 Mar 2013 8:40 AM:
Deliberately missing the point, are you...?
Random832 on 25 Mar 2013 8:48 AM:
There are, in fact, four 'interesting' aspects of the keyboard, apart from the obviously-rearranged arrangement of letters:
The Euro on the "E", as you noted, the presence of a so-called "L-shaped" enter key, the presence of colon above the period, and the presence of } on Altgr-0.
Michael S. Kaplan on 25 Mar 2013 9:55 AM:
I didn't miss the point. As I told my colleague, I was trying to remain above it! :-)
Azarien on 25 Mar 2013 1:20 PM:
Not all European layouts have € on AltGr+E. In Polish this combination was already reserved for ę, so € is on AltGr+U. (for eUro, I suppose)
Michael S. Kaplan on 25 Mar 2013 5:06 PM:
Word might screw up on Polish. Windows FTW!
Richard on 27 Mar 2013 12:23 PM:
In the UK, it's AltGr+4.
But we're not European. :p
referenced by
2013/03/27 Microsoft Word: 15 --- Microsoft Windows: 15