Why Keyboards Have Bumps on the F and J Keys
Olasubomi Gbenjo
Have you ever wondered why your keyboard's F and J keys have small bumps? The bumps are so small that you don't always realize they're there, but they actually serve a purpose.
Why F and J Keys Have Bumps
The bumps on the F and J are tactile markers that help you position your hands correctly on a keyboard without looking at the keys. In the past, professional typists had to type quickly with little to no errors.
To do this, their fingers needed to be placed in an optimal position, the home row, consisting of the A, S, D, F, colon, L, K, and J keys, with their left and right index finger on the F and J key, respectively.
It's the same with professional typists today. They typically type quickly without looking at the keyboard, something known as touch typing. The bumps on the F and J keys let them know where to place their fingers without looking at their keyboard.
These tactile markers work for regular typists as well. If you know where to place your fingers, you won't have to glance between your screen and keyboard periodically, and you'll type faster. If you want to take things up a notch, practice your touch typing, and you'll be an expert typer in no time.
Besides increasing typing speed, these bumps reduce the strain on your hands and wrists from awkward hand placement over a keyboard and moving your hands around the keyboard to get to different keys.
Origin of the Bumps on F and J Keys
If you look up the origin of the bumps on the F and J keyboard keys, you'll find information saying June E. Botich invented them in 2002. However, this doesn't appear to be true. While Botich registered a patent for modifications to be made to certain keys, including the F and J keys, her patent was for the tactile additions to be placed on the edge of the keys instead of on them.
Ultimately, it isn't known who exactly invented the bumps on the F and J keys as we know them today, but they've been around for a long time.
Type Better on a Computer Keyboard
The bumps on the F and J keys may seem like a minor detail, but they're important in improving your typing speed and accuracy. These bumps also reduce strain on your hands and wrists.
So the next time you're typing away on your keyboard, take a moment to appreciate the bumps on the F and J keys and how they enhance your typing.
Olasubomi Gbenjo
Have you ever wondered why your keyboard's F and J keys have small bumps? The bumps are so small that you don't always realize they're there, but they actually serve a purpose.
Why F and J Keys Have Bumps
The bumps on the F and J are tactile markers that help you position your hands correctly on a keyboard without looking at the keys. In the past, professional typists had to type quickly with little to no errors.
To do this, their fingers needed to be placed in an optimal position, the home row, consisting of the A, S, D, F, colon, L, K, and J keys, with their left and right index finger on the F and J key, respectively.
It's the same with professional typists today. They typically type quickly without looking at the keyboard, something known as touch typing. The bumps on the F and J keys let them know where to place their fingers without looking at their keyboard.
These tactile markers work for regular typists as well. If you know where to place your fingers, you won't have to glance between your screen and keyboard periodically, and you'll type faster. If you want to take things up a notch, practice your touch typing, and you'll be an expert typer in no time.
Besides increasing typing speed, these bumps reduce the strain on your hands and wrists from awkward hand placement over a keyboard and moving your hands around the keyboard to get to different keys.
Origin of the Bumps on F and J Keys
If you look up the origin of the bumps on the F and J keyboard keys, you'll find information saying June E. Botich invented them in 2002. However, this doesn't appear to be true. While Botich registered a patent for modifications to be made to certain keys, including the F and J keys, her patent was for the tactile additions to be placed on the edge of the keys instead of on them.
Ultimately, it isn't known who exactly invented the bumps on the F and J keys as we know them today, but they've been around for a long time.
Type Better on a Computer Keyboard
The bumps on the F and J keys may seem like a minor detail, but they're important in improving your typing speed and accuracy. These bumps also reduce strain on your hands and wrists.
So the next time you're typing away on your keyboard, take a moment to appreciate the bumps on the F and J keys and how they enhance your typing.
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Summary
Keyboard F and J keys have tactile markers to help typists position their hands correctly without looking at the keys. These bumps, beneficial for both professional and regular typists, increase typing speed and reduce hand/wrist strain from awkward placement and movement around the keyboard.