why the function keys on key board are only 12? why not more or less?

Question

is there any mathematics relation between these 12 keys and our mind?

Answer 1

Actually, in the olden days :), there used to be only 10 function keys. I forget when the addition two came in and actually why, but 11 and 12 are often used to invoke different things in the boot sequence.



It is most likely limited by real estate on the keyboard.

Answer 2

It is a hold over from the days of mainframe computers. Before they had the mouse, icons and menus, you preformed must functions using the varies Function keys.



The earliest keyboards had 24 function, two rows of 12 each. The 12 keys matched the length of the rows of the standard qwerty keyboard. Plus they had several keys to use in combination with each of the function keys to give each 4 to 8 functions. Use to have to have a huge cheat sheet posted by the computer with the function layout.



With the coming of the mouse, etc., the F keys were reduced to a single row (12) so that they could still be used with some of those ancient programs. (Yes, they are still around. I support several in different manufacturing sites that invested millions in creating them and have no reason to update.)



For most programs, the keys serve no function.

Answer 3

Almost all keyboards today are PC keyboards and that's why they have the same number. In the old days, there were keyboards with none, four, ten, twelve and twenty-four function keys - and those are just the ones I remember! The modern PC keyboard is descended from the IBM 3270 keyboard - remember IBM invented what we now call a PC.



But, there is a rough estimate of how many things you can keep in mind at once - 7+or-2 - see reference. It would not surprise me if there is some useability research to show that four function keys was too few, and twelve not too many, especially as few programs on mainframes used *all* twelve function keys at once.

Answer 4

why the function keys on key board are only 12? why not more or less?

Answer 5

Are you thinking outside of the box? Space is probably the best answer. More than 12 means a bigger keyboard.

Answer 6

I think you're looking into this a bit too much.