keyboard
A {hardware} device consisting of a number of
mechanical buttons (keys) which the user presses to input
characters to a computer.
Keyboards were originally part of {terminal}s which were
separate {peripheral} devices that performed both input and
output and communicated with the computer via a {serial line}.
Today a keyboard is more likely to be connected directly to
the processor, allowing the processor to scan it and detect
which key or keys are currently pressed. Keyboards vary in
the keys they have, most have keys to generate the {ASCII}
{character set} as well as various {function key}s and special
purpose keys, e.g. reset or volume control.
(1995-05-02)