The number lock key on computer keyboards was originally used to toggle between numeric and cursor controls. It is now largely ornamental, but still useful for some programming and gaming functions.
Just to be clear, the number lock isn’t the least popular item on a Chinese menu, nor is it a security measure for wayward numbers. In fact, it’s a key found on most computer keyboards near the 10-key numeric keypad. The term is short for number block or number lock, the function of which is now considered to be largely ornamental and historical. There is also a corresponding light which indicates when the key has been activated or deactivated.
When IBM first introduced personal computers, the original keyboards combined the standard 10-key numeric keypads with a second set of cursor controls. The Num Lock key acted as a toggle switch between the two sets of commands. When the key was on, the number pad functioned solely as a form of calculator. Turning it off would convert the keys into cursor controls, allowing users to manipulate the cursor in four directions or send it to the top or bottom of the page.
Most modern computer keyboards use separate keys for cursor control, reducing the need for a num-lock key. The number pad on almost all modern keyboards is set to lock by default. Occasionally, a computer will remember the setting during shutdown and restore that setting during restart. This means that if the user disables numlock for gaming or programming purposes, they will remain disabled during the reboot process.
The key has not become completely obsolete: there are still some programming functions that benefit from its presence. Some computer gamers find the numeric keypad easier to manipulate than the separate arrow and cursor control keys on modern keyboards. Web surfers may also find the unlocked number pad useful when scrolling through large websites. The next generation of keyboards may do away with the Num Lock key altogether, but there was a time when it served a definite purpose for early computer users.
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