Tip #4573 - Scroll Lock Key
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Scroll
Lock Key
After
mentioning the Scroll Lock key in a tip last week,
several of you have e-mailed to ask me what that key actually does.
That's a very fair question, because even though we sometimes talk about
the Scroll Lock key, we've never actually gone over what its function
is. And to be honest, I wasn't quite sure what it did either. I guess
I've just never really had any use for it. But then I started to do
some research on it and I found some pretty interesting information.
So, if you'd like to know the mystery behind the Scroll Lock key, read
on!
First of all,
most keyboards these days have a Scroll Lock key and it can usually
be found next to the Print Screen button (PrtScn). All keyboards are
different, so you may have a key that simply says "Scroll"
or you may have one that reads "ScrLk." The key could also
be by itself or it could be shared with another function key, such as
Pause or Break. When the Scroll Lock key was first introduced, it was
intended to work alongside the arrow keys. For example, when the scroll
lock mode was turned on, the arrow keys would scroll down an open window
instead of moving the mouse cursor. In other words, the Scroll Lock
key is more of a modifier key, just like the Alt and Shift keys. It
is also a toggle key, which is explained here.
Now,
if you don't use the Scroll Lock key very much, don't feel bad! It's
actually very rarely used anymore. Only a select few programs still
make use of the scroll lock function, including MS Excel and Lotus Notes.
Most of us use the scroll wheel on our mice to navigate through Web
pages or we sometimes use a page's scrollbar. With those two options,
the Scroll Lock key isn't really necessary and therefore, it has basically
become an extinct function. So, there you have it. It may not be the
most exciting news, but at least you now know the story behind the Scroll
Lock key. Yes!
~ Erin
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