mattrock1988 wrote on 2024-01-04, 09:15:

So I was doing my usual stroll on eBay, window shopping for various components, when I came across an original first run model Microsoft Natural Keyboard. Bear in mind that this keyboard came out in September 1994, nearly an entire year before Windows 95 made it to market.

With that in mind, I noticed that the keyboard does have a Windows key, and was in fact the very first keyboard of its kind to offer one. Given how early it showed up, I’m wondering if the Windows Key had any function or use in Windows 3.x through official software from Microsoft? I can’t imagine Microsoft would incorporate a key that would have zero use for nearly a year prior to their next major consumer Windows update.

Thoughts on this?

I believe the Windows key is interpreted as a Ctrl-Esc, and would have therefore done what Windows 3.1 does with Ctrl-Esc. Which... I want to say is display the task manager/switcher, but my memory could be rusty.

There was also the 'menu/properties' key on the right side of the keyboard; that displayed the then-brand-new right-mouse-button context menus in Office 4.x apps (Windows 3.1 didn't have context menus).

Also, wasn't there a Windows 3.1 version of IntelliType?

(Sorry, I don't have more detailed experience - while I have owned almost every model of Microsoft ergonomic keyboard, I bought my first one (the original model) only in 1997, never used it with 3.1...)

Windows keys have their own scancodes (software can tell if left or right one is pressed) as does the context-menu key.

Windows developers need a keyboard to test stuff with, might aswell get ready for the new stuff ahead of time ...?

There has been talk of a copilot key lately on the Internets, not why that's necessary but hey branding.

Something to keep in mind is beta versions of Windows 95 were around quite awhile before RTM and marketing is a thing so likely some combination of the two.

DosFreak wrote on 2024-01-04, 14:46:

There has been talk of a copilot key lately on the Internets, not why that's necessary but hey branding.

You could say this prompted my curiosity over the OG Windows Key as well.

Tiido wrote on 2024-01-04, 13:45:

Windows keys have their own scancodes (software can tell if left or right one is pressed) as does the context-menu key.

So, I was going to ask if anybody had an original MS Natural keyboard with Win3.1 to test this out?

Turns out, somebody on YouTube actually did this. And... well... the Windows key does nothing in Win3.1 in their testing, so my vague recollection you'd get the Ctrl-Esc behaviour must be wrong and/or require the IntelliType drivers.

You really learn something 'old' every day...

Well, as Tiido writes, the left and right Windows key have different scan codes, so probably neither of them sends ctrl-esc, but that combination was a workaround for all the keyboards out there, which didn't have a Windows key at release time?

VivienM wrote on 2024-01-04, 13:08:

There was also the 'menu/properties' key on the right side of the keyboard; that displayed the then-brand-new right-mouse-button context menus in Office 4.x apps (Windows 3.1 didn't have context menus).

Shift-F10 still works.

H3nrik V! wrote on 2024-01-04, 22:01:

Well, as Tiido writes, the left and right Windows key have different scan codes, so probably neither of them sends ctrl-esc, but that combination was a workaround for all the keyboards out there, which didn't have a Windows key at release time?

Ctrl-Esc precedes the Windows key by... I don't know how long. I would guess it's been around since at least Windows 3.0, maybe earlier.

Given my theory that there was some kind of a hardware link between Ctrl-Esc and the Windows key appears to be wrong, then I think it's just a coincidence that Microsoft happened to reuse the Ctrl-Esc key for the same behaviour as the Windows key without a modifier.

And it's worth noting, the Ctrl-Esc behaviour did change. I checked one of those web Win3.1 virtual thingies - Ctrl-Esc, as I remembered, was the task list in Win3.1. In every version of Windows since it's been the start menu.

weedeewee wrote on 2024-01-04, 22:12:

VivienM wrote on 2024-01-04, 13:08:

There was also the 'menu/properties' key on the right side of the keyboard; that displayed the then-brand-new right-mouse-button context menus in Office 4.x apps (Windows 3.1 didn't have context menus).

Shift-F10 still works.

Is the menu/properties key a separate scan code (which is what I am now assuming based on others' comments about the Windows key), or is it just hardcoded Shift-F10? (And thanks for reminding me of that, I had long forgotten that keyboard shortcut...)

VivienM wrote on 2024-01-04, 22:15:

weedeewee wrote on 2024-01-04, 22:12:

VivienM wrote on 2024-01-04, 13:08:

There was also the 'menu/properties' key on the right side of the keyboard; that displayed the then-brand-new right-mouse-button context menus in Office 4.x apps (Windows 3.1 didn't have context menus).

Shift-F10 still works.

Is the menu/properties key a separate scan code (which is what I am now assuming based on others' comments about the Windows key), or is it just hardcoded Shift-F10? (And thanks for reminding me of that, I had long forgotten that keyboard shortcut...)

Like the windows keys, the menu key has its own code.