Editing Caps Lock (section)

== History{{anchor|Shift}} ==
[[File:depressing caps lock.jpg|alt=a finger depresses the shift lock lever|thumb|Actuating Shift lock]]

The Caps Lock key originated as a '''Shift lock''' key on mechanical [[typewriter]]s. An early innovation in typewriters was the introduction of a second character on each typebar, thereby doubling the number of characters that could be typed, using the same number of keys. The second character was positioned above the first on the face of each typebar, and the [[Typewriter#Shift key|typewriter's Shift key]] caused the entire type apparatus to move, physically ''shifting'' the positioning of the typebars relative to the ink ribbon. Just as in modern computer keyboards, the shifted position was used to produce capitals and secondary characters.

The Shift lock key was introduced so the shift operation could be maintained indefinitely without continuous effort. It mechanically locked the typebars in the shifted position, causing the upper character to be typed upon pressing any key. Because the two shift keys on a typewriter required more force to operate and were meant to be pressed by the [[little finger]], it could be difficult to hold the shift down for more than two or three consecutive strokes, therefore the introduction of the Shift lock key was also meant to reduce finger muscle pain caused by repetitive typing.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

Mechanical typewriter shift lock is typically set by pushing both Shift and lock at the same time, and released by pressing Shift by itself. Computer Caps Lock is set and released by the same key, and the Caps Lock behavior in most [[QWERTY]] keyboard layouts differs from the Shift lock behavior in that it capitalizes letters but does not affect other keys, such as numbers or punctuation. Some early computer keyboards, such as the [[Commodore 64]], had a Shift lock but no Caps Lock; others, such as the [[BBC Micro]], had both, only one of which could be enabled at a time.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

===Abolition===
There are some proposals to abolish the caps-lock key as being obsolete.<ref name=Wired2006 /><ref name=Medium2019>Daniel Colin James, [https://medium.com/forwardtick/its-time-for-caps-lock-to-die-81c9eaa4dfa7 It’s time for CAPS LOCK to die]", ''Medium'', May 24, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2019.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ihatethecapslockkey.com/ |title=I Hate the CapsLock key |access-date=2009-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722002940/http://www.ihatethecapslockkey.com/ |archive-date=2010-07-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Pieter Hintjens, the CEO of [[Xitami|iMatix]], started a "Capsoff" organization proposing hardware manufacturers delete the Caps Lock key.<ref name=Wired2006>"[https://www.wired.com/2006/08/death-to-caps-lock/ Death to CAPS LOCK"], ''Wired'', August 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2019.</ref> Google has removed the Caps Lock on the [[Chromebook]] keyboard, replacing it with the "Everything Button"; the caps-lock function is then reproduced using an "[[alt key|alt]]" key combination.<ref>Anna Attkisson, "[https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/turn-caps-lock-chromebook How to Turn On CAPS LOCK on a Chromebook"], ''Laptop Magazine'', January 23, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2019.</ref><ref name=diaz2010 />

In fact, the current German keyboard layout standard [[German keyboard layout|DIN 2137]]-01:2023-08 (like its preceding edition from 2018) specifies the function of the key as optional, to be replaced by other keys or key combinations. It recommends the function only to be invoked when it is pressed simultaneously with the [[Control key]], while otherwise it acts as a “left [[AltGr key]]”, thus enabling [[Touch typing|touch typists]] to access all key combinations using AltGr without using two fingers of the same hand, which is considered to be an [[Human factors and ergonomics|ergonomic]] advantage. As a side effect, any inadvertent pressing of this key without pressing another key simultaneously has no effect.