Bucky bits

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Bucky bits is a computing term used to describe bits that are set using shift and modifier keys on a keyboard beyond the standard shift key. They are named after the inventor, Niklaus Wirth, who was first to suggest an EDIT key to set the eighth bit of a 7-bit ASCII character.

1 Overview
2 History
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Overview

A bucky bit allows for the typing of a wider variety of characters and commands while maintaining a usable number of keys on a keyboard.

Setting a bucky bit may change the output character, as with a shift key. In the design of ASCII standards, characters were grouped based on bit location to simplify input; for example, uppercase A is 01000001, while lowercase A is 01100001, which means the Shift key switches the value of the 6th bit.

Modern examples of keys that set bucky bits include: <Alt>, <Control>, <Meta>, <◇>, <Apple Key>, <⌘>, and <Option>.

[edit] History

The term was invented at Stanford sometime in 1964 or 1965 and is based on Niklaus Wirth's nickname "Bucky". Bucky bits were used heavily on keyboards designed by Tom Knight.