Author Topic: Who invented the term "Tenkeyless"? (Read 7727 times)

microsoft windows · « **on:** Wed, 17 November 2010, 20:23:29 »

Any regular visitor or member of the GeekHack forum knows about "Tenkeyless" keyboards: Keyboards without the number pad section. But "Tenkeyless" seems like kind of a bizarre term since the number pad does not have 10 keys. I've always wondered "Who, when, where, and why" with this word. Who invented it? When? Where was it invented? And why did they choose the term "Tenkeyless"?

I wonder if others here are curious, or perhaps know the answer.

wordfool · « **Reply #1 on:** Wed, 17 November 2010, 20:28:08 »

I guess it refers to the ten number keys only, and it is easier to say and type than seventeenkeyless. But I've no idea who coined the term.

Wogrim · « **Reply #2 on:** Wed, 17 November 2010, 20:41:56 »

I think I remember it being called the ten-key pad like 10 years ago in Mavis Beacon, with this grocery store minigame for adding the cost of groceries (no barcode scanning). I think "number pad" may be the newer term.

Rajagra · « **Reply #3 on:** Wed, 17 November 2010, 20:54:03 »

I get the impression it comes from a translated foreign phrase, maybe Japanese.

It's an awkward phrase. But so is tenkeypadless or numerickeypadless.

Bottom line: Stupid word for a great idea.

Quote from: Wogrim;248386

I think I remember it being called the ten-key pad like 10 years ago in Mavis Beacon, with this grocery store minigame for adding the cost of groceries (no barcode scanning). I think "number pad" may be the newer term.

Indeed.

itlnstln · « **Reply #4 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 11:08:26 »

Filco.

keyboardlover · « **Reply #5 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 11:11:47 »

It's derived from the Latin word "ten", and the Greco-Roman "keyless".

itlnstln · « **Reply #6 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 11:12:34 »

Well done.

keyboardlover · « **Reply #7 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 11:14:03 »

Quote from: itlnstln;248625

Well done.

North Korean-style golf clap?

Rajagra · « **Reply #8 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 11:14:58 »

I just invented the word tenkeyful™© to describe full-sized keyboards.

Edit> Ah, balls.

patrickgeekhack · « **Reply #9 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 12:13:19 »

Quote from: microsoft windows;248377

Any regular visitor or member of the GeekHack forum knows about "Tenkeyless" keyboards: Keyboards without the number pad section. But "Tenkeyless" seems like kind of a bizarre term since the number pad does not have 10 keys.

Thanks for asking. I, too, wondered for a long time why "tenkeyless." It's true taht after a while here, one will know what a "tenkeyless" keyboard is.

firestorm · « **Reply #10 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 12:37:00 »

I always thought "ten key" had accounting origins in reference to 10 key calculators and otherwise a generic term for the 10 digit keypad arrangement. I never thought of it as an obscure term at all.

keyboardlover · « **Reply #11 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 12:39:39 »

It's 'tenkeyless' because it sounds better than 'seventeenkeyless'. Fewer syllables too.

itlnstln · « **Reply #12 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 13:31:59 »

Quote from: firestorm;248678

I always thought "ten key" had accounting origins in reference to 10 key calculators and otherwise a generic term for the 10 digit keypad arrangement. I never thought of it as an obscure term at all.

This. This forum's population might be too young to remember the term "Ten Key." Our job postings for bookkeepers still requires applicants to be able to do "ten key by touch." That's how I got good at it and why I still like to have the numpad on my 'boards. I even have a RF numpad for my HHKB.

microsoft windows · « **Reply #13 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 13:52:04 »

Quote from: keyboardlover;248683

It's 'tenkeyless' because it sounds better than 'seventeenkeyless'. Fewer syllables too.

Yeah, but why wouldn't they just call it "87-key Space Saving" or "No Number Pad"?

db_Iodine · « **Reply #14 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 13:58:01 »

I think they should start calling it "Abouttwentykeyless".

zefrer · « **Reply #15 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 14:06:11 »

I never thought it was an odd term either. I remember people calling the numpad '10 key' ages ago.

db_Iodine · « **Reply #16 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 14:13:34 »

Filco Willis... now that would be a catchy product name.

7bit · « **Reply #17 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 14:21:51 »

Quote from: ripster;248628

What. Nobody is going to do the math and point out it's technically wrong?

What has become of Geekhack?!?!?!?

Must be lack of Germans.

In fact the east asians come quite close with their 80%-keyboard-term. If you start with a 108-key ducky and cut away 21 keys, you end up with 80.555%.

But maybe you must interpret 10 as a hex-number (16 decimal), you will be off by one key only (the then obsolete NumLock-Button will not be taken into account).

db_Iodine · « **Reply #18 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 14:25:42 »

Quote from: 7bit;248765

In fact the east asians come quite close with their 80%-keyboard-term. If you start with a 108-key ducky and cut away 21 keys, you end up with 80.555%.

But maybe you must interpret 10 as a hex-number (16 decimal), you will be off by one key only (the then obsolete NumLock-Button will not be taken into account).

If it was hexadecimal it should be A-keyless.

db_Iodine · « **Reply #19 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 14:32:46 »

Quote from: db_Iodine;248767

If it was hexadecimal it should be A-keyless.

I should just go to sleep and leave the math to you guys. Just now noticed how wrong I was.

keyboardlover · « **Reply #20 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 15:26:21 »

Quote from: ripster;248769

Damn those Koreans are good.

OCN post by webwit linked to a hacked tenkeyless Realforce.

woody · « **Reply #21 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 18:00:15 »

I count 3rd member of the Squirrel Club.

a_fluffy_kitten · « **Reply #22 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 18:47:28 »

It's funny how you guys think this term is a combination of the words "ten" and "keyless"

It's actually a combination of "tenke" and "yless", which makes much more sense anyway.

zefrer · « **Reply #23 on:** Thu, 18 November 2010, 19:27:38 »

It would make a lot more sense if you'd explain it.

woody · « **Reply #24 on:** Fri, 19 November 2010, 09:12:45 »

Quote from: ripster;248898

Usually squirrels like Das and Black Widows because they are shiny.

Agreed.

microsoft windows · « **Reply #25 on:** Wed, 23 July 2014, 11:40:45 »

I figured this was a topic worth resurrecting as the original question remains unanswered: who really invented the term "tenkeyless"?

SpAmRaY · « **Reply #26 on:** Wed, 23 July 2014, 11:41:27 »

I prefer TKL = 'tickle'

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #27 on:** Wed, 23 July 2014, 11:52:15 »

Holy... old thread.

rip, KBlover, 7bit, itlnstln, rajagra, db_iodine...

Such old times, much nostalgia...

Findecanor · « **Reply #28 on:** Wed, 23 July 2014, 12:09:56 »

Quote from: microsoft windows on Wed, 23 July 2014, 11:40:45

I figured this was a topic worth resurrecting as the original question remains unanswered: who really invented the term "tenkeyless"?

Were any people using the term before Filco made a keyboard officially named "Majestouch Tenkeyless" ?

dustinhxc · « **Reply #29 on:** Wed, 23 July 2014, 12:22:53 »

It makes sense to me.. TenKeyPad, No TenKeyPad = TenKeyLess.

0100010 · « **Reply #30 on:** Wed, 23 July 2014, 21:31:31 »

Quote from: itlnstln on Thu, 18 November 2010, 13:31:59

Quote from: firestorm;248678
I always thought "ten key" had accounting origins in reference to 10 key calculators and otherwise a generic term for the 10 digit keypad arrangement. I never thought of it as an obscure term at all.

This. This forum's population might be too young to remember the term "Ten Key." Our job postings for bookkeepers still requires applicants to be able to do "ten key by touch." That's how I got good at it and why I still like to have the numpad on my 'boards. I even have a RF numpad for my HHKB.

This. Ten key touch typing was a skill, the same as normal touch typing was. There were various QWERTY typewriters and there were ten key machines, or adding machines.

The number pad layout on keyboqrds adopted the ten key machine layout. No clue who first coined the term though.

If you want another fun question - ask why are the digits on a phone different than ten key.

rowdy · « **Reply #31 on:** Wed, 23 July 2014, 22:15:22 »

Medium-sized keyboard.

microsoft windows · « **Reply #32 on:** Thu, 24 July 2014, 14:08:40 »

Quote from: Findecanor on Wed, 23 July 2014, 12:09:56

Quote from: microsoft windows on Wed, 23 July 2014, 11:40:45
I figured this was a topic worth resurrecting as the original question remains unanswered: who really invented the term "tenkeyless"?
Were any people using the term before Filco made a keyboard officially named "Majestouch Tenkeyless" ?

That's one thing that I'd like to fine out some time. As of now, I guess we can pin it on Filco for inventing the term until proven otherwise!

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Grim Fandango · « **Reply #33 on:** Thu, 24 July 2014, 14:11:29 »

numpadless would make sense, but does not sound as sexy.

davkol · « **Reply #34 on:** Fri, 25 July 2014, 10:29:43 »

Numberless sounds cool, but there's still the number row. Maybe a name for 40%?

rowdy · « **Reply #35 on:** Sat, 26 July 2014, 03:05:24 »

Numpadless?

microsoft windows · « **Reply #36 on:** Sun, 27 July 2014, 08:15:31 »

Or perhaps "None-Pad"?

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Author Topic: Who invented the term "Tenkeyless"? (Read 7727 times)

woody

woody