Why Do 'F' And 'J' On Keyboards Have Bumps On Them?

In today's technological age, you'd be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn't have even the most basic experience of using a computer. In the same vein, if you've ever used one before, then you've also had some experience using a keyboard to run the machine.

If you currently own a computer keyboard, take a moment and get a good look at it. Depending on what design you went for, it may include a number pad on the right side. If you went for an ergonomically inclined one, it may even have a wrist pad included for you to rest your hands on. While certain keyboards may have features that are unique to them, most are guaranteed to have the same characteristics as well. 

For starters, your keyboard will highly likely have a "QWERTY" layout, which is the standard used to date. You'll also notice that the "F" and "J" keys may have small singular bumps on them. These almost negligible marks actually serve a pretty important purpose: they allow you to potentially type a little bit faster.

Those who aren't regularly navigating a computer keyboard may be more comfortable with the "hunt and peck" method of typing, which involves frequently looking down at the keys and utilizing a single finger on each hand. Meanwhile, others who are more digitally adept may be able to type up a storm without removing focus from the computer screen. This is called "touch typing," a technique that's widely considered as the hallmark of modern typing classes.

First introduced by American court stenographer Frank Edward McGurrin in 1888, the touch typing (or blind typing) system involves utilizing all 10 fingers to type words by first placing them on the "home row" or the center row. You place your left-hand fingers on the "A," "S," "D," and "F" keys and your right-hand fingers on the "J," "K," "L," and ";" (semicolon) keys. Since these letters are located in the middle row, one could argue that the finger placements allow for easy access to the rest of the keyboard keys, including function keys. By simply memorizing the QWERTY layout and keeping your typing fingers on the home row, you can make miniscule movements to reach the letters you need and develop the muscle memory required to type without looking down at the keyboard.

This is where the "F" and "J" key ridges come in. They are simply tactile markers that indicate where you ought to place your index fingers for touch typing. You can feel these notches without looking down at your keyboard. This, in turn, enables you to ensure that your fingers are optimally placed in a centralized position and that you can keep typing faster with little to no interruption.