Why does the key board have both a backspace button and a delete button?

Question

Why does the key board have both a backspace button and a delete button?

Answer 1

you can't backspace continously with the delete button thats for sure.

Answer 2

because you have two options:

1) You highlight what you want erased and either press delete or backspace.

2) You press BACKSPACE to go back to something (program that does not require use of the mouse)

3)CTRL ALT DEL is used to get to Windows Task Manager..Depending on what you're using.

For an Acer Home Basic it's Windows Vista Menu~ With all those fancy gadgets installed there

Hope this answers your question :}

have fun computing!

Answer 3

Backspace came from the typewriter where it pushed the carriage one position backwards.  Now it moves the cursor one position backwards, deletes the preceding character, and shifts back the text after it by one position.

The delete key used to be used in paper media for computers would punch out all the holes to strike out a character.  Now, it deletes text following it. Also, the delete key works as a generic command to remove an object (such as an image inside a document, or a file in a file manager), while backspace usually has no effect.

Answer 4

because the delete button is used for alot more then typing

Answer 5

They do different jobs - the backspace removes typing to the left of cursor, the delete removes to right of cursor. If you have text highlighted, either will remove it all.

Directionality used to be more important in text days, when there was no mouse or other way of highlighting a larger area, or moving quickly to where you wanted to make a change.

The PrntScrn and Pause/break keys are also historic leftovers that are rarely used these days.

Answer 6

backspace most used for fixing typo's

delete is for deleting highlighted files, docs, and such

Answer 7

Backspace for remove words one by one.Delete use to to remove it Once.