throw

n. the distance that a key or button can be pressed, as on a computer keyboard. Subjects: English, Technology, Jargon

Etymological Note: Directly related to “throw” in mechanical engineering, defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “the action or motion of a slide-valve, or of a crank, eccentric, or cam; also, the extent of this measured on a straight line passing through the centre of motion; the extent through which a switch or lever may be moved.”

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Citations: 1988 Jack Warner Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia) (May 10) “Dell offers a good value for the dollar” p. D/02: The keyboard of the System 200 is not so bad that you can’t get used to it; it just doesn’t have that positive, long-throw touch of the IBM boards. 1989 [David A. Roth] Usenet: rec.music.makers (Sept. 20) “R-5 drumz”: Pads: they feel really solid. i like the short throw and stiff feel. as far as pads vs. sounds, the R-5 fares well. 2005 [Dan] Razorwind.org (May 8) “Shiny”: In addition, the keys use short-throw laptop-style scissor switches. My initial impression is that this seems to help avoid striking adjacent keys by accident. 2007 Jason D. O'Grady ZDNet (Sept. 17) “The Apple Core: Review: Apple’s new keyboards (Verdict: Atrocious)”: The new keyboard lacks throw, more commonly referred to as key travel, which means that keys require less pressure to engage.

Posted 19 Sep 07 | Permalink | Tell a Friend