What's That Weird Symbol on Apple Keyboards?

The video explains why Apple keyboards feature a Command key and its distinctive looped square symbol, tracing the design choice from early Apple keyboards to the introduction of the Macintosh. It starts by contrasting the traditional Control key with the need for additional keyboard shortcuts that could operate without opening menus, leading to the emergence of the open Apple and closed Apple keys in the early 1980s. The host describes how the modern Command key evolved from a desire to move away from a logo that felt gratuitous and instead provide a functional modifier, and how the looped square symbol was adopted by chance after an artist noted its suitability in a reference book. The symbol’s design origin is explained: it is a Nordic road sign used to mark tourist attractions, which the Mac development team found appealing, and it has persisted as the primary modifier key in macOS alongside the Control key for terminal and advanced user functions. The segment also touches on related keys, such as the closed Apple key evolving into the Option key, and contrasts Mac shortcuts with Windows equivalents, highlighting the practical differences for users who work across platforms. The video concludes with light humor about potential future Apple icons and a brief call to engage viewers with comments and subscriptions.

Topics · technology · computing · history_of_computing · apple_inc · keyboard_design