Using PC with European keyboard with US version of Windows

Hi there

US Keyboard is about 99% similar to European (assuming QWERTY). Main difference is Cap 3 is a # sign (US still call that a Pound sign) and a few minor special characters are in different places such as the @ sign, the \ sign and some US keyboards don't have a EUR symbol.

Really minor differences -- just switch in Windows to the layout you want.

I usually with a laptop take a small portable Wireless Ms Arc keyboard -- when working in France or Belgium I just can't even THINK of using the AZERTY keyboard -- 5 mins on one of those and I'd just chuck the whole computer out of the window.

The keyboard is really light and when travelling the micro receiver is magnetically held under the keyboard so you don't lose it. Small battery lasts YEARS. I've only replaced one and I've had thekeyboard for at least 7 years. Lasts longer than the laptops I've used it with. !!

Here's a pic of EN (UK) version.



I use ISL keyboard -- works fine for English and has some umlauts too for writing German text when I need it. Plus it has ISL special characters --rather like Danish with some extra symbols.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

Hi there

US Keyboard is about 99% similar to European (assuming QWERTY). Main difference is Cap 3 is a # sign (US still call that a Pound sign) and a few minor special characters are in different places such as the @ sign, the \ sign and some US keyboards don't have a EUR symbol.

Really minor differences -- just switch in Windows to the layout you want.

I usually with a laptop take a small portable Wireless Ms Arc keyboard -- when working in France or Belgium I just can't even THINK of using the AZERTY keyboard -- 5 mins on one of those and I'd just chuck the whole computer out of the window.

The keyboard is really light and when travelling the micro receiver is magnetically held under the keyboard so you don't lose it. Small battery lasts YEARS. I've only replaced one and I've had thekeyboard for at least 7 years. Lasts longer than the laptops I've used it with. !!

Here's a pic of EN (UK) version.



I use ISL keyboard -- works fine for English and has some umlauts too for writing German text when I need it. Plus it has ISL special characters --rather like Danish with some extra symbols.

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks for the suggestion. I am really not looking to add bulk, though, to an 11.6 inch notebook PC. My main concern was not to create a situation where it typing a critical character on the keyboard might be an issue. I can see from the responses that Windows has adequate customization tools to make this a non-issue. The only other situation where it might arise is when USB-booting other environments such as pre-built Linux or WinPE recovery environments where you can't choose the desired layout.