In 2015, a survey of a sample of a thousand Italian students showed that, net of rampant computing, technology, the infinite possibilities of the network and the capabilities of increasingly powerful and capable computers, the most frequently used switches on keyboards existed. Only three: “Ctrl”, “C” and “V”.
To be clearer, the extraordinary miracle of “copy and paste,” a gesture that will forever be remembered on humanity’s long journey is at the top of the rankings, perhaps second only to the scriptural reproduction of loaves and fish.
There is no point in hiding: the hidden temptation of the three cases sooner or later affects everyone, anyone involved in a switchboard of trade, from students to their teachers, followed by staff, judges, writers and journalists. Even Picasso, at the height of his talent, asserted that “good artists copy, great artists steal.”
In 1973, Larry Tesler, an employee of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, at the time borderline far from futuristic Silicon Valley, invented the triptych that has distinguished for more than a generation. Throughout his life, which ended in February last year at the age of 74, he was remembered in the history of information technology for “the ability to copy and paste text that can be changed before and after.”
This is why Tesler would almost certainly have loved the idea of doing justice to his first invention. It is called the “key”, and it is the smallest keyboard in the world, and it consists of only three keys, just those keys: “Ctrl”, “C” and “V”.
Designed and created by “Stack Overflow”, a website where you can ask questions and get answers on various topics, which has identified the most frequent activity of its 15 million copy-and-paste subscribers. Not surprisingly, The Key’s original idea was a provocative April Fool’s Day look at the erroneous habit of doing exactly what others have done: For the mock release, the company has released the news that manual copying down with Ctrl C and V will quickly become a drawing for anyone. He does not have the appropriate keyboard.
So many people fall for it from the photoshopped image, those on Stack Overflow immediately think about how to really put it into production. The first batch, limited to a few hundred pieces, disappears like fresh bread in the morning, while the second batch is on its way. For those interested: The Key, currently the most professional method of copying, costs $19, which is more or less than €16. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a non-profit organization that cares about the most disadvantaged communities in the United States, where there is almost nothing to copy.
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