the activation of this browse key firstly renders browsing of the visual indicators between different configurations i e a change in the appearance of the keys on the keyboard and secondly to a change in the computer 39 s decoder dependent on the changed appearance data so that the scan codes are interpreted as the correct actions the activation of this browse key consequently includes communication 62 between the keyboard and the computer the functionality of the browse key makes it especially easy to reconfigure the key settings for the keyboard this is especially advantageous when there is a limited number of keys or at least fewer keys than the desired number of key functions consequently the browse key can be arranged to be used as the shift or the alt gr key for example in one embodiment a keyboard could be arranged with a row of numeric keys at the top of the keyboard as is normally the case but where only the numbers are indicated on the keys 39 display in one mode a single keystroke of the browse key will thereby replace the numbers with the alternative characters corresponding to the combined activation of shift and the respective key i e the characters u201c additional activation of the browse key may render these alternative characters to be replaced with the next setting of alternative keys which correspond to the combined activation of the alt or key and the respective number key i e u00a3.