Before trying an application on the Cambridge Z88, you need to be familiar with the basic concepts which are common to all applications. These involve selecting what you want to do, be it running an application or performing an operation within an application, and then carrying it out with the appropriate command from the keyboard.
The keyboard
The Cambridge Z88 keyboard looks like a normal typewriter keyboard with the familiar qwerty arrangement of letters.
There are some additional keys on each side of the keyboard which have the special functions explained below.
The letter and number keys
Press the letter keys alone to give the lower-case letters, or with SHIFT to get capitals. You can get capitals without needing to hold down SHIFT by pressing CAPSLOCK - see below.
Press the digit keys on the top row of the keyboard to give the digits, or with SHIFT to give the symbol above each digit on the key.
Vote that, unlike on some typewriters, the letter O is quite different in meaning Yom the digit 0, and the letter l (lower-case L) from the digit 1.
On the left-hand side of the keyboard:
| ESC | will normally cancel what you are currently doing, and go back to the most appropriate point just before. |
| TAB | is like the tabulate key on a typewriter. Use it for making columns of figures, or arranging tables. |
| MENU | enables you to select which of the Cambridge Z88's operations you want to carry out. These are explained in greater detail in the section Using menus on p. 20. |
| INDEX | will return you to the Index from within an application. |
| HELP | gives you a display of information about the action you are currently carrying out. Further information is then available on related topics. |
| introduces a short cut to calling an application or a popdown. | |
| introduces a short cut for carrying out an operation within an application or popdown. A list of the most useful of these operations is given on the Single key functions card, above the Cambridge Z88 keyboard. |
On the right-hand side of the keyboard:
| DEL | rubs out the last character you typed at the keyboard. |
| ENTER | is normally typed at the end of a line to confirm what you have just typed, or to go to the beginning of the next line, like the carriage return on a typewriter. |
| move the cursor up, down, left or right on the screen. |
Caps lock modes
Two caps lock modes are available which determine the way that the SHIFT key operates. The mode selected is indicated by a symbol at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. The state of the caps lock mode is stored with each application, so you can, for example, keep one mode set up for PipeDream and another for BASIC. The operation of each mode is as follows:
| selects Normal Caps mode. The letter keys give capitals, irrespective of the SHIFT key. Displays: CAPS | |
| selects Inverted Caps mode, giving capital letters normally, and lower-case with the SHIFT key. Displays: caps | |
| CAPSLOCK | switches on and off the selected mode. |
Special characters
' gives ' (grave accent), and
SPACE gives an exact space, displayed as '...' .
Cleaning the keyboard
The keyboard should be kept free from dust by cleaning it periodically with a damp lint-free cloth, or sponge. Solvents should not be used.