Why is the right Alt key called Alt Gr?

ash.burton | 22:03 Mon 22nd Mar 2004 | Technology

1 Answers

This question has bugged me for millennia (well, it seems that way), why is the Alt Gr key called Alt Gr? Grrrrrr!

Disconnect from internet

PORT SCAN

Answers

Only 1 answer

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by ash.burton. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.

IndieSinger

Well I've heard a rumour that the Alt Gr is only found on European keyboards and it's short for Alternative Graphic.

I know this wasn't in your question, but in case you don't know - for any key on your keyboard which has three characters (for example, the number 4 at the top which also houses the $ and the '), you can hold down Alt Gr and press the key to obtain the third symbol (in this case, the ').

Alt Gr is actually exactly the same as pressing Ctrl and Alt together (try pressing Alt, Ctrl and 4 to produce the ' symbol).

Only 1 answer

Do you know the answer?