Windows keyboard work with mac?

I want to get an external keyboard to use with my macbook in windows and in OS X.

Will a normal windows keyboard work fine? If it does work what buttons would be different?

 

Yes it will work.

All the buttons should be the same iirc.

Though advantages of getting apple keyboards, is that you get all the shortcuts on the f-keys, already on the keyboard, and pre-configured. And theres expose keys too, and fn key. Though there is no numlock on apple keyboards.

 

Yes, it will work fine!

 

How would a mac keyboard work in windows? I use both evenly, but I would switch the keyboard between some windows machines as well if I need to work on them.

Would I need different drivers or need to map different keys in windows xp-vista to make the mac keybord work on it?

 

Not to be overly one-sided, but let's face it: Mac keyboards are overpriced.
If you are going to spend a decent amount of money on a keyboard get a nice one from Logitech, and if you aren't looking to spend much I still recommend something other than Apple's low end keyboards.

Just my $0.02. (Please don't bash me for my oppinion just because I posted something not favoring Mac in the Apple section )

 

Yep! You can definitely use either a Mac-keyboard or Windows keyboard on either OSX or Windows. I have the Aluminum thin-style-chiclet-keys keyboard which works nicely in both scenarios. However...

I agree with Shoelace in that the Mac keyboards are a bit too pricey for what you get, and that a Logitech keyboard works wonders.

 

How hard is it to map the keys of a windows keyboard to work in OS 10.5?

At Walmart I see they have microsoft keyboards for only 20 dollars. Would one of them work fine?

 

Yes, but the OP was asking if it will work, not what price it is. So whether you're right or not, it's not relevant to this discussion.

 

There isn't really any mapping that has to be done. A windows keyboard has all of the same keys that a mac one does, although it does have some extras, like scroll lock and numlock.

If anything, you might have to choose what the function keys do (like f1, etc), but i think thats just in system preferences.

Either way, it'll function fine in osx. Only real difference is that the apple key would be a windows key now.

 

Yeah, worst thing really is just switching back and forth and remembering that a couple of the keys positions have moved...although you already have that issue if you switch back and forth between Windows and OS X

 

Yes, but he wasn't referring to the OP, he was referring to the person that asked if a Mac keyboard can work in windows.

 

It does work, but a few keys get switched around like your apple key/option key.

 

More then then. All the F keys from F1 to F8 don't work properly. The volume keys and mute keys do not work. Those were keys that were used quite often.

 

The function keys should work the same as far as I know. They have when I've used a non OS X keyboard with OS X at any rate. The media keys won't work if your keyboard has those, but those are a minority of keys.

 

Just a standard keyboard. The macbook used F3 for mute, F4 for volume down, and F5 for volume up. Those do not work.

For some reason Scrl lock turns the screen brightness down on the new keyboard and pause turns the brightness up. None of the keys function for the volume though.

If anyone else has a standard windows keyboard they could hook up and try to help out that would be great.