Keyboard layouts vary to support different languages so it is important to consider the variety of keyboards during the design phase. For example, you should not hard code short-cut keys (key combinations that perform specific commands) until you ensure that the short-cut keys are available to your audience. In addition to the availability of keys, there are ergonomic issues to consider. The short-cut keys you select should be easy to type. For example, typing CTRL-} on a United States keyboard is simple, however on a Finnish keyboard it requires three separate keys to complete the same function. Also, the at symbol (@) is one keystroke on United States keyboards but three keystrokes in some markets.
