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Revision as of 11:47, 15 May 2007
A button is a simple physical mechanism for controlling some aspect of a machine. Buttons are typically made out of hard material, usually plastic or metal. The surface is usually flat or shaped to accommodate the human finger or hand, so as to be easily depressed or pushed. When the button is pushed, an event (usually electrical in nature) takes place; for example, an electrical circuit might be completed.
Most aspects of button functionality are covered in the Switch article. Many buttons are biased switches which return to their original state immediately after being depressed.
Also, buttons are not exclusively electrical in nature. Some buttons might ring a bell or cause other actions through purely physical means. For example, typewriter keys could reasonably be considered buttons.
In popular culture, the phrase "the button" (sometimes capitalized) refers to a (usually fictional) button that a military or government leader could press to launch nuclear weapons.
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