With numlock they are cursor keys. Once they were the only cursor keys. So You were entering

Alt + Insert (Often not used)
Alt + Down Arrow (Often not used)
Alt + Left Arrow (Previous Page in IE)
Alt + Home (Goto Home Page in IE)

--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://webdiary.smh.com.au/archives/...nt/001075.html
=================================================
"Marty" <mart915@REEMOOVEfrontiernet.net> wrote in message news:uQLepQH0FHA.404@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> "David Candy" <.> wrote in message
> news:eR2xK8F0FHA.2792@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Press Numlock.
>
> Thanks, that does the trick, although it's a puzzlement why some characters
> behave differently than others.
>
>
>
> --
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> http://webdiary.smh.com.au/archives/...nt/001075.html
> =================================================
> "Marty" <mart915@REEMOOVEfrontiernet.net> wrote in message
> news:OBA9FiF0FHA.2212@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> On web site message boards, I can't type certain special characters. For
>> example, take the division sign, ÷, which is created by typing Alt+0247.
>> If
>> I try to type that into a message box, when I type the "4", the box
>> disappears and it reverts to the previous page, as if the Back button were
>> clicked. Then if I continue to hold down Alt, type the "7" and release the
>> Alt, it reverts to Google, my home page, with the ÷ in the search box.
>> This
>> also happens with the plus/minus sign, Alt+0177. I have no trouble with
>> such
>> characters as ½, ¾ and ¢.
>>
>> What in the world is going on? Never saw anything like this in 98SE.
>>
>>
>
>