Abstract: A keyboard includes a number of key buttons, each of which is mounted to move vertically above a display panel, such as an LCD. Each of the key buttons includes a transparent central portion, through which an area of the display panel is viewed. A computer system drives the display panel to produce variable legends, indicating the characters that will be added to a document being generated in response to the depression of the key buttons as a function of an operating state of the computer system. The computer system may additionally be programmed to display information provided by the user to indicate the functions assigned by the user to the key buttons.