As mentioned above, you can switch between a logical page numbering (default) and a physical one with the 'y' key. But what are the major differences between these two?
In a normal plain-TEX<#208#><#208#> text they do not show at all. Only when you alter the page numbering inside a TEX<#209#><#209#> file do differences occur.
For one, at turning pages. The same way as, in case of the logical numbering, you always get to the page with the next biggest number with the <#210#>RETURN<#210#> key, you always get, in case of the physical numbering, to the page which is coming next after the current page in the DVI file.
But also at jumping to the end of the text differences occur. In the logical mode, when pressing <#211#>SHIFT RETURN<#211#>, you jump to the page with the biggest logical page number. In the physical mode on the other hand, to the last page within the DVI file.
As mentioned, you switch between the two kinds of page numbering methods with the 'y' key. But as also already mentioned, you can only switch from the logical mode to the physical mode temporarily (only for the command to be executed). This happens through the Control-key. Pressed together with one of the keys <#212#>RETURN ENTER - BACKSPACE . g<#212#> the next change of page is executed in the physical mode. After that you are back in the logical mode immediately.