Gates: Ctrl+Alt+Del command a mistake

janusz · 27 Sep 2013, 02:08 AM

Bill Gates has described the decision to use Ctrl+Alt+Del as the command needed to log on to a PC as a mistake.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24045598

FredOnline · 27 Sep 2013, 04:02 AM

Or even better: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24283185

Tsunami · 27 Sep 2013, 08:29 PM

Earlier on one of the pioneers on development of the internet apologised for the loss of time each time we type http:// , as he said he now understands http: without the double slash would have worked equally well.

I think it's all a matter of habit. We're so used to ctrl+alt+delete that learning to use just one button instead would lead to more loss of time and more confusion than sticking to good old ctrl+alt+delete. I also don't see the use of revamping keyboards worldwide to bypass such simple and harmless "issue".

kaptitsky · 27 Sep 2013, 10:39 PM

The problem isn't the keyboard of course, it's BIOS programming, the keyboard driver in the hardware.

Ctrl-Alt-Del generated a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) at the basic input output system (BIOS) level, which could be acted on even if the running program hung and the regular keyboard inputs were being ignored.

In DOS, this triggered a reboot, which the designer thought would be a debug only thing. (Does anyone remember the little plastic button you clipped onto your Mac, that held a little prong which went through the case vents to hit the reset switch on the motherboard? I think they called it the programmer's button. Same idea, but with a contraption.)

It's the use in Windows that is more suspect. In that case, BIOS starts to become less relevant in the computer, as Windows drivers take over. Still, that NMI was useful, so it stayed.

But it never had to be the way to access the logon screen, even if it did have to be the way to reboot in DOS from a hung programme, so that one, well, that's down to BG.

DrStrabismus · 28 Sep 2013, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsunami

Earlier on one of the pioneers on development of the internet apologised for the loss of time each time we type http:// , as he said he now understands http: without the double slash would have worked equally well.

In practice you seldom need to type http:// because it's typically assumed if you miss it out.

What I find annoying is that archive.org preloads its search box with http:// even though it's not needed, it's purely something you need to delete when pasting a url.

27 Sep 2013, 02:08 AM	#1
janusz The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: EU Posts: 4,945	Gates: Ctrl+Alt+Del command a mistake Bill Gates has described the decision to use Ctrl+Alt+Del as the command needed to log on to a PC as a mistake. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24045598

27 Sep 2013, 10:39 PM	#4
kaptitsky The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,186	The problem isn't the keyboard of course, it's BIOS programming, the keyboard driver in the hardware. Ctrl-Alt-Del generated a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) at the basic input output system (BIOS) level, which could be acted on even if the running program hung and the regular keyboard inputs were being ignored. In DOS, this triggered a reboot, which the designer thought would be a debug only thing. (Does anyone remember the little plastic button you clipped onto your Mac, that held a little prong which went through the case vents to hit the reset switch on the motherboard? I think they called it the programmer's button. Same idea, but with a contraption.) It's the use in Windows that is more suspect. In that case, BIOS starts to become less relevant in the computer, as Windows drivers take over. Still, that NMI was useful, so it stayed. But it never had to be the way to access the logon screen, even if it did have to be the way to reboot in DOS from a hung programme, so that one, well, that's down to BG. Last edited by kaptitsky : 28 Sep 2013 at 05:03 PM.

27 Sep 2013, 04:02 AM	#2
FredOnline The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 2,616	Or even better: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24283185

27 Sep 2013, 08:29 PM	#3
Tsunami The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: in between the bright lights and the far unlit unknown Posts: 2,341	Earlier on one of the pioneers on development of the internet apologised for the loss of time each time we type http:// , as he said he now understands http: without the double slash would have worked equally well. I think it's all a matter of habit. We're so used to ctrl+alt+delete that learning to use just one button instead would lead to more loss of time and more confusion than sticking to good old ctrl+alt+delete. I also don't see the use of revamping keyboards worldwide to bypass such simple and harmless "issue".