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Where is the Any Key?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i-always-wondered dept.

ricembr noted that compaq has finally provided a FAQ to the world to ask that long standing question where is the any key? Pray that this was added to the FAQ as a joke, and not in response to legitimate need ;)

7 of 369 comments (clear)

  1. Finally!? by Drakin · · Score: 5, Informative

    Read the bloody thing! It was added in 2001!

    1. Re:Finally!? by fallacy · · Score: 4, Informative

      The Way Back Machine has the answers:

      It seems that it was first created in 1999. A modification seems to be the fact that the title changed from "Compaq FAQ: Where do I find the any key on my keyboard? (FAQ2859)" to quoting the "Any" key (along with the relevant change in the text).

  2. Re:Old solaris keyboards by ShortSpecialBus · · Score: 3, Informative

    I believe those are the meta keys, which do have many functions in emacs and the like.

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  3. The FAQ is wrong by terminal.dk · · Score: 4, Informative

    Unfortunately, I have discovered that the FAQ is wrong.

    As I am lazy, I often pick a key near the edge of the keyboard, and I have found that ctrl, caps lock, alt, and shift are not any key at all.

    The FAQ should be updated to reflect that some keys just are not any key.

  4. Better answer: by Alsee · · Score: 5, Informative

    If anyone ever actually asks you that question it is vital to give the simplest answer possible. Compaq's FAQ answer is still "too complicated" and may cause the loss of your own sanity when they still get confused.

    Better answer:

    "Any key" is another name for the space bar.

    At this point they will inevitably make a second second assault on your sanity. It is vital to be prepared for this devious one-two combo attack. The deady follow-up question is generally some varient of 'why', such as "why didn't they just say to press the space bar?" or "why isn't the spacebar propery labeled?"

    No matter what the exact question is, the only safe answer is:

    "I don't know."

    If they keep asking about it just keep repeating "I don't know" until the psych-assault ends. Trying to give any other answer will result in severe pain and possible loss of sanity.

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  5. hmm.. by abhisarda · · Score: 4, Informative

    nobody thought of this link? or did somebody already post it?
    Computer stupidities.

  6. Re:Obligatory WP Post by Rojo^ · · Score: 4, Informative

    That particular story has been told not only regarding Word Perfect's tech support, but several other service providers and software support lines. Check out this explanation of the origins of this particular story, which probably didn't really happen at all.

    Good story though. Quite relevant =) I wish I could tell my users that just about every day.

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