Computer Oddities

95five-0 · 08-22-2006, 12:32 PM

I though I would start a tread and people could list some of the strange things they have seen computer do over the years. Like the fact you cannot name a folder con in windows. Go ahead try you can't. So lets hear some more.

Zazula · 08-22-2006, 01:25 PM

Yes, this is indeed a rather amusing characteristic of Windows, yet it is not an actual oddity, because it is the offspring on DOS naming conventions being carried from those days of yore to nowadays operating systems.

As a matter of fact, no file or folder can be named CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, or LPT9. Here are the rules to Windows Naming Conventions.

The reason people tend to be so surprised with CON is IHMO the fact that most of us have forgotten the DOS days and this DOS Device Name wasn't ever nearly as widespread as the other ones. Well, CON stands for "console", i.e. keyboard and screen... All the device names:

Code:

  Reserved name   Device
  AUX             First connected serial port
  PRN             First connected parallel port
  COM1 thru COM4  Serial ports (modem, mouse, etc.)
  LPT1 thru LPT3  Parallel ports (printer)
  CON             Keyboard and screen
  NUL             Dummy (testing purposes)

...And an internal command for creating a quick batch file in DOS or Windows (in this example, to create the oddity batch file):

Code:

copy con oddity.bat

ebackhus · 08-22-2006, 02:01 PM

Here's an oddity...

Office includes an auto-save feature because it's pretty much guaranteed to crash on you.

Zazula · 08-22-2006, 02:24 PM

My troubleshooting wits had bumped into a solid wall when I was trying to help a (non-blonde, btw) friend of mine over the phone. I was telling her to press a key, and instead of the thing moving on, nothing was happening. Talk about an oddity - I was driven almost crazy... we had checked all settings etc... When I drove by her place and redictated to her what I was telling her over the phone, I was soon to discover why: she kept cutely pressing Escape every single time (never tried another, different key!) because, as she explained in response to my resulting rage, "it was so conveniently located on the upper left corner"... Speechless, guys, speechless...

**karusho** · 08-22-2006, 05:58 PM

Wait, are you saying that whenever it says 'Press Any Key', the Esc Key doesn't work?

**toxict3arz** · 08-22-2006, 06:12 PM

does esc really stand for escape?

and has anyone every used the pause/break key on their keyboard ever in there life?

**Fox** · 08-22-2006, 06:16 PM

I've used the pause/break key to view BIOS messages that would otherwise flash by too quickly...

In win98 and win95, typing "C:\con\con" into the run dialog would make the computer bluescreen. In fact, back then you could make a link in AIM with <a href="file://c:\con\con">click here</a> and it would freeze the recipient's computer if they clicked on it.

ebackhus · 08-22-2006, 06:32 PM

I used pause/break extensively when writing in BASIC back in the day. it's also useful for BIOS reading, as Fox mentioned.

yustr · 08-22-2006, 09:08 PM

I 'm sure that I won't remember this exactly but... the auto correct function in MS Outlook corrected my misspelling of "niggate" to a word that got my African-American co-worker rather upset. Luckily he was a good natured fellow - afterall he was 6'6" and had to top 350lbs. (Don't quote me on the word - I wanted to forget it as soon as possible.)

**Fox** · 08-22-2006, 09:18 PM

I'm surprised that they even have that word in autocorrect. That must have been really awkward...

sinclair_tm · 08-22-2006, 09:55 PM

this has to be one of my favorite errors ever.
Attachment 6765
i have another one, but the screenshot is at work where i got it. i just need to remember to send the file to myself.

yustr · 08-23-2006, 07:08 AM

I'd be more worried about the pic of "Abbagold" you've got on your desktop....especially if that's album cover art....Abba???

sinclair_tm · 08-23-2006, 02:32 PM

hey, dancing queen is a catchy tune!

~~bicycle~~ · 08-23-2006, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toxict3arz

does esc really stand for escape?

and has anyone every used the pause/break key on their keyboard ever in there life?

I use it often. It is little quicker way to go to device manager in 98 or XP.

Windows key+pause/break.

**toxict3arz** · 08-23-2006, 06:11 PM

wow~~

all this time i didnt know that

thnx!

sinclair_tm · 08-23-2006, 10:58 PM

here is one of the best things i've ever seen. it was the error i got at work, and it took everything i had not to bust out laughing when i read it.
xperr.jpg

**devil lady** · 08-23-2006, 11:07 PM

Aint that the truth.

08-22-2006, 12:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
95five-0 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Corinth, TX Posts: 1,339 OS: 2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008	Computer Oddities I though I would start a tread and people could list some of the strange things they have seen computer do over the years. Like the fact you cannot name a folder con in windows. Go ahead try you can't. So lets hear some more. __________________ "If it's really a supercomputer, how come the bullets don't bounce off when I shoot it ?" <<PC Pitstop>><< AVG Free>><<Spybot>><<Everest 2.0>><<Trend Micro House Call>><<HijackThis How-to>>

08-22-2006, 01:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zazula Manager Emeritus, I'm blond, James Blond Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 7,643 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Yes, this is indeed a rather amusing characteristic of Windows, yet it is not an actual oddity, because it is the offspring on DOS naming conventions being carried from those days of yore to nowadays operating systems. As a matter of fact, no file or folder can be named CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, or LPT9. Here are the rules to Windows Naming Conventions. The reason people tend to be so surprised with CON is IHMO the fact that most of us have forgotten the DOS days and this DOS Device Name wasn't ever nearly as widespread as the other ones. Well, CON stands for "console", i.e. keyboard and screen... All the device names: Code: Reserved name Device AUX First connected serial port PRN First connected parallel port COM1 thru COM4 Serial ports (modem, mouse, etc.) LPT1 thru LPT3 Parallel ports (printer) CON Keyboard and screen NUL Dummy (testing purposes) ...And an internal command for creating a quick batch file in DOS or Windows (in this example, to create the oddity batch file): Code: copy con oddity.bat __________________ "Time is the wisest because it discovers everything" Thales of Miletus (ca.624BC-ca.546BC) "Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca.535BC-475BC) "One thing I know, that I know nothing" Socrates of Athens (ca.470BC–399BC)

08-22-2006, 02:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 12,767 OS: WinXP Pro SP3 My System Blog Entries: 25	Here's an oddity... Office includes an auto-save feature because it's pretty much guaranteed to crash on you. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

08-22-2006, 02:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
Zazula Manager Emeritus, I'm blond, James Blond Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 7,643 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	My troubleshooting wits had bumped into a solid wall when I was trying to help a (non-blonde, btw) friend of mine over the phone. I was telling her to press a key, and instead of the thing moving on, nothing was happening. Talk about an oddity - I was driven almost crazy... we had checked all settings etc... When I drove by her place and redictated to her what I was telling her over the phone, I was soon to discover why: she kept cutely pressing Escape every single time (never tried another, different key!) because, as she explained in response to my resulting rage, "it was so conveniently located on the upper left corner"... Speechless, guys, speechless... __________________ "Time is the wisest because it discovers everything" Thales of Miletus (ca.624BC-ca.546BC) "Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca.535BC-475BC) "One thing I know, that I know nothing" Socrates of Athens (ca.470BC–399BC)

08-22-2006, 06:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
Fox TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,752 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	I've used the pause/break key to view BIOS messages that would otherwise flash by too quickly... In win98 and win95, typing "C:\con\con" into the run dialog would make the computer bluescreen. In fact, back then you could make a link in AIM with <a href="file://c:\con\con">click here</a> and it would freeze the recipient's computer if they clicked on it. __________________ Antec Neo Power 500W, ABIT IP35-E, Intel E2180@2.66Ghz, Corsair XMS2 2x1GB DDR2-800, PNY 8800GT, 320GB Seagate * lazy college student alert *- If I've inadvertently ignored a thread, please Let me know about it Have I helped you solve your problem? Donate to Techsupportforums Klart Skepp!

08-22-2006, 05:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
karusho TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Silicon Valley Posts: 1,213 OS: Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista SP1, Ubuntu 8.04 My System	Wait, are you saying that whenever it says 'Press Any Key', the Esc Key doesn't work?

08-22-2006, 06:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
toxict3arz TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,227 OS: windows XP Pro	does esc really stand for escape? and has anyone every used the pause/break key on their keyboard ever in there life?

08-22-2006, 06:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 12,767 OS: WinXP Pro SP3 My System Blog Entries: 25	I used pause/break extensively when writing in BASIC back in the day. it's also useful for BIOS reading, as Fox mentioned. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

08-22-2006, 09:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
yustr Asst. Manager, The Conversation Pit Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Connecticut shore Posts: 5,007 OS: XP Pro My System	I 'm sure that I won't remember this exactly but... the auto correct function in MS Outlook corrected my misspelling of "niggate" to a word that got my African-American co-worker rather upset. Luckily he was a good natured fellow - afterall he was 6'6" and had to top 350lbs. (Don't quote me on the word - I wanted to forget it as soon as possible.) __________________ I didn't mean to say it. But I meant what I said. J. McMurtry In Vino Veritas

08-22-2006, 09:18 PM	#10 (permalink)
Fox TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,752 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	I'm surprised that they even have that word in autocorrect. That must have been really awkward... __________________ Antec Neo Power 500W, ABIT IP35-E, Intel E2180@2.66Ghz, Corsair XMS2 2x1GB DDR2-800, PNY 8800GT, 320GB Seagate * lazy college student alert *- If I've inadvertently ignored a thread, please Let me know about it Have I helped you solve your problem? Donate to Techsupportforums Klart Skepp!

08-23-2006, 07:08 AM	#12 (permalink)
yustr Asst. Manager, The Conversation Pit Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Connecticut shore Posts: 5,007 OS: XP Pro My System	I'd be more worried about the pic of "Abbagold" you've got on your desktop....especially if that's album cover art....Abba??? __________________ I didn't mean to say it. But I meant what I said. J. McMurtry In Vino Veritas

08-23-2006, 06:11 PM	#15 (permalink)
toxict3arz TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,227 OS: windows XP Pro	wow~~ all this time i didnt know that thnx!

08-23-2006, 11:07 PM	#17 (permalink)
devil lady Tech, Design Team Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 960 OS: XP SP2 My System	Aint that the truth. __________________ . HiJackThis Everest Home Edition Ad Aware Spybot S & D Ewido online scan Spyware Blaster