Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!ucsd!pacbell.com!ames!amdahl!dgcad!dg-rtp!gamecock!hagins From: hagins@gamecock.rtp.dg.com (Jody Hagins) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer Subject: Re: cntl-alt-del trap Message-ID: <1991Jan29.164715.20309@dg-rtp.dg.com> Date: 29 Jan 91 16:47:15 GMT References: <24752@grebyn.com> <43301@ut-emx.uucp> Sender: usenet@dg-rtp.dg.com (Usenet Administration) Reply-To: hagins@gamecock.rtp.dg.com (Jody Hagins) Distribution: na Organization: Data General Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC Lines: 61 In article , valley@uchicago (Doug Dougherty) writes: |> nather@ut-emx.uucp (Ed Nather) writes: |> |> (DD) >> |> (DD) >> My $.02 worth. I always thought this was a dumb idea. I mean all you |> (DD) >> do is force the pern to find the reset switch when (N.B., not "if"!) the |> (DD) >> machine locks up. [...] |> |> >You are making an incorrect assumption, that the only time you want to trap |> >this combination is when the machine "locks up." Be aware that people use |> |> I should have been more verbose. I was hoping people would be able to |> read between the lines. My overall point is that trapping c/a/b is not |> a technical issue at all; it is a training issue. You need to train |> your users that there are a few things they shouldn't do when using your |> software; the following lists some, but by no means all, of these things: |> |> 1) c/a/b |> 2) reset |> 3) turning the machine off |> 4) unplugging the machine |> 5) pouring Coke on the keyboard |> 6) dropping the machine |> 7) etc... |> |> What trapping c/a/b really does is make it harder for the support |> programmer to deal with the machine, while not making it any harder for |> the user (intentionally or not) to do something "bad". |> |> (This probably doesn't belong in this [technical] conference at all, but that |> is my $0.86 worth) |> This brings up the debate of what is expected of the user. In general, I have come to assume that all users are brain dead, and completely incompenent. This assumption (the only safe assumption to ever make when writing software) keeps me at the keyboard an extra 10-20 percent doing extra testing, and error trapping. However, it does keep the users happy, which, in turn keeps them coming back for more. By the way, I do NOT trap c/a/d (or cntrl-alt-panic as i have come to know it). The way I figure it, I cant trap the power switch, which could do the same, if not worse, damage, so I don't trap the sequence either. The only thing it protects you from is a malicious user, which in that case, you pay to have your system secured, which would include keyboard locking, etc. -- Jody Hagins hagins@gamecock.rtp.dg.com Data General Corp. 62 Alexander Dr. RTP, N.C. 27709 (919) 248-6035 Nothing I ever say reflects the opinions of DGC.