PE> No, The C-A-D sequence is recognized by the BIOS on your
PE> machine (I think) and this causes a jump to the startup
PE> routines in the BIOS (I think), so your whole computer reboots.

RS> Nope, most multitaskers hook that and just close that window.

BG> OS/2 sure doesn't.  No matter where you are (dunno about
BG> Win-OS/2 though), it will gently close everything which
BG> is running at the time, then shut down.

RS> Yeah, a deficiency IMO.

BG> Dunno, C-A-D in Windows just kills the offending app as you know,
BG> but rather than its non-presence in OS/2 being a deficiency, I think
BG> it's just a different mindset myself, as OS/2 handles its critical
BG> errors differently.

But the point is that many multitaskers DELIBERATELY trap that CAD and to
that with it. It really is quite handy at times. Some like DV even have
its detail a bit different to the alternative way of closing an app at the
OS level. It allows you to specify that an app cant just be closed at the
OS level by the user, mostly used for apps where thats quite dangerous.
Then if it really does die, and you do want to close it, you can CAD it.

BG> The WPS should theoretically never lock up, as it's a parent
BG> process and can't be killed as such without killing the OS too,
BG> hence their use of Ctl-Esc to either bring up the Window List
BG> from which dodgy apps can be selectively killed, even if the
BG> PC appears to have hung (remember the oft-stated "press Ctl-Esc
BG> and go and make a cup of tea" suggestion?).

Sure, but thats a different issue entirely, they all have some task
maintenance menu like that TOO. Separate issue to what CAD does.

BG> In a way, I prefer not using C-A-D for anything other than
BG> a full soft reset, as it's just too easy to fuck up if
BG> you're normally a Win user, have booted native DOS instead,
BG> and accidentally hit C-A-D to stop an offensive DOS app.

Spose so, but then that assumes you do often run plain old
single tasking DOS. Cant say I ever do except when doing
some extremely hardware maintenance type stuff. Medieval.

--- PQWK202