Off Topic - Question for ye olde computer geeks

[DirectorTsaarx]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:

quote:

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why I just can't simply Shut my computer off by using the power button whenever I want too.

Hold the button for about 5 seconds, and it will turn off.

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Of course, if you do that, Windows will complain that it wasn't properly shut down and will want to do a disk check the next time you power up. And any program you had open when you powered off is at risk for having some important initialization file get completely trashed in the process. Assuming that simply powering off the computer & powering it back on doesn't destroy the Windows Registry, of course...

In all fairness, Solaris/Unix/Linux don't react well to sudden losses of power (or forced reboots) either. Makes me long for the days of the old TRS-80, where you just had to be careful not to have a floppy disk in the drive at startup or risk losing the floppy; or the Apple II; or any computer running DOS...