On This Day: Jan 30 - 'CtrlAltDelete' Guy Steps Down (Reblog: 1.30.2004)

'CtrlAltDelete' Inventor Restarts Career

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - David Bradley spent five minutes writing the computer code that has bailed out the world's PC users for decades. The result was one of the most well-known key combinations around: CtrlAltDelete. It forces obstinate computers to restart when they will no longer follow other commands. Bradley, 55, is getting a new start of his own. He's retiring Friday after 28 1/2 years with IBM. Some quips from Mr. Bradley: "I didn't know it was going to be a cultural icon," Bradley said. "I did a lot of other things than CtrlAltDelete, but I'm famous for that one." "I may have invented it, but Bill made it famous." --At a 20-year celebration for the IBM PC, when Bradley was on a panel with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and other tech icons when the discussion turned to the keys.

I never gave "who invented CntlAltDelete" any thought until today but without this fellow and whomever invented "CtrlC,CtrlV," I'd be in dire straits.