What is the key to the break?
The key of breaks found on many modern keyboards has a history that can be traced back to the telegraphs. This timely use of the interruption key was in fact a switch that could be used to bridge contacts in the telegraph machine and send a constant signal when it was not used. Later examples of interruption keys existed in early teleletpes and computers that used time sharing scheme. Modern personal computers also included the keys to the turning keys to many keyboard designs and had different features. Most modern keyboards have a combined pause/breaking key that can stop a text output or show different behavior, depending on the program used. These devices were operated by pressing the button for gradual creation and interrupting the electrical connection in a particular pattern that could be interpreted to represent numbers and letters. When it was not used, the signal was the typically sent continuously to indicate that the transfer linewas in operation. A switch or key could be activated before transferring a message to interrupt the connection.
Later Teletpe machines also included a break key that could be used to alert the operator that the message would soon be transmitted. The key of the break in these circumstances usually transmitted a special character that could activate the remote machine before sending the actual message. The same key and non -printing character also had use on computers with time sharing, as it could often be used to interrupt or violate a modem connection.
Some early microcomputers also had the keys to break, although the function was usually different. These broken keys were sometimes used to start warm system restarts or cold when used in conjunction with other keys. Microcomputers tochs the keys from the break could sometimes simulate their functionality with another combinesAcknowledge the keys.
Modern computers often have a combined pause/breaking key, although its function is not universal across operating systems (OS) or even programs. Some computers use their pauses/breaks to stop text displays in the disk operating system (DOS) or in another similar environment. One common use is by pressing the Pause/Break button during the boot to read the text output from the basic input/output system (BIOS). It can also be useful in operating a DOS window or an end window that has a limited number of imaging lines and without the possibility of scrolling. In other circumstances, the key is used to interrupt the program or in combination with another key to display information.