• =?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=9CA_dispute_over_the_TAB_key_highlights_a_mismatch?= =?UTF-8?Q?_between_Microsoft_and_IBM_organizational_structures=E2=80=9D_by_?= =?UTF-8?Q?Raymond_Chen?=

    From Lynn McGuire@lynnmcguire5@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Wed May 6 15:43:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    rCLA dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft and
    IBM organizational structuresrCY by Raymond Chen
    https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20260505-00/?p=112298

    rCLIrCOve written in the past about the cultural mismatch between Microsoft and IBM during the collaboration on OS/2, with the Microsofties viewing
    their IBM colleagues as mired in pointless bureaucracy and the IBM folks viewing Microsofties as undisciplined hackers.-|rCY

    rCLOne of many points of mismatch was the organizational structure.rCY

    rCLA colleague recalls that while he was assigned to the IBM offices in
    Boca Raton, Florida, there was a dispute over what key should be used to
    move from one field to another in dialog boxes. The folks at IBM were
    not happy with my colleaguerCOs decision to use the TAB key, so they asked
    him to escalate the issue to his manager back in Redmond.rCY

    Ok, that resolution is funny.

    I often wonder how life would have been if I had taken that job offer
    with Microsoft in 1987.

    Lynn

    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Chris M. Thomasson@chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Thu May 7 13:29:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 5/6/2026 1:43 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
    rCLA dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft and IBM organizational structuresrCY by Raymond Chen
    -a-a https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20260505-00/?p=112298

    rCLIrCOve written in the past about the cultural mismatch between Microsoft and IBM during the collaboration on OS/2, with the Microsofties viewing their IBM colleagues as mired in pointless bureaucracy and the IBM folks viewing Microsofties as undisciplined hackers.-|rCY

    rCLOne of many points of mismatch was the organizational structure.rCY

    rCLA colleague recalls that while he was assigned to the IBM offices in
    Boca Raton, Florida, there was a dispute over what key should be used to move from one field to another in dialog boxes. The folks at IBM were
    not happy with my colleaguerCOs decision to use the TAB key, so they asked him to escalate the issue to his manager back in Redmond.rCY

    Ok, that resolution is funny.

    I often wonder how life would have been if I had taken that job offer
    with Microsoft in 1987.
    Fwiw, I always try to setup my editors to treat the TAB key as four
    spaces....
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graham J@nobody@nowhere.co.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Fri May 8 07:57:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Chris M. Thomasson wrote:

    [snip]

    Fwiw, I always try to setup my editors to treat the TAB key as four spaces....

    I like mine to emulate a real typewriter - so the tab key moves to the
    next tab position - usually a multiple of 8 spaces.
    --
    Graham J
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Michael S@already5chosen@yahoo.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Fri May 8 14:14:50 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Thu, 7 May 2026 13:29:17 -0700
    "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 5/6/2026 1:43 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
    rCLA dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft
    and IBM organizational structuresrCY by Raymond Chen
    -a-a https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20260505-00/?p=112298

    rCLIrCOve written in the past about the cultural mismatch between
    Microsoft and IBM during the collaboration on OS/2, with the
    Microsofties viewing their IBM colleagues as mired in pointless
    bureaucracy and the IBM folks viewing Microsofties as undisciplined hackers.-|rCY

    rCLOne of many points of mismatch was the organizational structure.rCY

    rCLA colleague recalls that while he was assigned to the IBM offices
    in Boca Raton, Florida, there was a dispute over what key should be
    used to move from one field to another in dialog boxes. The folks
    at IBM were not happy with my colleaguerCOs decision to use the TAB
    key, so they asked him to escalate the issue to his manager back in Redmond.rCY

    Ok, that resolution is funny.

    I often wonder how life would have been if I had taken that job
    offer with Microsoft in 1987.
    Fwiw, I always try to setup my editors to treat the TAB key as four spaces....
    I see no relationship between original post of Lynn and your reply.
    Since it is hard to believe that you reading comprehension is so poor,
    the most likely explanation would be that you didn't read original post
    at all and most likely did not even read a subject line to its end.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Chris M. Thomasson@chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Fri May 8 13:29:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 5/8/2026 4:14 AM, Michael S wrote:
    On Thu, 7 May 2026 13:29:17 -0700
    "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/6/2026 1:43 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
    rCLA dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft
    and IBM organizational structuresrCY by Raymond Chen
    -a-a https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20260505-00/?p=112298

    rCLIrCOve written in the past about the cultural mismatch between
    Microsoft and IBM during the collaboration on OS/2, with the
    Microsofties viewing their IBM colleagues as mired in pointless
    bureaucracy and the IBM folks viewing Microsofties as undisciplined
    hackers.-|rCY

    rCLOne of many points of mismatch was the organizational structure.rCY

    rCLA colleague recalls that while he was assigned to the IBM offices
    in Boca Raton, Florida, there was a dispute over what key should be
    used to move from one field to another in dialog boxes. The folks
    at IBM were not happy with my colleaguerCOs decision to use the TAB
    key, so they asked him to escalate the issue to his manager back in
    Redmond.rCY

    Ok, that resolution is funny.

    I often wonder how life would have been if I had taken that job
    offer with Microsoft in 1987.
    Fwiw, I always try to setup my editors to treat the TAB key as four
    spaces....

    I see no relationship between original post of Lynn and your reply.
    Since it is hard to believe that you reading comprehension is so poor,
    the most likely explanation would be that you didn't read original post
    at all and most likely did not even read a subject line to its end.


    Eat the TAB? ;^)
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From pyotr filipivich@phamp@mindspring.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Fri May 8 16:18:11 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> on Wed, 6 May 2026 15:43:58
    -0500 typed in alt.comp.os.windows-11 the following:
    oA dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft and
    IBM organizational structureso by Raymond Chen
    https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20260505-00/?p=112298

    oIAve written in the past about the cultural mismatch between Microsoft
    and IBM during the collaboration on OS/2, with the Microsofties viewing >their IBM colleagues as mired in pointless bureaucracy and the IBM folks >viewing Microsofties as undisciplined hackers.|o

    oOne of many points of mismatch was the organizational structure.o

    oA colleague recalls that while he was assigned to the IBM offices in
    Boca Raton, Florida, there was a dispute over what key should be used to >move from one field to another in dialog boxes. The folks at IBM were
    not happy with my colleagueAs decision to use the TAB key, so they asked
    him to escalate the issue to his manager back in Redmond.o

    Ok, that resolution is funny.

    I just wish "they" had left the Tab key above the shift key. I'm
    still hitting CAPS LOCK when I meant to tab over after all these
    years.

    I often wonder how life would have been if I had taken that job offer
    with Microsoft in 1987.

    Lynn
    --
    pyotr filipivich
    This Week's Panel: Us & Them - Eliminating Them.
    Next Month's Panel: Having eliminated the old Them(tm)
    Selecting who insufficiently Woke(tm) as to serve as the new Them(tm)
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Lynn McGuire@lynnmcguire5@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Fri May 8 18:32:43 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 5/8/2026 6:18 PM, pyotr filipivich wrote:
    Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> on Wed, 6 May 2026 15:43:58
    -0500 typed in alt.comp.os.windows-11 the following:
    rCLA dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft and
    IBM organizational structuresrCY by Raymond Chen
    https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20260505-00/?p=112298

    rCLIrCOve written in the past about the cultural mismatch between Microsoft >> and IBM during the collaboration on OS/2, with the Microsofties viewing
    their IBM colleagues as mired in pointless bureaucracy and the IBM folks
    viewing Microsofties as undisciplined hackers.-|rCY

    rCLOne of many points of mismatch was the organizational structure.rCY

    rCLA colleague recalls that while he was assigned to the IBM offices in
    Boca Raton, Florida, there was a dispute over what key should be used to
    move from one field to another in dialog boxes. The folks at IBM were
    not happy with my colleaguerCOs decision to use the TAB key, so they asked >> him to escalate the issue to his manager back in Redmond.rCY

    Ok, that resolution is funny.

    I just wish "they" had left the Tab key above the shift key. I'm
    still hitting CAPS LOCK when I meant to tab over after all these
    years.
    ...
    Me too. I am in the midst of converting 800,000 lines of F77 code to
    C++. I hit the dadgum Capslock key all the time instead of the Tab key
    whilst reformatting my new C++ code. And I have been using this 1991 Northgate Omnikey/102 keyboard since 1992.

    Lynn

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Janis Papanagnou@janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Sat May 9 01:50:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Why is that post cross-posted to so many groups?

    On 2026-05-09 01:32, Lynn McGuire wrote:
    On 5/8/2026 6:18 PM, pyotr filipivich wrote:
    Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> on Wed, 6 May 2026 15:43:58
    -0500 typed in alt.comp.os.windows-11-a the following:
    [...]

    -a-a-a-aI just wish "they" had left the Tab key above the shift key.-a I'm >> still hitting CAPS LOCK when I meant to tab over after all these
    years.

    I suggest to remap the keyboard layout. (I'm doing that once with
    every new system I get and have my peace.)

    ...
    Me too.-a I am in the midst of converting 800,000 lines of F77 code to C+ +.-a I hit the dadgum Capslock key all the time instead of the Tab key whilst reformatting my new C++ code.-a And I have been using this 1991 Northgate Omnikey/102 keyboard since 1992.

    You're doing that manually? (Then the Tab key should be your least
    concern.) There's editors with powerful formatting functions, and
    there's configurable code beautifiers.

    Janis

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Lynn McGuire@lynnmcguire5@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Fri May 8 21:00:41 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 5/8/2026 6:50 PM, Janis Papanagnou wrote:
    Why is that post cross-posted to so many groups?

    On 2026-05-09 01:32, Lynn McGuire wrote:
    On 5/8/2026 6:18 PM, pyotr filipivich wrote:
    Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> on Wed, 6 May 2026 15:43:58
    -0500 typed in alt.comp.os.windows-11-a the following:
    [...]

    -a-a-a-aI just wish "they" had left the Tab key above the shift key.-a I'm >>> still hitting CAPS LOCK when I meant to tab over after all these
    years.

    I suggest to remap the keyboard layout. (I'm doing that once with
    every new system I get and have my peace.)

    ...
    Me too.-a I am in the midst of converting 800,000 lines of F77 code to
    C+ +.-a I hit the dadgum Capslock key all the time instead of the Tab
    key whilst reformatting my new C++ code.-a And I have been using this
    1991 Northgate Omnikey/102 keyboard since 1992.

    You're doing that manually? (Then the Tab key should be your least
    concern.) There's editors with powerful formatting functions, and
    there's configurable code beautifiers.

    Janis

    Nope, I have customized version of F2C that I wrote that does 80% of the
    work for me. Getting that last 20% was just too hard though.

    Lynn

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Chris Ahlstrom@OFeem1987@teleworm.us to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Sat May 9 07:19:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    pyotr filipivich wrote this screed in ALL-CAPS:

    Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> on Wed, 6 May 2026 15:43:58
    -0500 typed in alt.comp.os.windows-11 the following:
    "A dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft and >>IBM organizational structures" by Raymond Chen

    <snippage>

    Ok, that resolution is funny.

    I just wish "they" had left the Tab key above the shift key. I'm
    still hitting CAPS LOCK when I meant to tab over after all these
    years.

    I convert CapsLk to a control key:

    setxkbmap -option ctrl:nocaps

    And to not have to reach for the Esc key, I use a little program
    called "xcape".

    <https://flenniken.net/blog/xcape/>

    The github site(s) are 404, but one can install xcape in Debian
    and Arch at least. It has a man page.

    I have it set up so that a brief (< 500ms) press on CapsLk acts
    like Esc. With a long press it acts like a Ctrl key.

    More info here:

    <https://www.reddit.com/r/vim/comments/r23z4b/til_people_on_macos_you_can_map_caps_lock_to/>
    --
    Q: How do you save a drowning lawyer?
    A: Throw him a rock.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Carlos E.R.@robin_listas@es.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Sat May 9 13:58:11 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026-05-09 01:18, pyotr filipivich wrote:
    I just wish "they" had left the Tab key above the shift key. I'm
    still hitting CAPS LOCK when I meant to tab over after all these
    years.

    Doesn't happen to me.

    Instead, when typing blind, sometimes the little finger instead of
    hitting the "a" hits the caps lock, and instead of the 's' I hit the
    'A', etc.
    --
    Cheers, Carlos.
    ESEfc-Efc+, EUEfc-Efc|;
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Keith Thompson@Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,alt.comp.os.windows-11 on Sat May 9 16:14:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> writes:
    rCLA dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft
    and IBM organizational structuresrCY by Raymond Chen
    https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20260505-00/?p=112298
    [SNIP]

    This post has triggered a lengthy discussion across four newsgroups.

    It has nothing to do with the C or C++ programming languages.

    The article is interesting, but Lynn, please don't post to clc or
    clc++ unless there's some relevance to C or C++.

    Everyone else: Please consider trimming the newsgroups if you post
    a followup.
    --
    Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com
    void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2