The next time you terminate a program, or restart your computer using the CTRL+ALT+DEL shortcut, think of David Bradley; the IBM engineer that invented the command. During a gathering in 2004 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the IBM PC, the veteran engineer revealed that he’d created the shortcut to save time, since his work required him to frequently power down and restart his computer. He says never intended to make the combination public but was prevailed upon by IBM who found it extremely useful.

Read on below to see a video of Bradley recounting the creation of this now-iconic shortcut, and watch as Bill Gates does not take a jab at Microsoft with the best of graces.

For the sake of historical accuracy I should point out that while Bradely does take the credit in this video, Wikipedia notes that the CTRL+ALT+DEL may have been invented in 1975 by a Michael Donald Wise. If there are any wayward history Ph.D. students out there, this could be thesis material!

(via Hack A Day, image via Jose Antonio)

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