from
Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)
plokta
/plok't@/, v.
[acronym: Press Lots Of Keys To Abort] To press random keys in an
attempt to get some response from the system. One might plokta when
the abort procedure for a program is not known, or when trying to
figure out if the system is just sluggish or really hung. Plokta can
also be used while trying to figure out any unknown key sequence for a
particular operation. Someone going into plokta mode usually places
both hands flat on the keyboard and mashes them down, hoping for some
useful response.
A slightly more directed form of plokta can often be seen in mail
messages or Usenet articles from new users -- the text might end with
^X^C
q
quit
:q
^C
end
x
exit
ZZ
^D
?
help
as the user vainly tries to find the right exit sequence, with the
incorrect tries piling up at the end of the message....
from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
plokta
/plok't*/ Press Lots Of Keys To Abort. To press random keys
in an attempt to get some response from the system. One might
plokta when the abort procedure for a program is not known, or
when trying to figure out if the system is just sluggish or
really hung. Plokta can also be used while trying to figure
out any unknown key sequence for a particular operation.
Someone going into "plokta mode" usually places both hands
flat on the keyboard and mashes them down, hoping for some
useful response.
A slightly more directed form of plokta can often be seen in
mail messages or {Usenet} articles from new users - the text
might end with
^X^C
q
quit
:q
^C
end
x
exit
ZZ
^D
?
help
as the user vainly tries to find the right exit sequence, with
the incorrect tries piling up at the end of the message.
[{Jargon File}]