cokebottle

2 definitions found

cokebottle - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  cokebottle
  
     <character, humour> /kohk'bot-l/ Any unusual character,
     particularly one you can't type because it isn't on your
     keyboard.  MIT people used to complain about the
     "control-meta-cokebottle" commands at SAIL, and SAIL
     people complained about the "altmode-altmode-cokebottle"
     commands at MIT.  After the demise of the space-cadet keyboard
     , "cokebottle" was used less, but was often used to
     describe weird or non-intuitive keystrokes.
  
     The OSF/Motif window manager, "mwm" keystroke for
     switching to the default keybindings and behaviour is
     control-meta-bang.  Since exclamation mark might be
     thought to look like a Coke bottle, Motif hackers referred
     to this keystroke as "cokebottle".
  
     See also quadruple bucky.
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (1995-01-04)
  

cokebottle - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  cokebottle
   /kohk'bot.l/, n.
  
     Any very unusual character, particularly one you can't type because
  it
     isn't on your keyboard. MIT people used to complain about the
     `control-meta-cokebottle' commands at SAIL, and SAIL people
  complained
     right back about the `escape-escape-cokebottle' commands at MIT.
  After
     the demise of the space-cadet keyboard, cokebottle faded away as
     serious usage, but was often invoked humorously to describe an
     (unspecified) weird or non-intuitive keystroke command. It may be due
     for a second inning, however. The OSF/Motif window manager, mwm(1),
     has a reserved keystroke for switching to the default set of
     keybindings and behavior. This keystroke is (believe it or not)
     `control-meta-bang' (see bang). Since the exclamation point looks a
     lot like an upside down Coke bottle, Motif hackers have begun
     referring to this keystroke as cokebottle. See also quadruple  bucky
  .