Turbo!!!

[Teg]

I have pondered about this for a long time now. I have consulted about the issue with a few before. They have explained the problem as that of an outdated device.

Why is there a "turbo" key on my keyboard? I have used many antiquated computers and all were without the key. Did I miss a beat somewhere?

 

[Bebelina]

I do not have a turbo key, but would like to have one, if it speeds up the net.

 

[wet1]

Probably this question belongs to another forum.

Why is there a "turbo" key on my keyboard? I have used many antiquated computers and all were without the key.

The turbo was a button, in most cases, on the computer case. What it did was to increase the speed of the computer. For some reason computer manufactures thought that you might want to run at a slower speed. One day they had a "better idea" and took it off as everyone operated in turbo mode anyway. I suspect that it had to do with heat generation that faster speeds made. That yours is located on the key board is unusal. It makes me wonder; How old is this computer you are using?

 

[Stryder]

I think you will find the reason that there was a turbo key was due to Floating point operends that had a nasty habit of getting a little mixed up at such high (486x66 etc) speeds.

So the idea was to lower your processor, so it didn't run like a programmer on caffine and get his calculations wrong.

 

[MuliBoy]

A turbo-button would have a great feel-good factor to it wouldn´t it?
I wish I had one. My finger would be resting on it all the time

 

[wet1]

I had a 386 and a 486 that had the turbo button on the case. If you ever used the slow speed, it took forever to get anything accomplished so it was always on.

 

[Teg]

It's the keyboard. I do not have a terribly old computer (not sure, but I can bet that an AMD 1.4 is not such an archaic device, but then again in computer years a one year=10 so it can be considered a young adult). The keyboard, however, was one of those random purchase desicions. It is called the Turbo-Trak. It can't be that old as it has the windows key. The funny part is that it works much better than the wholly inadequate device that accompanied my machine (press one letter and a different letter comes out, or weird symbols, or nothing). I have a third keyboard that lacks a windows key.

I have heard horror stories about programs and games that work off the system clock speed have timing problems. Archaic typing tutors and scrolling programs have this tendency.

I suppose that eventually I will break down and purchase a USB keyboard.