Turning your computer off with your foot

Usually accidental, frequently annoying.

Also rather easy to do, in my experience. I had suspected that I was one of the few people who managed to do this on a regular basis due to my somewhat unconventional computing setup

(PC lying sideways on the floor with no side panels or case - due to frequent need to fuck with its internals and the fact that it now contains six hard drives, a DVD Rom, a CDRW drive, and about half a dozen cards - something which makes it physically impossible to put the case back on anyway)

This configuration leaves the small and highly sensitive power switch lying approximately two centimeters in front of where my left foot normally resides when sitting comfortably. Thus is will not come as a surprise that reading a particularly amusing node, or playing a good game of Half Life will frequently cause a small foot spasm, resulting in the kind of rapid shut-down that Windows really doesn't like. I feel this may be a good idea because I am starting to suspect that all Windows PCs are programmed to email a tiny piece of your soul to Micro$oft every time you shut them down normally.

I wrote this node upon seeing a chat message from yossarian admitting he had just accidentally done the above to his PC, giving me a feeling of camaraderie with a fellow rapid shut-down brother.

P.S. I am considering disconnecting said power switch, mainly because I am a certified geek and almost never intentionally turn off my computer anyway...

Phew, it's not just me. I have a big power strip running under my desk, complete with a big toe-sized on/off switch, lit by red LED. I compute barefoot whenever possible (feet on a cushion - bliss), and my toes tend to seek out interesting textures or places of warmth - like glowing red switches. While my upper-half is occupied with my PC, my treacherous feet conspire against me. Click. Arrgh. I suspect it's some form of evolutionary self-defence - my feet know that while my PC is alive, I won't walk anywhere, making them redundant.

Another aspect of this is the mind games I play with myself when I realise my toe is on the button.

"You won't hit it. That would be stupid, you're about to finish Star Control 2"
Click.

After months of experimentation, I’ve sunk into a laid back slouch, where all of my everquesting can be done from a system of mouse-click macros. I can sit back in my chair, prop my feet up on my desk, and operate my Logitech optical mouse on my crotch. Occasionally, I need to hit the auto-run key – numlock, which can be done via large toe of the right foot. Unfortunately, on my lovely keyboard, numlock has been placed within 3 cm to the right of another failed attempt at improving the 104-key keyboard; the standby and power keys. I’ve hit my power key countless times, shutting down my system (safely, though, all programs politely close out first), before my anger boiled over, and the two keys were popped from their bloody sockets, never to get in the way of my evercrack again.