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Computer programmers historically used “Press any key to continue” (or a similar text) as a prompt to the user when it was necessary to pause processing. The system would resume after the user pressed any keyboard button.

Cultural significance

There are reports that some users have searched for such a key labelled “any”, and called technical support when they have been unable to find it. The computer company Compaq even edited their FAQ to explain that the “any” key does not exist, and at one point considered replacing the command “Press any key” with “Press return key”.

The concept of the “any key” has become a popular piece of computer-related humor, in part because of an episode of The Simpsons in which main character Homer Simpson asks “Where’s the any key?” when confronted with the “press any key” command.

— Wikipedia on Any key

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2010.10.10 Sunday ACHK