Frazz by Jef Mallett for May 02, 2018

Not only do we not have a delete key, we don’t have a censor bleep.

Apparently she said something rated X.

The (phone style) “X” button is backwards as shown, but “to the right” suggests that this was intentional. On standard keyboards, the “backspace” key has an arrow, but the “delete” key has only the word.

The “enter” (are you sure you want to do this?) key fits Mallett/Frazz’s concept better, but would not lead to the gag in the third panel.

Since we write and type left to right, wouldn’t the x key clear to its left? There is nothing on the right to clear. Seems the non-existent but ever more necessary pause key would be a better way to avoid having to put one’s tongue in a splint to prevent goofs.

Funnily enough, the “delete” key is the one that removes text to the right of it, which is exactly what she was hoping for.

I want to know how to pronounce what Frazz says in the last frame!

I am so confused! When I’m looking at my monitor and hit the delete key, it moves to my left, not to my right.

Perhaps Mallet is promoting Hebrew as the new Lingua Franca.

אולי מאלט מקדם את העברית כ"לינגואה פראנקה" החדשה

Interestingly, there are two types of people in this world. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data

“Backspace” eats up characters to the left; “delete” eats up characters to the right.

Windows keyboards correctly label their “backspace” key as such, whereas Mac keyboards provide the same functionality, but under a key erroneously called “delete”. Apple’s numeric keypads also make this same mistake. Windows numeric keypads have a correctly labelled “delete” key, so they give you both powers, properly identified.

“Enter” says “I’m done typing; accept this”; “return” says “I’m done with this line; go on to the next one”.

Apple computers have a key correctly labelled “return”, but if you hold down the “shift” key while typing it, it gives you an “enter” function. Windows computers have a key mislabelled “enter”, but it really gives you the “return” function with no additional options. In both cases, you can also get “enter” as a separate key on the numeric keypad, and it really does provide the “enter” function.

You’d think that, after nearly 4 decades of personal computing, everybody would’ve figured out how to give us the full panoply of abilities with proper names, but no. Such is the power of tradition.

I guess she just got Frazzled and will wish she had been able to backspace!

Judging by both the context and her profession, my guess would be, “Are you really that obtuse?” I find it unlikely she would use foul language in a calm situation.

Is that onion rings that she is wearing for jewelry?