Optionkey always returns "up"

[David Squance]

If logging out to the finder solved the problem, it's not likely food.  Nor
the other problem I've encountered, which was very strange.  On one
keyboard, the numberpad 6 would suddenly start returning a 1, though the 6
in the row at the top was normal.  Unplugging the keyboard and plugging it
back in would fix it for awhile.  I also had a similar USB thing with a
mouse which returned only horizontal movement occasionally.
Dave

>This happens a lot a an office here near me.
>After months of trying to figure this out it turns out that they like
>to eat lunch over the keyboard.
>I'm not kidding.
>I took the keyboard apart and there was a piece of dried fruit under
>the option key.
>It also happened to the space key a couple of times.
>
>This may not be the same problem you are seeing but after that I always
>check for food first.
>
>P.S. Even after this they still eat over the keyboard. Some people will
>not learn or change.
>
>True story.
>
>Also, I had an old desktop keyboard that the nine key liked to stick
>from time to time but that would stick in the down position and not in
>the up position. I replaced the key itself and it worked for awhile.
>The only thing I've seen to stick in the up position was the food item.
>
>Tom
>
>On Mar 31, 2004, at 8:32 AM, Jan Decroos wrote:
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> It happens from time to time one of our users can't use "the
>> optionKey" as a
>> modifier anymore.  It returns (after a while) always "up".  We
>> currently don't
>> know what's the reason of this : is it Revolution, is it the Finder,
>> is it
>> AppleShare, is it a kernel extension, ... ??
>>
>> The user has to logout (in the Finder) to have the optionKey available
>> again.
>> Quitting the application isn't enough.
>>
>> Has anyone the same expierence ?
>>
>> Regards,
>> Jan