{"id":332270,"date":"2021-08-30T14:00:03","date_gmt":"2021-08-30T11:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/gaming-when-you-should-be-working\/"},"modified":"2021-08-30T14:00:03","modified_gmt":"2021-08-30T11:00:03","slug":"gaming-when-you-should-be-working","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gaming-when-you-should-be-working\/","title":{"rendered":"#Gaming When You Should Be Working"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40b122081b3\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40b122081b3\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gaming-when-you-should-be-working\/#What_Is_a_Boss_Key\" >What Is a Boss Key?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gaming-when-you-should-be-working\/#Who_Invented_the_Boss_Key\" >Who Invented the Boss Key?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gaming-when-you-should-be-working\/#Which_Games_Included_Boss_Keys\" >Which Games Included Boss Keys?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gaming-when-you-should-be-working\/#Did_Anyone_Actually_Use_Boss_Keys\" >Did Anyone Actually Use Boss Keys?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gaming-when-you-should-be-working\/#Do_Apps_Have_Boss_Keys_These_Days\" >Do Apps Have Boss Keys These Days?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Gaming When You Should Be Working&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage alignnone size-full wp-image-750068\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/bosskey_hero_6.jpg?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/bosskey_hero_6.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/bosskey_hero_6.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Example MS-DOS Boss Key Screens\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>In the days before multitasking PCs, gaming at work could be dangerous: The boss might walk in and catch you at any moment. But by pressing a boss key\u2014a panic button that quickly hid your <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> behind a fake work document\u2014you could potentially get away with it. Here\u2019s a look at boss keys over time.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Boss_Key\"><\/span>What Is a Boss Key?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s the early 1980s, and you\u2019re procrastinating at work. You have an IBM PC or an <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a>le II that can run only one program at a time, so if you run a game, your boss might walk in and see that you\u2019re not working. That\u2019s where the \u201cboss key\u201d comes in. It\u2019s a special key on the keyboard that would clear the game screen and display a fake screen (such as a spreadsheet, business-looking graphs, DOS prompt, or even a blank screen) that would make it look like you\u2019re actually doing work\u2014or just hide the game.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-750380 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ibm_man.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A man using an IBM PC in 1981.\" width=\"650\" height=\"434\" data-credittext=\"IBM\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Working on the PC in the 1980s sometimes involved lots of graphs and spreadsheets. <span class=\"imagecredit\">IBM<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A few factors likely made boss keys within games more common in the 1980s and early 1990s than they are today. Back then, most MS-DOS PCs were single-tasking machines, so you couldn\u2019t quickly Alt+Tab away from the game to another window like you can today. Also, The Encyclopedia of Video Games <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=fc0vEAAAQBAJ&amp;lpg=PA117&amp;ots=ht54BFq9fg&amp;dq=%22Roger%20Wagner%22%20%22Boss%20Key%22&amp;pg=PA118#v=onepage&amp;q=%22Roger%20Wagner%22%20%22Boss%20Key%22&amp;f=false\">speculates<\/a> that boss keys were more popular when PC clones were more expensive and more likely to be located at work than in the home. More exclusive PC gaming in the office translated into a greater need to hide the activity, hence the boss key.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>40 Years Later: What Was it Like to Use an IBM PC in 1981?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_Invented_the_Boss_Key\"><\/span>Who Invented the Boss Key?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Pioneering software developer Roger Wagner <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rogerwagner.com\/#bosskey\">claims<\/a> he invented the idea of the boss key in 1981. His concept found its way into <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/bezare\"><em>Bezare<\/em><\/a>, a 1982 Apple II space shooter game developed by John Besnard and published by Southwestern Data Systems. In the game, if you press Ctrl+W, a faux spreadsheet display will take over the screen. Pressing any key again will return to the game.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-750373 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/bezare_first_boss_key_screen.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"The first known boss key screen, in Bezare for Apple II (1982).\" width=\"650\" height=\"490\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The first known boss key screen, in <em>Bezare<\/em> for Apple II (1982).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A similar boss key concept (called \u201cSuspend Game\u201d) appeared in the adventure game <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/pc-booter\/asylum_\"><em>Asylum<\/em><\/a> for the IBM PC in 1982. If you pressed F9 during gameplay, the screen would clear, which was \u201cadded for those who will be trying to escape from <em>Asylum<\/em> during work hours,\u201d <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=vy3cBZkjbZgC&amp;lpg=RA1-PA355&amp;pg=RA2-PA137#v=onepage&amp;q=Suspend%20Game&amp;f=false\">according to<\/a> PC Magazine, apparently quoting a user manual.<\/p>\n<p>Whether <em>Bezare <\/em>or<em> Asylum<\/em> introduced the boss key idea first isn\u2019t entirely clear without deeper research, but it\u2019s possible that multiple people came up with the concept independently.<\/p>\n<p>Over time, boss keys have had different names. Alternately, some programs refer to them as \u201cboss buttons\u201d or \u201cpanic buttons.\u201d In 1985, Transactor magazine <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/transactor-magazines-v6-i02\/page\/n7\/mode\/2up?q=%22boss+key%22\">called boss keys<\/a> a \u201cSomeone\u2019s Coming\u201d mode. From a search on the Internet Archive and magazine databases, it seems like the term \u201cboss key\u201d originated somewhere around 1984, as seen in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/spitfire-ace-1984-manual-en\/page\/n1\/mode\/2up?q=%22boss+key%22\">the manual for <em>Spitfire Ace<\/em><\/a>, for example.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Games_Included_Boss_Keys\"><\/span>Which Games Included Boss Keys?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-750394 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/tetris_boss_key_prompt.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"The boss key A&gt; prompt on Tetris for the IBM PC.\" width=\"640\" height=\"162\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pressing Escape in <em>Tetris<\/em> on the IBM PC gave you this plain \u201cA&gt;\u201d DOS prompt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>MobyGames <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game-group\/games-with-boss-key\/offset,50\/so,1d\/\">currently lists<\/a> at least 70 games released between 1982 and 2006 that include boss key features, and there are likely many more. Here\u2019s a quick list of a handful of classic games that help you hide your gaming activity at work. All games listed here are for MS-DOS.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>Rogue<\/em> (1984):<\/strong> Press F10 and you\u2019ll see a \u201cSupervisor Screen,\u201d an MS-DOS prompt (\u201cC&gt;\u201d) that you can type in. Type \u201crogue\u201d on the command line to get back to the game.<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Spitfire Ace<\/em> (1984):<\/strong> If you <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/spitfire-ace-1984-manual-en\/page\/n1\/mode\/2up?q=%22boss+key%22\">press \u201c]\u201d<\/a> in this dogfighting game, you\u2019ll see a simulated spreadsheet on the screen.<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Tetris<\/em> (1987):<\/strong> Press Escape at the menu screen, and you\u2019ll see a fake spreadsheet. During the game, pressing Escape shows a different screen, a fake \u201cA&gt;\u201d DOS prompt.<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Star Wars<\/em> (1989):<\/strong> Pressing F4 in this arcade port displays one of the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dosnostalgic\/status\/824687924381880320?s=20\">most sophisticated boss key screens<\/a> ever made, which lets you select between a simulated interactive spreadsheet, a programmer credits menu, and a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dosnostalgic\/status\/824689271009406976?s=20\">rotating 3D Broderbund logo<\/a> you could move around on the screen, and more.<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Blox<\/em> (1990)<\/strong>: This Tetris clone includes a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/dos\/blox\/screenshots\/gameShotId,228377\/\">semi-functional spreadsheet<\/a> you can actually type in and manipulate instead of just being a static screen. Just hit Escape.<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Wolfenstein 3D<\/em> (1992):<\/strong> If you press F1, you see a fake \u201cC&gt;\u201d MS-DOS prompt.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Although dozens of other games used boss screens over the years, most feature a fake spreadsheet or a DOS prompt. Some, like <em>Hugo\u2019s House of Horrors<\/em>, even <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.goodolddays.net\/file\/file%2C1208\/id%2C673\/type%2Cdocs\/\">include a real DOS prompt<\/a> (press F9) and kept the game resident in memory so it can be resumed when ready.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>PCs Before Windows: What Using MS-DOS Was Actually Like<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Did_Anyone_Actually_Use_Boss_Keys\"><\/span>Did Anyone Actually Use Boss Keys?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s hard to know how many people actually used boss keys back in the day, but they were <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game-group\/games-with-boss-key\">common enough in games<\/a> that someone must have found them useful. And although we\u2019ve found vintage references to hiding games from spouses (such as in the <em>Spitfire Ace<\/em> manual), it\u2019s hard to separate the \u201cboss key\u201d concept from the act of surreptitiously playing games at work.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-750382 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/spitfire_ace_manual_boss_key.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"66\" data-credittext=\"Microprose\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Information about the \u201cBOSS KEY\u201d in Spitfire Ace for IBM PC (1984). <span class=\"imagecredit\">Microprose<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/sim_newsweek_1987-07-06_110_1\/page\/36\/mode\/2up?q=%22boss+key%22\">1987 Newsweek article<\/a> titled \u201cComputer Headaches\u201d singled out people who play games in office settings as a type of \u201ctroublemaker.\u201d After mentioning the concept of a boss key, it cites a survey conducted by game publisher Epyx that said 66% of executives polled \u201cuse their office computers for activities besides work, and of those, 57 percent play games.\u201d (That\u2019s about 37% of executives who were gaming.) About half of those office gamers brought the software in secretly. So playing computer games in the office was fairly common in the 1980s.<\/p>\n<p>By the mid-late 1980s boss keys were common enough to become a trope on the receiving end of parody in games like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/dos\/leather-goddesses-of-phobos\"><em>Leather Goddesses of Phobos<\/em><\/a> (1986), whose boss key displays a screenful of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/dos\/leather-goddesses-of-phobos\/screenshots\/gameShotId,793123\/\">ridiculous marital aid descriptions,<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/leisure-suit-larry-in-the-land-of-the-lounge-lizards\"><em>Leisure Suit Larry <\/em><\/a>(1987), in which Ctrl+B shows a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.filfre.net\/2015\/08\/leisure-suit-larry-in-the-land-of-the-lounge-lizards\/\">bar chart<\/a> of condom types, then quickly ends the game with a message that reads, \u201cSorry, but you\u2019ll have to restore your game; when you panic, I forget everything!\u201d<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-750418 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/lsl_bosskey_message.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A message in the Leisure Suit Larry boss key screens.\" width=\"650\" height=\"490\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The boss key message in <em>Leisure Suit Larry<\/em> for MS-DOS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When asked why the <em>Leisure Suit Larry<\/em> boss key ends the game in an email from How-To Geek, creator Al Lowe replied, \u201cIn order to respond as quickly as possible, I jumped im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely to that scene without saving your current position. I could have, but machines were slower then, and I thought speed was more important since you always had a recent saved game you could restore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even if done out of necessity and humor rather than punishment, <em>Leisure Suit Larry\u2019s<\/em> game-ending boss key screen potentially opened up a miniature culture war over gaming in the office.<\/p>\n<p>Another Sierra game, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/dos\/space-quest-iii-the-pirates-of-pestulon\"><em>Space Quest III<\/em><\/a> (1989), includes a \u201cboss key\u201d (Ctrl+B) that displays a judgemental message when you activate it, spread over <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lparchive.org\/Space-Quest-Series\/Update%2015\/\">three pop-up windows<\/a>. Among the messages is a timer that shows how long you\u2019ve been playing the game, then a screen that says \u201cThat\u2019s a good idea, but I\u2019m afraid that, being the good company men that we are, we can\u2019t help you cheat like that. Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-750372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/space_quest_3_boss_key.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"One of the boss key messages from Space Quest III (1989).\" width=\"650\" height=\"490\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Some games went further than that, purposely not including boss keys at all under the moralizing pretense that people shouldn\u2019t be gaming on company time. In the June 27, 1989 issue of PCMag, John C. Dvorak complained about a developer\u2019s refusal to add a boss key to the PC game <em>Jetfighter. <\/em>Dvorak wrote in protest, \u201cHey boys: mind your own business. I use a boss key to keep the younger family members from horning in on a game when I\u2019m reviewing.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Apps_Have_Boss_Keys_These_Days\"><\/span>Do Apps Have Boss Keys These Days?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As the world transitioned to multitasking windowed operating systems, boss keys became less necessary. But they haven\u2019t died out\u2014and they aren\u2019t used exclusively for gaming. In 2001, a job-hunting website called Headhunter.net incorporated a boss button that, when clicked, \u201cdisplayed a screen of innocuous text,\u201d <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=C2uAZo2_JvQC&amp;pg=PA189&amp;dq=%22Boss+button%22&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjaqvi1m8DyAhWKWM0KHWx9AgcQ6AEwAnoECAUQAg#v=onepage&amp;q=%22Boss%20button%22&amp;f=false\">according to PC Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>And since 2006, the NCAA website has included a \u201cboss button\u201d screen to click to while streaming the basketball tournament, although it\u2019s become something of an <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fftw.usatoday.com%2F2019%2F03%2Fmarch-madness-streaming-boss-button\">inside joke<\/a> in more recent years.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-750388 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/NCAA_boss_button_2021.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"The 2021 NCAA boss button featured a joke about Zooming sports mascots.\" width=\"650\" height=\"378\" data-credittext=\"NCAA\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The 2021 NCAA \u201cboss button\u201d featured a joke about Zooming sports mascots. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NCAA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Some games still have boss key functionality. For example, there\u2019s a popular free-to-play rhythm game called <em><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Osu!\">osu!<\/a><\/em> that <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/osugame\/comments\/22ryy3\/til_that_there_is_a_boss_key_that_hides_osu_into\/\">hides itself in the system tray<\/a> when you push \u201c0\u201d on the numeric keypad. If a particular game doesn\u2019t include it, you can <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/create-a-perfect-customized-boss-key-with-autohotkey-5379384\">create your own boss key<\/a> with AutoHotKey, a sophisticated macro program for Windows.<\/p>\n<p>Popular media player VLC has a customizable boss key shortcut, too. When pressed, it will hide the video player in your notification area.<\/p>\n<p>Even though the concept of a boss key is much rarer these days, it\u2019s still made a mark on popular culture. When Cliff Bleszinski founded the now-defunct <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boss_Key_Productions\">Boss Key Productions<\/a> in 2014, he chose a name that directly referenced the concept of boss keys in gaming (and with a wink toward boss keys in Zelda, he <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/therealcliffyb\/status\/1428791064178085893?s=20\">told me on Twitter<\/a>). They\u2019re a part of computer gaming lore.<\/p>\n<p>So where does the boss key go from here? With so many people working from home these days, maybe there\u2019s no need to hide what games you\u2019ve been playing anymore. You\u2019re the boss now. Happy gaming!<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts with AutoHotkey<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/749864\/gaming-when-you-should-be-working-the-history-of-the-boss-key\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Gaming When You Should Be Working&#8221; In the days before multitasking PCs, gaming at work could be dangerous: The boss might walk in and catch you at any moment. But by pressing a boss key\u2014a panic button that quickly hid your game behind a fake work document\u2014you could potentially get away with it. Here\u2019s a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":332271,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/bosskey_hero_6.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-332270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=332270"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332270\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/332271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=332270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=332270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=332270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}