I’ve got a KVM switch for my computers. The KVM stands for keyboard, video, and monitor. It allows me to use 4 computers with only one keyboard, video, and monitor. I switch from one computer to the other by pushing the appropriate button on top of the KVM switch. I’ve hooked up a regular Windows 10 computer, a Linux computer, my work laptop, and an Apple MiniMac to this switch.

The other night, I was having trouble with my Linux computer but I couldn’t make it display on the monitor. I spent about an hour fiddling with the connections and the computer and the switch. I considered digging up a dedicated keyboard, video, and monitor for the Linux but I put that off for another day.

On the following day, I rechecked everything and was about to go scrounging for a keyboard, video, and monitor. I looked at the switch one last time and realized that the switch was set to use my work laptop and not the Linux after all. Since my work laptop was still in my backpack, it wasn’t displaying anything.

In the IT industry, this is called a PBKC error. It’s pronounced “peb kak”. It stands for Problem Between Keyboard and Chair.