Isn't control-c "copy" though? Would be better if he said alt-f4.

In 1988, "Control + C" likely still followed the original standard of "canceling an executing task", this behavior is preserved in modern command line applications.

Correct, whatever program Paige is using likely has a limited GUI and commands are entered using a key combo.

Microsoft originally assigned different shortcuts for Undo, Cut, Copy and Paste than the ones most people use today:

• Undo: Alt+Backspace
• Cut: Shift+Delete
• Copy: Ctrl+Insert
• Paste: Shift+Insert

Since 1992, every desktop version of Windows has included the Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+C, and Ctrl+V shortcuts for Undo, Cut, Copy, and Paste.

https://www.howtogeek.com/804030/the-origins-of-ctrlc-ctrlv-ctrlx-and-ctrlz-explained/

Later we will learn that while mom loves her iFruit computer, Jason hates it. So there is a good chance that is his computer running MS-DOS, or something more obscure.

Not in 1988. Ctrl+C would exit to prompt in Lotus 1-2-3

Ah! Good to know!

iFruit wouldn't exist for another decade or so, but there were other fruity computers before then IRL, so they might be in the strip also.

Windows still supports those old alternate shortcuts! Also they were in the MS DOS text editor, but that wasn't released until Windows already existed.

I did some digging, and found that in 1990 it is revealed that the computer Paige is using is an Apple II, which did have ZXCV commands as we know now, however they used 🍎 + Letter not control + letter.