European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 06, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse And it on Dos How to make Jerry Kidder ast column,.wc started discussing Dos a disk operating system a with a Little of its history and just what Dos contains a v a a a. There was an error in the name of one of the hidden files. The files Are files and not As stated. Also the files can recalled by a variety of names but will normally have and As part of the name. Now Back to Dos. Many people May wonder Why they should spend time learning Dos when just a couple of commands will normally do. Many programs arc written to Start with just a single command and the rest of stuff is something they will never look at. This May be True but i am a firm believer a person should know Ait there is to know and then they just might understand when something goes wrong or even better they might understand when everything works the Way it should. The program is the command interpreter with which you communicate. puts the prompt on the screen and Waits for you to Tell it what to do. As stated before Many of the commands Are built into and several others arc contained in stand alone programs that Are contained on the main Dos Diskette you received or on one of several supplementary diskettes. Commands contained in Are called internal commands and commands which require their own . Or programs Are called external commands. Your next encounter with Dos will be when you arc asked to make a backup copy of your Dos Diskette. This is important because you should always make backup copies before trying to install computers software there Are still a few programs that will not let you make backups but they arc slowly disappearing. Using a program without a backup can a be very foolish when some misplaced Finger erases a file or someone spills col fee on your originals. You will have to format a floppy to make it. Useable. Formatting the Diskette will Divide it into addresses that the computer understands. Formatting used to be fairly easy. You just. Muy Ped format a command and the system did the rest. It is still easy if you have Only one Type of disk drive. But w Hen you have a 360-Kil-. Cd byte drive and say a 720-kilobyte 3winch drive you must consult the Dos manual to determine. Which switch to use. A switch is a modifier to a command that tells the computer to vary the command to meet a Spe Ciul circumstance. Under the newer versions of Dos. Format will Divide the floppy in 1.2 megabytes of space. This will not work if you have Only 3bo kilobytes of space on the floppy a Check the documentation for your own setup to find out. Also 10 make a backup copy of Dos or any program that will run w Hen you Start the system the copy must be a bookable Diskette. That simply Means it must have Dos on it. Of formal your Diskette with whichever switch von need but include a a. This will Transfer the two hidden files from your original Diskette to the copy. Then copy your file and you will have a bookable Diskette. Once Vou have Dowie All this Vou Are ready to run your program. Enough for now. We will continue w Ith Dos and its. Many facets next time. A Dos manuals furnished by the computer and software manuals arc normally written for someone who understands computers the first time user would be Well advised to buy oho of the Many books written about using and understanding Dos. Stars and stripes bookstores have a variety of such Hooks. Most of these books cover several versions of Dos and Point out some of the differences and i one version to another. Make sure that you buy a Book that a overs the Dos version you Are using. Quot the first Book of is dose by Jack Amie Isheim covers through Dos version 4. It a also explains the different parts of a computer and gives the Novice help m getting started and using the computer. It is easy to read and More important easy to understand. Another Type of available guide is the step by. Step tutorial such As Quot is Dos pc tutorial Quot published by que corp. It includes a Diskette that contains Sample files and learning material that complements material in the Book. It also has in in mation on getting started and using your computer. Jeffry Kidder is a computer Sechri icon Al .1 he stain and stripes feedback Are you willing to pay higher taxes if it will help the . Economy Anne Bookout operations clerk at Burger bar at Raf Greenham common England no because i feel we pay enough taxes already. We pay too much Money for what we get a they should utilize what they get now a bit better. Petty officer 2nd class William r. Diu Brand naval air facility Lajos Field azores yes we need to. Help the Economy get Back on its feet. Maybe we can Start helping people in the states who need help. Instead of helping ail these other countries before a ourselves. A a a a 1. Tech. Sgt. Heinz u _ _ equal. Opportunity and treatment official Lajos Field azores if i knew there w As someone out there who could spend Money correctly i would t mind. But the people we be got now no matter How. Much you give them they can t make ends meet. A Keely Kirk military family member Lajes Field azores yes. Since Congress Cut spending for most of our important social programs we can t take any More from them. We need to bring Down the illicit and. Put More Back into our people. A. Quot. Shaft ski. Ton me Williams 850lh munitions Maint so mind Ixion at England and All its taxes we Don t pay nearly As much. Come no d by Sia it and Snipes staff jamuahy.6,�?� v091 to pm pc
