DOS-mode

This week, I’ve been in “DOS mode” (you put on your headset, crank up the volume, open a terminal window and enter into the world of the command prompt).

Through the radio, Norwegian comedians Atle Antonsen and Johan Golden have on several occasions pointed out the hazards of DOS (Norwegian only).

The peril of entering DOS has been known for a very long time, however. I remember a story from my childhood, told to me by one of the local (grown-up) computer experts. This expert had a client who was the head account manager at well-respected company of some size. As it happened, the accounting system used by the company broke down at irregular interval, leading the account manager, who possessed some command-line-fu, to “enter into DOS” every now and again. He would proclaim this to his secretary, who did not possess any such fu. However, having plenty of secretary-fu, she would promptly hold all his calls until her manager safely exited from DOS.

It is clearly obvious - even to the uninitiated - that one ought not be disturbed, while in DOS.