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Article #2983

About DOS

#2983
From: Suro
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 1991 02:13
22 lines
1460 bytes
Very often, you come across hidden features in programs that come
with DOS.  Format.com seems to have a few, as well as the SHELL=
statement in config.sys.  My question is, why were these features,
and other hidden features, left out?  I just cannot understand why
Microsoft and IBM would deliberately leave DOS users out n the dark
by hiding some of these useful switches.  And it took Microsoft 10
years to put the /help switch in every DOS command.

Were they sleeping all this time?  Why does it take *10* years to
put simple /help switches?  Why do they hide switches?  You'd think,
with an installed base of millions of users, and countless
applications, they'd improve DOS more often.  

So then, just what purpose does it serve to hide switches?
Security?  Or is it that they think users are just dumb?  Or was it
one of those things programmers do to test or try out new stuff, but
didn't document it?
-- 
Robert W. Kim                            rkim@ucsd.edu
University of California, San Diego.     suro@ucsd.edu
"I'd love to go out with you, but I have to count the bristles in
my toothbrush."
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From: rkim@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Suro)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.apps
Subject: About DOS
Keywords: Hidden features
Message-ID: <20767@sdcc6.ucsd.edu>
Date: 19 Jun 91 02:13:28 GMT
Sender: news@sdcc6.ucsd.edu
Lines: 22