Section #1

Getting Acquainted

This manual describes a very easy way to use DOS. To make it even easier, only
the essentials parts of DOS will be discussed; the rest of DOS will be completely
ignored. The essentials will be taught in a simplified style, instead of the overkill
of detail that other DOS books use. With Very Easy DOS, you'll feel fully trained
in hours instead of months.

My assumptions about you are that you have an IBM or IBM-compatible

computer with PC or MS DOS and a hard disk. If your computer does not have a
hard disk, then this is the wrong manual for you; DOS is very easy only if you
have a hard disk. Your DOS version number must be at least 2.0. Starting with
version 4.0, you have the choice of using DOS either the way it's described in this
manual, or by using a menu "shell". This manual does not discuss such a "shell"
because if you learn this manual, you won't need a DOS shell.

If you are working on a computer network and/or are running sophisticated,

specialized software packages, you'll want to learn a few more DOS commands
than the couple dozen that this manual discusses. However, if you're only using
one computer, with the usual application program software (such as a
wordprocessor, spreadsheet, database, or game), then all you really need is this
manual.

I assume you know the basics of a computer, namely how to turn yours on, how to
insert floppy disks, and how to find your way around a keyboard. I assume you
know the difference between the terms "software" and "hardware" (at least to be
able to point to each if you had them in front of you). If you know all that, you are
ready to learn DOS.

What the heck is DOS???

DOS is just another computer software program. It's the program that runs the
computer when you aren't running an application program. However, in order for
an application program to work, it needs DOS. Your computer and your
application program both need DOS.

VeryEasyDOSv2, copyright 1989, 1991, by J. Zorich-- Page 2 of 86