Beginning a Work Session

A common term for a period of time during which a knowledge worker is computing is work session. The first step is loading DOS, the operating system. Personal computer software, whether it's the operating system or an application, usually comes on a floppy disk. It's from that disk that the personal computer's DOS got its name. The acronym DOS (disk operating system) dates back to the early 1970s when it was used to refer to an IBM mainframe operating system. Loading is the process of reading software, whether the operating system or application software, into the computer's memory. When we load DOS, we do so by copying the DOS disk's magnetic contents into the personal computer's RAM. Once this process is complete, DOS displays a screen. DOS lets you check the computer's internal clock to date and time stamp your files. If the date you see is correct, press the Enter key; if the time is correct, press Enter again. If the date and time are not correct, DOS lets you type in the correct date and time by displaying on the screen "Enter new (date:)." Now you are at the DOS prompt.

DOS Versions. All good software is revised and improved over time, and DOS is no exception. Microsoft, now the world's largest software company, has made a number of improvements to DOS, each of which is called a version. Which version does your computer use? When you boot up, the copyright notice and version are usually displayed on the screen prior to seeing the date and time. If you are already at the DOS prompt, simply type VER

and the version is displayed. The most common version in use is 3.3. Version 4.0 was developed by IBM and is most commonly used on portables. Microsoft introduced 5.0 in 1991 and 6.0 in 1993, and plans subsequent versions every 18 to 24 months.