What is the MS-DOS prompt for?

Question

On windows ME, have this in my accessories. Looks like a 1970's computer program! 'Help' is no use at all.

And can I do anything cool with it, such as hacking into a nuclear missile firing mainframe (just joking!) or something?

Answer 1

Without that MS-DOS (MicroSoft Diskette Operating System) prompt, your computer never would have existed. Windows ME runs on-top of MS-DOS; Windows 3.1,WFW,Windows95/98/ME are nothing more than complex MS-DOS programs. Yes, you are currently using a DOS program. Betcha didn't see that one coming! Windows ME was the transition point for microsoft, as they were in the process of switching from a DOS-based Windows, to windows running on the new NT5.1 (Windows 2000/XP) OS.

Even on a modern-day Windows XP/2k3 machine, you will still find that little command prompt being emulated for legacy purposes.

Basically, MS-DOS is in Windows just for legacy purposes. Some businesses run old programs that require MS-DOS, such as an old network-login agent for Novell, maybe a certain data-processing program required DOS. Spreadsheet programs, word processing, even internet browsing. Hundreds of excellent games are for DOS, and thousands of games exist, though most require a slow (under 200MHz) computer to play them, not to mention a good ammount of DOS knowledge.

DOS used to be the way we used computers until the GUI (Graphical User Interface) came along. We used DOS for more than a decade before windows 95 was even a dream. The GUI essentially brought computers into the mainstream. Windows, MacOS, BEos, OS/2, and a myriad of others for different computers, made computers easier to use.

Answer 2

The Dos Prompt is a carry over from the "good old days" before Windows - when users had to enter commands to run simple programs.

Nowadays most users do not need it but some programs still run in DOS mode (none Windows) so it is still necessary on odd occassions, but is a dangerous area to meddle with for the inexperienced - regedit is a typical DOS program which allows you to edit the registry of windows to remove bad enteries caused by viruses and the like. DOS is best kept for use by EXPERIENCE folk, msuse can ruin your computer for sure.

Answer 3

MS-DOS (Disk Operating System) Prompt is a command line user interface developed by Microsoft. Command prompts used to be the way we interacted with computers until GUIs (Graphical User Interface) were introduced. GUIs (eg. Windows and MacOS) brought computers to the mainstream because they are easier to use.

The DOS prompt is still in windows essentially for legacy purposes; some big businesses still run programs that depend on DOS and as a result, doing away with it completely will probably create complications.

These days, the average computer user may not need to use DOS. Not knowing what you are doing in DOS and their implications can cause serious problems to your computer.

For more information go to:
1. http://www.computerhope.com/msdos.htm
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_DOS

Answer 4

MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) is where the roots of present day Windows lies. Though it has become a history, after the launch of Windows 9X and above, Mircosoft has continued to keep the command line interface (CLI) alive to punch in some commands real quick. Since CLI is always going to be fast in use and respose compared to Graphical User Interface (GUI) and since it would be ardous to keep all commands in Accessories, they just planned to keep command prompt for MS-DOS I believe.

Answer 5

It's for using MS-DOS based programs. It's usually not much use to the casual user. Nowadays it's more used either by advanced-to-expert computer users, programmers or for high level troubleshooting.

If you're not particularly familiar with it, you probably won't use it.

Answer 6

It is like a 1970's program. Instead of "double clicking" on icons, people had to type in the actual commands to execute a program "C:\\program1\run.exe".... Be happy you dont know what it is.

Answer 7

It is incase you need to run a DOS program or a computer command that is in MS-DOS code.

Answer 8

Its or command line entry..if you know dos commands you can access your files via text instead of being in a windows environment.

Answer 9

Micro-Soft-Disk-Operating-System

Answer 10

ms-dos is a text command program, its good for several things, like connecting networks, format disks, etc.