DOS for Dummies
by Dan Gookin · first published 1991
9mentions
3recommended by
9HN commenters
2010–2026first – last mentioned
33% recommend56% neutral11% critical
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…the 1980s. There are various word processors, database utilities, and programming languages available. There are even old school networking tools for newsreading, IRC, telnet, and gopher. I remember "DOS for Dummies" (the seminal Dummies book) being helpful when I was starting out; you can probably find a used copy for the cost of shipping at this point.
on “FreeDOS's Linux Roots” ↗This was my first computer too! But I didn't get my until '95 (I was 12) as a hand-me-down from an uncle. It's the computer that I learned how to learn on. I learned DOS by myself from a DOS For Dummies book which let me figure out how to install and play games on the computer. I also picked up Basic which started my adventures in computer programming. This single opportunity set me down the path of…
on “What happened to Tandy computers” ↗I still love that joke. Read it first in DOS for Dummies which came with an old computer I picked up at a rummage sale in the late 90s. I studied that book inside and out; never realized it was the very first "For Dummies" book.
on “Ask HN: Who Remembers “Abort. Retry. Fail?”” ↗This is one of the worst lists I've yet seen, promoted by the purveyor of the website itself. BASIC Computer Games? The Word Processing Book? Inside the IBM PC? DOS For Dummies? Are you serious? No, you're just fishing for pageviews.
I like the title, and I think it's a good idea for a series. DOS for Dummies had a good following and I think it is a much more condescending name. If I came across a book called Options Trading for Dummies, I would be skeptical. Dummies should stay away from options trading.…
on “Programming for Mere Mortals” ↗"you can never have too many fonts, too much money, or too much memory" Dan Gookin, DOS for dummies, 1991
on “How many fonts is too many fonts?” ↗I remember first finding out about Edlin in 2003 while reading DOS for Dummies by Dan Gookin. Experienced a lot of anemoia that day. That short section about Edlin was the most touching part of the entire book (probably because it took place before the DOS 5-6 / Win 3.x era which…
on “Windows 11 Notepad to support Markdown” ↗Time for some HN-worthy pedantry. I distinctly remember reading in DOS for Dummies that VGA stood for Video Graphics Array. Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system.
on “Happy 20th Birthday, Quake” ↗I had forsberg in my class at Western Miltary in alton. forsberg wrote dos for Dummies and put a yellow and black cover on it. forsberg invented the dummies books. more latter. ccwonderlin
on “Chuck Forsberg” ↗