# I miss DOS



## SuperDemocrat (May 26, 2016)

I know DOS was a pain sometimes but it did force people to actually learn something about a computer in order for them to use it.  There was just something about it that required you to have working knowledge of your computer in order to get it to work.   Now we have windows type operating systems which require us to know jack shit about the computer.   Now people are even stupider than before with them because if it ain't point and click then people don't figure it out.


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## IsaacNewton (May 26, 2016)

And even using a mouse is too much for many now. New websites have been turned into minimalist nonsense. You go to a website and they have large pictures of what they want to show you and no way to see a list or search for what you are looking for. They force you to spend ridiculous amounts of time looking through their random selection of pictures. Honestly it is like the web has been dumbed down to a 7th grade level. A picture book for children that can't read. 

I think a Graphical User Interface is fine, but I agree that DOS should still be front and center when needed. Windows has buried most of that stuff and you have to do a Where's Waldo search to find most of it. And don't expect this to get anything but worse. Millenials aren't suddenly going to start wanting to 'learn' something. They want it presented on a silver platter with big pictues. I think the smart phone is turning herds of people into semi-illiterates.


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## Asclepias (May 26, 2016)

Get Linux. Its basically DOS on steroids.


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## Asclepias (May 26, 2016)

IsaacNewton said:


> And even using a mouse is too much for many now. New websites have been turned into minimalist nonsense. You go to a website and they have large pictures of what they want to show you and no way to see a list or search for what you are looking for. They force you to spend ridiculous amounts of time looking through their random selection of pictures. Honestly it is like the web has been dumbed down to a 7th grade level. A picture book for children that can't read.
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> I think a Graphical User Interface is fine, but I agree that DOS should still be front and center when needed. Windows has buried most of that stuff and you have to do a Where's Waldo search to find most of it. And don't expect this to get anything but worse. Millenials aren't suddenly going to start wanting to 'learn' something. They want it presented on a silver platter with big pictues. I think the smart phone is turning herds of people into semi-illiterates.


You cant access the cmd line in windows anymore?


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## Ringel05 (May 26, 2016)

Asclepias said:


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> > And even using a mouse is too much for many now. New websites have been turned into minimalist nonsense. You go to a website and they have large pictures of what they want to show you and no way to see a list or search for what you are looking for. They force you to spend ridiculous amounts of time looking through their random selection of pictures. Honestly it is like the web has been dumbed down to a 7th grade level. A picture book for children that can't read.
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Yes, you can.  The "terminal" for Windows is now Powershell.


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## Ringel05 (May 26, 2016)

SuperDemocrat said:


> I know DOS was a pain sometimes but it did force people to actually learn something about a computer in order for them to use it.  There was just something about it that required you to have working knowledge of your computer in order to get it to work.   Now we have windows type operating systems which require us to know jack shit about the computer.   Now people are even stupider than before with them because if it ain't point and click then people don't figure it out.


Computers would still be for professionals and hobbyists only if DOS (long dead) was the primary interface as most users don't want a clue, they just want it to work for them.


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## SuperDemocrat (May 27, 2016)

IsaacNewton said:


> And even using a mouse is too much for many now. New websites have been turned into minimalist nonsense. You go to a website and they have large pictures of what they want to show you and no way to see a list or search for what you are looking for. They force you to spend ridiculous amounts of time looking through their random selection of pictures. Honestly it is like the web has been dumbed down to a 7th grade level. A picture book for children that can't read.
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> I think a Graphical User Interface is fine, but I agree that DOS should still be front and center when needed. Windows has buried most of that stuff and you have to do a Where's Waldo search to find most of it. And don't expect this to get anything but worse. Millenials aren't suddenly going to start wanting to 'learn' something. They want it presented on a silver platter with big pictues. I think the smart phone is turning herds of people into semi-illiterates.



I think millennials just kind of grew up with the gui and have no idea what a command prompt is.  It isn't their fault but I've notice that even with old users they have forgotten the basics of the computer such as knowing what a .exe file is.   Seriously!  

The good thing about DOS like systems is that they are stable and don't bog down the computer.   The bad thing is that the graphics in DOS is kind of lacking so there is good and bad with them.


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## SuperDemocrat (May 27, 2016)

Ringel05 said:


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They have cmd.exe still.  Is that powershell?


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## miketx (May 27, 2016)

I started out on DOS and was a programmer for a while on the side. People were always trying to hack my code and delete stuff, so I learned a really cool way to prevent MOST people from deleting a file. Just rename the file to it's original name and and append ASCII character 255 to the end of the file name. Ascii 255 is invisible and will drive them nuts!


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## Ringel05 (May 27, 2016)

SuperDemocrat said:


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Yeah, cmd is still there for the ancients to use.  Powershell is much more powerful, you can do more with it, it's basically based of the UNIX concept to some degree but different because Windows is not a document based system.


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## IsaacNewton (May 27, 2016)

Colbert was talking about DOD computers last night. The computer that controls all of the US's nuclear codes and missiles is an IBM built in 1976. 

'Da fuq?


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## Asclepias (May 27, 2016)

IsaacNewton said:


> Colbert was talking about DOD computers last night. The computer that controls all of the US's nuclear codes and missiles is an IBM built in 1976.
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> 'Da fuq?


I cant imagine that is true.


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## IsaacNewton (May 27, 2016)

Asclepias said:


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I didn't think it could be true either but it is. The DOD uses a computer that uses 8" floppy discs to control our nuclear arsenal. 

Report: US Defense still uses floppy disks in nuclear program


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## Asclepias (May 27, 2016)

IsaacNewton said:


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I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that possibly being true. I was in the military and my background is in the IT field.  i've worked with the DOD on projects and their systems are more than just up to date.


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## IsaacNewton (May 27, 2016)

I agree it seems pretty odd. 

I think a modern cell phone could replace that whole system now.


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## Ringel05 (May 27, 2016)

Asclepias said:


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It's not, it's annual budget prep time..........


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## ogibillm (May 27, 2016)

no. screwing around for hours to load everything into hi or extended mem so i could squeeze everything out of the 640k of conventional memory to get the newest wing commander to run.

screw you config.sys
screw you autoexec.bat
screw you mscdex.exe
screw you mouse.bat
screw you himem.sys


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## SuperDemocrat (May 27, 2016)

ogibillm said:


> no. screwing around for hours to load everything into hi or extended mem so i could squeeze everything out of the 640k of conventional memory to get the newest wing commander to run.
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> screw you config.sys
> screw you autoexec.bat
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You have point there but couldn't DOS just be upgraded to treat all memory the same?   I don't think it is a problem with the command prompt but more of a problem with lack of development for the OS.   

I do remember doing all of that shit for Wing Commander.   That is why Wing Commander on SUperNES was better.


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## SuperDemocrat (May 27, 2016)

Asclepias said:


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Sometimes reliability becomes an issue with upgrades.  Do you remember how well Windows 7 worked but then it stopped working when they upgraded everything?   That could happen with the nukes so they leave it as it is.   I hate to see "Would you like to reinstall" window appear during a time when we have to use them.   It is a miracle computers don't accidentally crash right when we need them the most such as having to launch the space shuttle.


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## ogibillm (May 27, 2016)

SuperDemocrat said:


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all versions of ms-dos were limited to 640k of conventional memory.  i do think 6.0 made the ems/xms better, but that might just be poor recollection.


> I do remember doing all of that shit for Wing Commander.   That is why Wing Commander on SUperNES was better.


blasphemy!


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## SuperDemocrat (May 27, 2016)

ogibillm said:


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Why couldn't they just make DOS use all of the memory just like they did for windows95?   It just seems like a development issue.


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## Asclepias (May 27, 2016)

SuperDemocrat said:


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Pretty sure the systems used to control the nukes is Unix based.


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## IsaacNewton (May 28, 2016)

A hacker explains why US nukes controlled by ancient computers is actually a good thing


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## Asclepias (May 28, 2016)

IsaacNewton said:


> A hacker explains why US nukes controlled by ancient computers is actually a good thing


Yeah I'm not buying it. You dont have to run it on an old system to keep the it off the internet. All you have to do is set up a private network with no access to the internet.  In order to get to the internet the traffic needs to be routed and assigned an IP address from IANA. You set up two or more servers and back up using your private network and then take a copy and place it in an offsite storage facility.


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## IsaacNewton (May 28, 2016)

Asclepias said:


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I'm just posting articles. 

The military uses 256 bit encryption so I think their comms are secure. But, human beings have a way for figuring out how to beat any system over time. Keeping computers disconnected from the internet and instead on an intranet is a good first line but all it takes is one person with a usb drive, or 8" floppy in this case, to load malicious content into a system as happened with Stuxnet.


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## Asclepias (May 28, 2016)

IsaacNewton said:


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That wasnt directed at you. it was more the guy in the article.

For a system like that I would bet they were using something that would take longer to crack like 4096 bit encryption.  I cant imagine all the checks and double checks they would have on access.  Of course every security systems weakest link is the human element.


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## Iceweasel (May 28, 2016)

Why not jump into the Linux world if dicking around in the terminal floats your boat? It where the real geeks live.


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## Asclepias (May 28, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


> Why not jump into the Linux world if dicking around in the terminal floats your boat? It where the real geeks live.


i'm on a Ubuntu machine right now.


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## Ringel05 (May 28, 2016)

Asclepias said:


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While I actually like icytweasle he's a Linux devotee and (based on his postings) anything else is just plain crap.  He's kinda like Blei with his anti-Linux, pro Windows rantings and the Apple Mac acolytes that pretend Mac can do no wrong. 
It takes all kinds.......


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## Iceweasel (May 29, 2016)

Ringel05 said:


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Why are you lying? I question people when they come here and lie about operating systems. I find they usually have an ax to grind. I've used OSX and Windows from 3.11 to XP. I see no need to pay for what I can accomplish with Linux and for some bizarre reason that just knots up the panties of some people big time. That is not my problem!


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## Ringel05 (May 29, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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I'm not lying, I said "based on your postings", at least what I've read.  You may not mean it that way but it's how you come across, you *appear* to be what I said you are.


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## Iceweasel (May 29, 2016)

Ringel05 said:


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I stated my experience with Windows and exaggerated nothing and never said OSX was crap, never recall saying anything against it beyond the software isn't free and I no longer need it. You put your own personal bias into the posts.


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## Ringel05 (May 29, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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Sure thing there Sparky...... 

Poster:  I have a problem with_______, you: Linux..........  Poster: I have a problem with______, you: Linux.


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## Iceweasel (May 29, 2016)

Ringel05 said:


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Fuck you, you fat asshole. You couldn't back up your shit. No doubt the same in real life!


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## Ringel05 (May 29, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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Touched a nerve.......


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## Iceweasel (May 29, 2016)

Ringel05 said:


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You're a lying shitstain. The nerve was all yours, fat boy.


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## Ringel05 (May 29, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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Yet I'm not the one calling you names........


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## ogibillm (May 29, 2016)

i 'use' ubuntu on older machines i still have a use for. 

but right now i'm really into playing with raspberry pi's. jut got my hands on some zeroes. jammed one inside an old nes cartridge, now i have access to every nes, genesis, and snes game made.

i built a kodi machine out of a pi 3 - those are fun little beasts. 

but i do suck at the terminal stuff. feels like i'm back in the dos days working with it - which does oddly have its own appeal


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## Iceweasel (May 29, 2016)

Ringel05 said:


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You're just a lying asshole that can't back up his shit. That a preference for you for some reason.


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## Iceweasel (May 29, 2016)

ogibillm said:


> i 'use' ubuntu on older machines i still have a use for.
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> but right now i'm really into playing with raspberry pi's. jut got my hands on some zeroes. jammed one inside an old nes cartridge, now i have access to every nes, genesis, and snes game made.
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I've got Kodi on an android box and watch most of my TV on it. It's not as fast as the Roku 3 but they have some hot programmers or something.


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## ogibillm (May 29, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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for my own use i run it on a fire tv with sickbeard and sabnzbd running on a desktop to supply content.

i did just build a setup for a friend that had sickbeard and sabnzbd running on the pi 3 connected to a 4tb external drive.

i need to work in multi-thread par 2 and unpacking support. that should really improve things. but as is it's a nice little workhorse that runs on a fraction of the power my set up uses.


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## Iceweasel (May 29, 2016)

ogibillm said:


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Someday kids will be amazed that people used giant noisy boxes called cpus for their computers.


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## Ringel05 (May 29, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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Sure thing Sparkette.......


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## Iceweasel (May 29, 2016)

Ringel05 said:


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Change your tampon.


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## Ringel05 (May 29, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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Like I said, I'm not the one going ballistic over it........


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## SuperDemocrat (May 29, 2016)

I tried Linux but no one else seemed to know what that was and it was to hard for me to use.   DOS, at least, forced you to know something about the computer.   I can't say the same about modern GUIs.  People really think that there are icons in your computer.   It is a .exe file that gets executed when you click the icon.  The icon doesn't exist.   I just hate the dumbed down approach modern GUIs seem to have.


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## FA_Q2 (May 30, 2016)

Asclepias said:


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It is more than that.  As a system ages the security on it gets better.  Holes are plugged and people that even understand the system well enough to hack it start to age and disappear.  As systems get newer and more powerful they get a whole lot more vulnerabilities.  

It is one of those 'if it aint broke then don't fix it' instances.  There is literally zero gain from upgrading the machine as it already performs a very narrow task well.  I just wish they would learn that lesson with some of our other systems.


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## FA_Q2 (May 30, 2016)

I know what you are saying about windows - I am really fucking tired of my computer trying to tell me what to do rather than letting me tell it what to do.

Windows 8 is really bad with that.  All in all though, we have a lot more power now and it is a lot simpler to do many tasks that would be a pain in the ass in DOS.  If I need to consolidate 50 files on a windows machine I can do that in minuets.  It would take all day in DOS.


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## Iceweasel (May 30, 2016)

Ringel05 said:


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I'm not, you are because you keep going with it. You are posting just a few minutes after I do, each and every time. The proof is right up there. You are hurt, I don't care and blaming me won't cover it up.


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## Iceweasel (May 30, 2016)

SuperDemocrat said:


> I tried Linux but no one else seemed to know what that was and it was to hard for me to use.   DOS, at least, forced you to know something about the computer.   I can't say the same about modern GUIs.  People really think that there are icons in your computer.   It is a .exe file that gets executed when you click the icon.  The icon doesn't exist.   I just hate the dumbed down approach modern GUIs seem to have.


Linux and OSX doesn't use exe files but they are similar. I am not a geek and one can do a lot with the command line. For me a gui is a blessing, I have a whole bunch of other stuff to do with my life that learn the lingo to do what clicking on an icon will do. I have no shame about it. We live in a graphic world, it's much more natural to interact in a graphic way. Some guys like to pop the hood and tinker with the engine though.


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## Ringel05 (May 30, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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Delusional too boot!!  :lmao


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## Iceweasel (May 30, 2016)

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What the fuck is wrong with you?


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## Ringel05 (May 30, 2016)

Iceweasel said:


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I'm having fun, you're funny, just not the way you think you are.  Everything I've posted is true, you just refuse to believe it because it doesn't fit your experiences.  Yeah, like you're the only person in the world and it's only your experiences that count.  A hack in every aspect of your life.


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## IsaacNewton (May 30, 2016)

This whole thing reminds me of the newer Battlestar Gallactica where the one old carrier that didn't have upgraded computers was the one that survived because the enemy couldn't hack it's computers. 

Great remake of that series. The original was cheesy as hell.


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## Bleipriester (May 30, 2016)

C:\usmb.exe /quote 499141 /reply "DOS was quite easy to learn and had a whole bunch of graphical user interfaces available to the user, beginning with Windows 1 - 3 and ending with 3rd party stuff like Lotus." \forum\computers\i miss dos


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