Where there is smoke …
This is an urban legend that has been kicking around for years.
I have the awful suspicion that it really happened. Users are
like that.
A guy calls tech support to report that his computer is faulty.
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Tech: | What’s the problem?
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User: | There is smoke coming out of the power supply.
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Tech: | You’ll need a new power supply.
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User: | No, I don’t! I just need to change the startup files.
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Tech: | Sir, the power supply is faulty. You’ll need to replace it.
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User: | No way! Someone told me that I just needed to change the
startup files and it will fix the problem! All I need is for you to
tell me the command.
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Ten minutes later, the User is still adamant that he is right. The
tech is frustrated and fed up.
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Tech: | Sorry, Sir. We don’t normally tell our customers this, but
there is an undocumented DOS command that will fix the problem.
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User: | I knew it!
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Tech: | Just add the line LOAD NOSMOKE.COM at the end of the
CONFIG.SYS. Let me know how it goes.
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Ten minutes later.
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User: | It didn’t work. The power supply is still smoking.
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Tech: | Well, what version of DOS are you using?
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User: | MS-DOS 6.22.
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Tech: | That’s your problem there. That version of DOS didn’t come with
NOSMOKE. Contact Microsoft and ask them for a patch that will give
you the file. Let me know how it goes.
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One hour later.
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User: | I need a new power supply.
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Tech: | How did you come to that conclusion?
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User: | Well, I called Microsoft and told him about what you said, and
he started asking questions about the make of power supply.
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Tech: | Then what did he say?
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User: | He told me that my power supply isn’t compatible with NOSMOKE.
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This page was last updated April 16, 1998.
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