If you cannot do DOS, then you cannot be a Geek

Back when I first started tinkering with a 286 machine, Windows was still in its infancy, and the only way to really get anything done was by knowing a few key typed commands. Today, you can still use most of those commands by launching the “DOS Shell.” And let’s be honest—if you don’t know your way around DOS, can you really call yourself a Geek?

Here are seven essential commands you should commit to memory if you want to wear your Geek Badge with pride:

cd – Change directory: This is the most basic command for navigating in DOS.

dir – Lists everything in the current directory. If there’s a lot of stuff, use dir /p to pause the output every few lines, or dir /w/p to display filenames in columns and pause every so often.

copy – Copies a file. The syntax is copy [filename] [destination filepath and filename].

mkdir – Creates a directory. Use it like this: mkdir [directoryname].

move – Moves a file using the same syntax as the copy command.

del – Deletes a specified file, e.g., del [filename].

rd – Removes an empty directory. To delete a directory and its contents, use rd /s/q to remove the entire directory tree.

Knowing these commands is not only useful but also solidifies your status as a true Geek. Just a word of caution: be careful with these commands, and don’t mess with files you’re not familiar with.