Bad Commands

Just browsing through your error messages site, I came across:

* Error performing inpage operation

This is usually caused by a read error on the floppy drive (eg, a damaged sector). Microsoft's explanation is "This leverages the paging functionality of the Windows NT Virtual Memory Manager, but introduces the jargon of Paging into this particular file copy scenario." (full text at <http//support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q141/1/17.asp>)

I don't see that the above is any reason why the Virtual Memory Manager is absolved from saying what the error actually was.

* Bad command or filename

DRDOS says "Command or filename not found", which is better, because it eliminates the possibility that the user made a syntax error.

I see you mention CP/M on that page as well. Unlike DOS, CP/M does make it clear what it objects to...

A>cmd file1 file2 file3

CMD?  (As someone pointed out, "You can almost hear the tone of outrage")

...and one of the many CP/M programs I wrote replaces the error with...

A>cmd file1 file2 file3

CMD command not found.

...which (in my opinion) beats MSDOS, DRDOS and Windows NT for actual informative content -)

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