An Old Story .....

Recently one of my friends, a computer wizard, paid me a visit. As we were talking I mentioned that I had recently installed Windows XP on my PC. I told him how happy I was with this system and showed him the Wiondows XP CD.
To my surprise he threw the CD into my microwave oven and turned on the oven. Instantly I became very upset, as the CD had become precious to me, but he said: "Don't worry, it is unharmed".
After a few minutes he took the CD out of the oven, gave it to me and said: "Take a close look at it". To my surprise it was quite cold to hold and it seemed to be heavier than before. At first I could not see anything, but then, on the inner edge of the central hole, I saw an inscription, finer than anything I have ever seen before.

The inscription shone piercingly bright, and yet remote, as of great depth:

12412AEB2ED4FA5E6F7D78BEDE8209450920F923A40EE10E510CC98D444AA08E1324

"I can not understand the fiery letters", I said.
"No, but I can" my friend replied. "The letters are HEX of an ancient mode, but the language is that of Microsoft, which I shall not utter here. But in common English this is what it says":

One OS to rule them all,
One OS to find them,
One OS to bring them all and in darkness bind them
In the Land of Remond where the Shadows lie.


2002-06-05*hs*
Copied from a paper copy. Unknown author.