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 operating system and showed him the
Windows XP CD. To my surprise he threw it into my microwave oven and
turned it on. Instantly I got very upset, because the CD had become
precious to me, but he said: "Do not worry, it is unharmed." 

After a few minutes he took the CD out, gave it to me and said: "Take a
close look at it." 

To my surprise the CD was quite cold to hold and it seemed to be heavier
than before. At first I could not see anything, but on the inner edge of
the central hole I saw an inscription, an inscription finer than anything
I had ever seen before. The inscription shone piercingly bright, and yet
remote, as if out of a great depth:
12413AEB2ED4FA5E6F7D78E78BEDE820945092OF923A40EElOE5IOCC 
98D444AA08EI324 

"I cannot understand the fiery letters," I said in a timid voice. 

"No but I can," he said. "The letters are Hex, of an ancient language of
computers & hardcore programmers.  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 the darkness bind them.' 

"It is only two lines from a verse long known in System-lore." "'Three
OS's from corporate-kings in their towers of glass, Seven from
valley-lords where orchards used to grow, Nine from dotcoms doomed to die,
One from the Dark Lord Gates on his dark throne In the Land of Redmond
where the Shadows lie. One OS to rule them all, One OS to find them, One
OS to bring them all And in the darkness bind them, In the Land of Redmond
where the Shadows lie.'"