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M I C R O S O F T   A N D   T O L K I E N

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Recently one of my friends, a computer wizard, paid me a 
visit. As we were talking, I mentioned that I was  just about 
to install Windows on my PC.
 
To my surprise he grabbed the install CD, threw it into my 
micro-wave and turned on the oven at full power. Naturally, I 
was very upset, because the CD had become precious to me, but 
he said: 'Do not worry, it won't be harmed.' And after a 
couple of minutes he took the CD out and gave it back to me, 
saying: 'Take a closer look at it.' 
 
To my surprise the CD was quite cool to the touch, but it 
seemed to be heavier than before. At first I could not see 
anything, but then around the edge of the central hole I saw 
an inscription - an inscription in a script finer than 
anything I have ever seen before. The inscription shone 
piercingly bright, and yet remote, as if out of a great depth: 
 
 4F6E65204F5320746F2072756C65207468656D20616C6C2C204F6
 E65204F5320746F2066696E64207468656D2CDA4F6E65204F5320
 746F206272696E67207468656D20616C6C20616E6420696E20746
 865206461726B6E6573732062696E64207468656D 
 
'I cannot understand the fiery letters,' I said. 
 
'No,' he said 'but I can. The characters are Hex, of an 
ancient mode, but the language is that of Microsoft, which I 
shall not utter here. But in common English, 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."