[plug] BSOD ;p)

[Brad Campbell]

Picked this up off another list I'm on, thought it quite funny.

> [                                                 ]
> [  This was forwarded to me by a co-worker who    ]
> [  subscribes to WINNT-L. Personally, I've only   ]
> [  had maybe a half-dozen BSODs in the past       ]
> [  year, so I don't mean this as an evangelical   ]
> [  rant; I offer it only for its humor value,     ]
> [  which IMHO is substantial, i.e. LOL, or        ]
> [  perhaps even ROTFL. :-)                        ]
> [                                                 ]
> [  --Bob                                          ]
> [                                                 ]
> 
> Subject: New, Improved, from Microsoft !
> Author:  Tony Chryseliou <TonyC at REVIEW.COM> at intergate
> Date:    5/26/99 3:36 PM
> 
> *** Microsoft Announces Improved BSOD ***
> 
> In a surprise announcement today, Microsoft President
> Steve Ballmer revealed that the Redmond based company
> will allow computer resellers and end-users to customize
> the appearance of the Blue Screen of Death (abbreviated
> BSOD), the screen that displays when the Windows operating
> system crashes.
> 
> The move comes as the result of numerous focus groups and
> customer surveys done by Microsoft. Thousands of Microsoft
> customers were asked, "What do you spend the most time
> doing on your computer?" A surprising number of respondents
> said, "Staring at a Blue Screen of Death". At 54 percent,
> it was the top answer, beating the second place answer
> "Downloading Pornography" by an easy 12 points.
> 
> "We immediately recognized this as a great opportunity
> for ourselves, our channel partners, and especially our
> customers." explained the excited Ballmer to a room full
> of reporters.
> 
> Immense video displays were used to show images of the
> new customizable BSOD screen side-by-side with the older
> static version.  Users can select from a collection of
> "BSOD Themes", allowing them to instead have a Mauve Screen
> of Death or even a Paisley Screen of Death. Graphics and
> multimedia content can now be incorporated into the screen,
> making the BSOD the perfect conduit for delivering product
> information and entertainment to Windows users.
> 
> The Blue Screen of Death is by far the most recognized
> feature of the Windows (tm) operating system, and as
> a result, Microsoft has historically insisted on total
> control over its look-and-feel. This recent departure
> from that policy reflects Microsoft's recognition of
> the Windows desktop itself as the "ultimate information
> portal." By default, the new BSOD will be configured to
> show a random selection of Microsoft product information
> whenever the system crashes. Microsoft channel partners
> can negotiate with Microsoft for the right to customize
> the BSOD on systems they ship.
> 
> Major computer resellers such as Compaq, Gateway, and
> Dell are already lining up for premier placement on the
> new and improved BSOD.
> 
> Balmer concluded by getting a dig in against the Open
> Source community.  "This just goes to show that Microsoft
> continues to innovate at a much faster pace than open
> source. I have yet to see any evidence that Linux or
> OpenBSD even have a BSOD, let alone a customizable one."
>