[plug] BSOD ;p)

[David Bastow]

Its not like Microsoft to let a money making opportunity go to waste.
Surely they should have taken the opportunity to sell advertisment space.
Captive audience of millions, adds will be repeated frequently and the
audience is about as gullible as you could hope for!

Even better, they could integrate this with their new `push' technology to
allow a dynamic BSOD, it could then give you helpful, context-sensitive
diagnostics like `perhaps its time you re-installed your
integrated operating environment to refresh its vitallity and increase
your productivity' if older windows versions are detected it could perhaps
incourage the user to upgrade! (yes, yes, I know all of the witty linux
comments that could be made here...).

Better make sure this idea doesn't get out, we may see it become reality
on those new WinBoards.  Can't wait to get my hands on one of them!

  David Bastow


On Tue, 8 Jun 1999, Brad Campbell wrote:

> 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."
> >
>