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Instant Messaging Giveaway
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft is planning on giving away $1000/hr randomly to users of the new MSN messenger. They are going to send instant messages to the winners. I can just see it now, 'You've won $1000 in the MSN Messenger giveaway, just go this website and enter your SS# and credit card info for verification.'" Where's Ed McMahon with the big check when you need him?
Big deal, Bill Gates has been paying me $200 for every email I send for years...
RMS is giving out handjobs to all GNU/linux users.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
Till the Liberian banks pay off
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
Though, somewhat suspiciously, I haven't yet been paid that $5 for every person I forwarded it to...
"Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
...Microsoft pays you.
Everything I say is a lie...
'You've won $1000 in the MSN Messenger giveaway, just go this website and enter your SS# and credit card info for verification.'
Fusking spam again! *delete*
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Do I have to use their client? Or will Trillian still suffice? ;)
.... Oh shit... now I get it... [ Frantically uninstalls MSN from system ]
Seriously though, what the hell is with giving away money for using their network? I mean they already get to keep ANY and ALL IP that is transmitted over MSN Messenger, why would they need to get people to use their servers instead of
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Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
To qualify, people must fill out contest entries and upgrade to MSN Messenger 6.0. They also must be logged in to the service and agree to use only Microsoft's Quality products for the rest of their natural lifetime. Any use of non-autorized "Open Source Software" will result in an immediate fine of $100,000.
... is better with the butterfly. Who knew? ;)
would the AIM text read "you've got cash!"?
ed
I swear it's true! Microsoft (Bill Gates, actually) has already paid me just to send email! And last year I won a free trip to Disney just by looking at their website!
Have fun: Join D.N.A. (National Dyslexics Association)
This story should have been submitted with the 'foot' icon! I would have to have gone crazy to do all of the following:
1) Use Microsoft Messenger
2) Trust an anonymous source IM'ing me with a "You just won $1000! Please go to http://www.microsoft.messenger.winner.com/ to claim it! (We must have all your info to claim the prize, btw)"
3) Actually follow said spam message to the site (We all know that just clicking on a malicious website and letting ActiveX controls and other such nonsense run in the background in IE is BEGGING for a complete computer hijacking)
Oh wait, Microsoft must be testing out a new business plan:
10 Spam
20 Collect more email addresses
30 Spam some more!
40 ?
50 GOTO 40
60 Profit!
... we're SICKIN TIRED of all these "... in soviet russia.." jokes!
GAAH! MY PRINTER IS ON FIRE!!! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!
Drug dealer gives away free samples at street corner. News at 11.
there's no place like ~
Hmmm... I think that's the point.
For users of other clients, MSN could send the following:
Message 1: "You just won $1,000!"
Message 2: "Oops, it appears that you're not using MSN Messenger, and so you are not eligible. We'll instead move on to the next contestant. Sorry."
Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
...is any indication it will more likely say:
"U have just won! 2 claim your prize forward this message 2 *everyone* in your contact list!
This is 4 real, no joke. If u don't do this MSN will stop being free!!"
Music wants to be free.
I have already forwarded it to 900 people. Almost there.
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Roses are #FF0000, Violets are #0000FF, find / -name '*base*' |xargs chown -R us && mv zig greatjustice
Sorry...The promotion applies only to MSN users, not aolers
Warning: Opinions known to be heavily biased.
So all I have to do to win the Microsoft Lottery is sell my soul? Sign me up!! "There's no such thing as a soul. It's just something they made up to scare kids, like the boogieman or Michael Jackson"
If Microsoft will actually do this, I predict there'll be tons of "forward to ten people and get a reward" spam... Who would risk it /not/ being a hoax?
I've always said it, Microsoft would have to pay me before I used their crap. Now it looks like they've finally caved.
Im dreaming ofa big bndwdth, That can resist the
such comments would have gotten you shot you insensitive clod!
-- Knowing too much can get you killed, but knowing who knows too much can make you rich.
But doesn't everyone get a copy of Windows when they buy their computer? After all, only evil vendors catering to software pirates would sell computers without Windows.
Or at least that's what I learned from Microsoft's OEM section a couple of years ago when they talked about the evils of "Naked PCs".
(For those who don't remember the "Naked PC" campaign, you'll have to go to the Wayback Machine to find a copy of Microsoft's page -- Microsoft removed it from their OEM area after this PR campaign failed.)
A marriage is always made up of two people who are prepared to swear that only the other one snores.
By now, I'm betting everyone in the United States has purchased Windows two or three times, whether they've wanted to or not.
Practically, though, the cost will be zero money, but mucho of your privacy. Love those radio boxes where I get to pick a gender, DOB, ZIP code and household income range.
"Provided by the management for your protection."
After the best buy MSN computer giveaways, and the whole thing with the pricing on the x-box, i was cynically oberving that it wasn't enough to just develop the product for free like with MSIE, Microsoft had to actually essentially pay people to continue using their product.
Now Microsoft is literally paying people to continue using their product.
Well.. it's a good solution to the chicken and egg problem, and I guess that's been MS's mindset all along. Users are something you can buy; you spend money to get users, and then once you have them locked in, you can charge whatever you like from them.
Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
"MSN Messenger lets you communicate with MSN subscribers and other passport users."
Bit like group therapy then?
Let's see... 8% interest on Microsoft's $49 billion in cash works out to be $430,000 per hour. And that's just interest on savings. Take into account $2 billion/quarter profits, and that's another $913,000/hour. They could afford to give away $1000 every 3 seconds and still be profitable!
Why run a contest at all? Just buy every non-MSN instant messager user (78 million people) for $11 cash/month... and still be profitable!
HIV Crosses Species Barrier... into Muppets
The user must first decypher an inkblot image which is also sent as an instant message.
I would like to announce that I am giving away $1000 to the first 10 slashdotters who reply to this post. In your reply, please include your credit card number and social security number for verification.
Disclaimer for idiots: This is a joke. Go to http://goatse.cx for the real giveaway.
Toronto-area transit rider? Rate your ride.
Oh well, at least I though it was funny..........
Stop the Slashdot effect! Don't read the articles!
In other news, the RIAA has said it plans on randomly sueing a user every hour that's logged into the Kazaa network for $1,000. To enter the contest, just be sure your not using Kazaa and you can increase your odds of keeping your $1,000.
Life is not for the lazy.
Microsoft software pays you!
:)
Sorry, couldn't resist
Last.fm - join the social music revolution
i wonder what sort of screen names are going to skipped ... 'hotnhornybitch@msn.com' doesnt sound like a valid winner to me.
members are seeing something, your seeing an ad
Johney: Yay! So Microsoft, where's my money?
Microsoft: Here Johney, we noticed you don't have windows. So, our gift to you: 50 brand new copies of XP Professional! At $200 a copy, that equals $1000!
Johney: Oh. What a rip off. Stupid Microsoft...
IRS: Johney, our records show that you recieved a prize totaling $1000. You owe us $80 now.
Etiquette is etiquette. He kills his mother but he can't wear grey trousers.
PresidentGates: You probably surprised to be hearing from me. I am the deposed leader of a small country and be seeking assistance which Paperclip cannot giving. With you banking account info you will be getting $1,000 for helping me.
Is that supposed to pay me back for the time I wasted with them? Not to mention the costs of Win3.1, Win95, NT4, Wind98, Visual Studio 6, and a year's source code when a certain M$ filesystem fell apart mid-project.
I can see those stupid XP popup bubbles going for days with "You might be a winner, click here to find out!" and "If this is annoying, you've won!"
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
Then Johnny goes to eBay ...
Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
They actually resort to *paying* people to use thier IM client?? Maybe they're testing out that new exploit...
Billg2003: CONGRATULATIONS YOU JUST WON MONEYS IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE THOUSAND (1,000) US DOLLARS
Rod981973: OMFG r u serious??? Wait...is this a trick?
Billg2003: NO LOOK ON CNN WHAT IS YOUR ACCOUNT#
Rod981973: WOW kewl!! Deposit it in my checking, it's #...
Then Johnny learns math.
So who does that leave? I guess the only people eligible are those using non-Microsoft programs!
Here. The down side is that it includes a whole OS that must be purchased as well. :)
I knew there was a reason to upgrade!
Every other day I get MSN spam telling me I won something... so what's news?
And Microsoft closes his auction and has his negative feedback for them changed (against eBays policy, but they'll do anything for Bill).
The Right Reverend K. Reid Wightman,