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The Very Worst Uses of Windows

Posted by timothy on from the you-seem-to-be-attaching-an-iron-lung dept.

bigplrbear writes "I found an interesting article revealing the many places that Microsoft products reside, and what they're used for, ranging from elevators to ticket scanners." From the article: "Thanks to VMWare Windows is spreading throughout the datacenter. And, of course, there is only one operating system to use if you are dependent on Microsoft apps like Outlook, Word, and Excel. While I have joined the chorus of security folks who rail against the Microsoft Monoculture I still cannot believe some of the uses for Windows. Some of them are just downright silly, some you may claim are criminally negligent." Note: I'm making no claim of criminal negligence!

20 of 816 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory... by Dice · · Score: 4, Funny

    What, you mean other than as a desktop OS?

    1. Re:Obligatory... by SpiderClan · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's just to keep you from stealing their clicky-pens.

    2. Re:Obligatory... by HereIAmJH · · Score: 5, Funny

      I live in Korea, where every computer runs Windows,

      (just look at the anti-U.S. mad cow demonstrations happening now)

      You'll end up with mad cow one way or another. If we can't send the cows to you, we'll feed them to MS programmers. We've been doing it for years.

      Denny Crane

      --
      Another day, another update to a Google android app.
    3. Re:Obligatory... by Irish_Samurai · · Score: 4, Funny

      If you want, I'll let you borrow my pencil.

    4. Re:Obligatory... by JohnBailey · · Score: 5, Funny

      I am taking no extraordinary measures in the day to day operation of my gaming PC.
      I run as a limited user.
      I patch Windows monthly.
      I don't run software that claims to put "HAWT NUDE CHIXXXORZ" "RIGHT ON YOUR DESKTOP!".

      It's simple, really.

      Hate to be the one to break it to you... those are extraordinary measures.

      --
      It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it.
    5. Re:Obligatory... by mgblst · · Score: 4, Funny

      Microsoft actually bought South Korea in the late 90s.

  2. There can be only ONE by diggitzz · · Score: 5, Funny

    And, of course, there is only one operating system to use if you are dependent on Microsoft apps like Outlook, Word, and Excel.

    Mac OS X?

    --
    -=[You cannot consistently judge this statement to be true.]=-
    1. Re:There can be only ONE by neomunk · · Score: 5, Funny

      Draw derisive laughter from knowledgeable peers?

  3. Re:Plants by clarkkent09 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah, but that's because photosynthesis software only runs on Windows

    --
    Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
  4. Re:Cars? by von_rick · · Score: 5, Funny

    Paper Clip: Do you mean Airbag?

    --

    Face your daemons!

  5. My favorite was... by roc97007 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Windows for Warships

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  6. Re:Roller Coaster controls by GroeFaZ · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well duh, a roller coaster is supposed to scare the living hell out of you. A geek might not be overly impressed by experiencing the effects of gravity and inertia (and might even carry a chess board with glued-on pieces), but knowing that thing runs on Windows 3.11! The horror!

    --
    The grass is always greener on the other side of the light cone.
  7. Re:Medical equipment by presentt · · Score: 4, Funny

    Similarly, I believe an MRI machine at my local hospital runs Windows.

    While getting an MRI of my knee after an injury, the tech gave me a pair of headphones to listen to music from a CD I brought in, which was piped in from the control room along with audio from the technician ("almost done, dolly, just one more scan")

    About halfway through the second track, the music abruptly switchd to the "BUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHNNNNNN" sound of Windows freaking out, followed by silence, and then by the Windows startup sound. The MRI seemed to keep running, but at least the communications were using Windows.

    --
    I decided to stop stealing cynical quotes to use as a signature line.
  8. Re:Medical equipment by ozmanjusri · · Score: 4, Funny

    Started breathing.

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  9. Re:Medical equipment by ozmanjusri · · Score: 5, Funny
    I'd hate to see a BSOD on one of those just when a patient is in desperate need of drugs.

    I know.

    It's bad enough when I try to order a pizza online.

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  10. Re:Bank Machines by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Was Minesweeper or Solitaire on there? They would be perfect for annoying the queue behind me.

  11. Re:Medical equipment by g0dsp33d · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wasn't the daughter - it was something he installed in his wife.

    --
    lol: You see no door there!
  12. Cell block 1138 (n/t) by XanC · · Score: 4, Funny

    (n/t)

  13. Re:Medical equipment by cjb658 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Human wishes to start breathing. Cancel/Allow?

  14. Re:Medical equipment by johannesg · · Score: 4, Funny

    This child process has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.

    Come on, if you go that way do it right:

    This child process has performed an illegal operation. Retry, ignore, or abort?