05-07-2003, 11:00 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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An Outhouse For The New Millennium
Somebody PLEASE tell me that this is a joke! AKBishop sent in this news item from the MSN Web site about a new experimental portable toilet (a.k.a. "port-a-john," "port-a-potty") under development by Microsoft that features -- get this -- full Internet connectivity!
"MSN UK is creating what Microsoft calls the world's first Internet outhouse, or iLoo, complete with flat-screen plasma display, wireless keyboard and broadband access. MSN UK spokesman Matthew Whittingham described the portable toilet as the first 'WWW.C,' referring to the term W.C., or water closet."
I can think of about a gazillion jokes to make about this, but all you have to do is read the article to bust a gut laughing! Some of the most notable quotes are [my comments in italics]:
"MSN UK is negotiating with toilet paper manufacturers for special rolls with Web addresses, or URLs, printed on them."
What Webmaster wouldn't be proud to have his URL end up you-know-where?
"Reading in the loo, or the bog, is a traditional English pastime..."
Hmmmm. I always thought that was soccer.
"This is another demonstration of Microsoft moving into new product areas to expand its revenue base..."
Is there NO aspect of our lives Microsoft isn't involved in?
"Davies also raised concerns about the long lines. 'Like my father always said: Get in, get it out, get out,' he said."
Okay, that's just crude.
"Security is another issue. Because of the expensive hardware inside, Microsoft plans to post a guard to protect the iLoo."
Hopefully, the guard will be OUTside the loo.
The sad thing is, somebody got paid to think this thing up. Or, as one of my friends at Microsoft paraphrased, this was a case of "Money for nothing, and your cheeks for free!"
Let the crude jokes, puns and double entendre begin!
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05-07-2003, 11:29 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 245
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Pretty sure this is a spoff :!:
But thinking about it that would be kind of awesome in some ways. Maybe they could be used as wifi access points :?
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05-07-2003, 12:33 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 64
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Looks more like an Apple product to me. :?
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05-07-2003, 01:09 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 232
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Finally, Microsoft products where they belong! In the crapper! :lol:
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05-07-2003, 01:11 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 254
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Good thing they dont come with a webcam and microphone.
I bet it you have to call Microsoft to "ACTIVATE" it before you can do your work....no matter how much you need to do it: "You are moving forward in the queue, please hold the line. The toilet seat will open as soon as you has activated" :lol:
Lets hope there is no bugs in the product.
__________________
In times of change, its the learners who will inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to handle a world that no longer exist.
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05-07-2003, 01:15 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 85
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rotflmao. I read an article like this, without pictures, so I thought it was a porta internet station, like a mobile public telephone that is set up at events where there isn't any infrastructure. I didn't think it was a real porta potty.
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05-07-2003, 01:20 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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I wonder if MS will be recycling the Madonna "Ray of Light" song from the Windows XP commercial when you flush?
I just hope it as automatic updates. Nothing worse than being in that situation and the equipment has to be updated and rebooted before it works properly.
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05-07-2003, 01:26 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 984
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Man, the last thing the world needs is a public toilet that encourages the user to take longer than he/she already does...
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05-07-2003, 01:43 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 73
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We play football over here :wink:
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05-07-2003, 01:48 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
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The reading room goes portable.
Actually, you get 30 flushes before you have to activate. It's also voice activated --
"Flush, please, HAL."
"I'm sorry, Dave. I can't do that."
If the voice activation doesn't work, do you really want to be touching the keyboard?
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