The Off-Topic Story That Keeps Coming Back, Flush After Flush

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-1001405.html?tag=fd_top' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-100...html?tag=fd_top</a><br /><br /></div>"Microsoft reversed its position for the second time in 24 hours Tuesday over whether it had ever planned to launch a portable toilet with a built-in Internet terminal in Britain this summer. On Monday, the world's largest software maker had said the "iLoo," which was described in minute detail in an April 30 press release by its British subsidiary, was a hoax and apologized for any "confusion or offense." <br /><br />But Microsoft switched its story Tuesday and said that the iLoo had been a legitimate project by its British MSN Internet service that was terminated after the initial announcement prompted controversy, ridicule and disgust. "Corporate headquarters in Redmond, Wash., looked at it and decided maybe this wasn't a good idea," said Lisa Gurry, MSN group product manager."<br /><br />We first reported this as <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12180&highlight=iloo">being a real product</a>. Then we reported that MSN was claiming it was a "joke", and I <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?topic_id=12400">disputed that fact.</a> Now it seems that I was right after all - this was a real product, and someone at MSN thought it would be a good idea to lie and tell people it was a joke rather than have the courage to own up to the fact that it was a poorly-conceived idea. It's always easier to stand up and say "It was a stupid decision" rather than cover it up. Kudos to Microsoft HQ for doing this so quickly, even if it was after the fact. Next time Microsoft, be honest with people - we're smarter than you think!

[lurch]

Not that I expect integrity from major corporations these days (ahem, &lt;cough>enron&lt;/cough> -- just to name one), but it doesn't give me confidence in Microsoft to see this lack of it... sure they made things right, and I'm glad they did, but the lack of integrity always puts a stain on the reputation of anybody who lacks it.

Also, this is such a minor thing (who cares if they lied about an "iLoo") but I am a firm believer that the little things are small windows into the big things... :?

[bdegroodt]

Not that I expect integrity from major corporations these days (ahem, &lt;cough>enron&lt;/cough> -- just to name one), but it doesn't give me confidence in Microsoft to see this lack of it... sure they made things right, and I'm glad they did, but the lack of integrity always puts a stain on the reputation of anybody who lacks it.

Also, this is such a minor thing (who cares if they lied about an "iLoo") but I am a firm believer that the little things are small windows into the big things... :?

Funny you should say this. I was just watching CNBC and there was a segment on "restoring investor trust"...again...and then I return to my desk and see Gateway is under criminal investigation for their accounting work as well. Corporate trust is truly elusive these days it would seem. I wonder where it stops.

[feo]

and I thought those were going to be doubling as the access points at the Circle K's. :lol:
I think it is a good concept, stranger ideas have worked. :roll:

[Noel]

http://www.seespotruninc.com/Images/MS%20Publicist.jpg

[lurch]

I wonder where it stops.
I can't tell you where it'll stop, but I can tell you where it'll start (and it won't be a quick-fix like so many people want). It has to come down to the individual -- you (generic) and me. These corporate deceptions, or "creative accountings", or whatever, come from one or two or several or even a lot of people who lack integrity in their own lives, which subsequently spills over into their work life, and into the company. The change will come when individuals begin to strive to have integrity themselves...

[lurch]

&lt;picture>
I think it's facing the wrong way though........ :twisted:

[Gerard]

Oh no, not another out-from-under toilet paper installer! I've been battling you guys most of my life. The paper rolls off the top, silly! The picture is correct, imo ;)
As for the iLoo; isn't 'spin' standard corporate practice these last bunch of years? Or rather, since big industry got started? Feeding crap to the general public to protect the bottom line is an industry in itself, and a highly profitable one. This web-toilet is a bad idea, at least from a sanitary perspective, never mind the cost in wasted time in the bathroom and the annoyance of ever longer lineups outside the stalls. And Microsoft is just chicken to face the music for promoting such a bad idea in the first place.

[lurch]

Oh no, not another out-from-under toilet paper installer! I've been battling you guys most of my life. The paper rolls off the top, silly! The picture is correct, imo ;)
Whoops, better clarify myself... I am totally a over-the-top TP guy!!! Never anything else..
When I said "facing the wrong way" I meant it's facing her face instead of her, well, you can figure it out from there.. :wink:

[Gerard]

Oh. Good. Sorry, that interpretation didn't occur to me at all.
I suspect the over/under thing is physiologically based. Seems to me most women (except my mom, bless her) are 'unders' where this is concerned, while most men are 'overs.'

[Kati Compton]

Oh. Good. Sorry, that interpretation didn't occur to me at all.
I suspect the over/under thing is physiologically based. Seems to me most women (except my mom, bless her) are 'unders' where this is concerned, while most men are 'overs.'

I, as well as the female friend I discussed this issue with, are both "overs"

[welmoed]

It's even shown up in my favorite comic strip already:

www.userfriendly.org

A posessed iLoo!!!

--Welmoed

[Noel]

I understand well that a picture is worth a thousand posts and I apologize for derailing this thread.

:oops:

Noel

[Gerard]

Just like a woman, Kati, to go a blast a guy's pet theory right out of the water. ;)

[Kati Compton]

Just like a woman, Kati, to go a blast a guy's pet theory right out of the water. ;)

I always do my best to help out. ;)

There's a 3rd toilet paper mounting technique besides "over" and "under". "Random". That's what my husband does, and frankly, I don't really mind. ;)

[lurch]

I will say (not to aid in the de-railment of this thread, but I guess I am anyway) that I've heard some excellent arguments for the "under" (although they weren't good enough to convert me). The best one, in my mind: if you're bored, you can "hit and roll" the roll, and if it's under, it works, but if it's over, it will just unravel. :mrgreen:

[Noel]

OK.
A while back I removed of a stack of Calvin and Hobbes books sitting beside the toilet - because it added at least 10 minutes to every visit - you could say they were an "occupational hazard".
Interestingly, now that everyone in the house has a Pocket PC... ebooks, email, wireless web-surfing has replaced those books.
Can you imagine the LINE-UPS @ an iLoo!!!!

(lame attempt to RErail)

:werenotworthy:

Noel

[GoldKey]

In the over configuration, a mischevious cat can unroll the whole thing on to the floor. In the under configuration, it take the especially smart cat to figure it out.

(Just noticed and am embarassed to see this as my 300th post. :oops:)

[Noel]

http://www.seespotruninc.com/Images/Paws%20Off.jpg

[Gerard]

Bwa ha ha ha ha!!! Where'd you get that picture? That's ridiculously cute, and offensive at the same time. Right on, cool Today theme. :)

[Sunnyone]

Female and an "over" person, as well. My husband's also a "random," but unlike you I mind just a bit.

[Noel]

Here ya go bro!

Pocket Themes

http://www.pocketthemes.com/download.php?op=NewDownloadsDate&selectdate=1052166654&sid=0

right near the top of page.

Noel

[Ravenswing]

Next time Microsoft, be honest with people - we're smarter than you think!

You're wrong, Jason, people are usually more dumb than they think.

I know I am. :mrgreen:

[Jonathon Watkins]

Thanks Noel - I was going to ask the same thing myself - :mrgreen:

[gtarent]

I have to admit it, I am an under, and for the very reason posted above. I once had a cat who would unroll every "over" positioned roll she would find. After a few demonstrations I was a quick convert.

[Gerard]

Now just imagine what disasters might ensue should you install Microsoft's JohnPC! Toilet paper's cheap, time spent figuring out what the heck the cat did to lock the browser into a kitty porn pay-site could get darn close to priceless.
Our cats are too stupid to deal with toilet paper. They jump up and down past it to use the window, but the worst we've seen is a muddy footprint on the first sheet on rainy days.

[Noel]

http://www.seespotruninc.com/Images/kittyp.jpg

[Noel]

http://www.seespotruninc.com/Images/Fall%20in.jpg

[Gerard]

Noel, you are an evil, bad man. ;) Didn't you notice me vainly attempting to steer this back into the CrapperComputer topic? C'mon, we can do it. And don't show that to your cat. Nasty stuff. Kitty bathcams. shiver.

[Noel]

Gerard!
Look, that cat has a cautionary tale to tell AND the tail to tell it with!!!
NOW we can get on with the MicroCrap thread.

Noel

[Mitch D]

It's even shown up in my favorite comic strip already:

www.userfriendly.org

A posessed iLoo!!!

--Welmoed

:jester:

Typical for Illiad @ Userfriendly to bring the real world Microsloth screwups into light. Poor Erwin and Dust Puppy!!

:snipersmile: - - - - - - - - (Hastur)

[Brad Adrian]

If you've ever owned a playful cat, you may know why the "over" configuration doesn't work. We once had a kitten that loved nothing more than to start batting at the roll and not stop until she had the entire thing unraveled on the floor.

[Kati Compton]

If you've ever owned a playful cat, you may know why the "over" configuration doesn't work. We once had a kitten that loved nothing more than to start batting at the roll and not stop until she had the entire thing unraveled on the floor.

This is the ONE THING that my cats are not naughty about. We can not leave out AC adapters unless the cord is tightly wrapped, we have had to tape the cords between the phone jacks and the phones to the wall. We cannot leave out glasses of liquid, particularly water. We cannot leave out anything stringlike, including nighties with spaghetti-straps. Don't give my cats any ideas. :P

[Gerard]

Uh-huh, nighties and spagetti straps... here we go, steering back into kitty porn. Really, and I'd been thinking so highly of Kati with that 'over' survey. DOH! It's Kati Kitty Porn! Do you leave something string-like dangling over a table edge on their birthdays?

[Kati Compton]

Uh-huh, nighties and spagetti straps... here we go, steering back into kitty porn. Really, and I'd been thinking so highly of Kati with that 'over' survey. DOH! It's Kati Kitty Porn! Do you leave something string-like dangling over a table edge on their birthdays?

:oops:

I only mentioned that one in particular because the night before my husband and I left for Europe last year, a cat ate a few inches of a strap. We were very worried, because while it's not always the case, when a cat eats string or tinsel or whatever, it can kill them.

[Steven Cedrone]

I only mentioned that one in particular because the night before my husband and I left for Europe last year, a cat ate a few inches of a strap. We were very worried, because while it's not always the case, when a cat eats string or tinsel or whatever, it can kill them.

Tell your husband to make sure he puts away his nighties with spaghetti-straps... :wink: :lol: :wink: :lol:

Joking... :twisted:

Steve

[Abba Zabba]

I thought this was suppose to be a discussion about the screwup called microsoft :wink:

Anyway to continue where everyone has left off. I'm an over guy myself but my other half is as random as a lottery number :evil: It pi$$es me off everytime I have to .... you know. :mrgreen:

[Kati Compton]

Tell your husband to make sure he puts away his nighties with spaghetti-straps... :wink: :lol: :wink: :lol:


Okay, I wi.... Hey!

[stitics]

I, too, am an over person. I am also (as appears to be my way) waaaaaay late in my response. I believe that the hanging paper (if actually hanging) should "hide" the roll.

And (in a legitimate fashion) I have obtained my 50th post.

[Jonathon Watkins]

....And (in a legitimate fashion) I have obtained my 50th post.

So, what would be an 'illegitimate' way of obtaining an increased post count?

Something like this one? :wink: :lol:

[stitics]

So, what would be an 'illegitimate' way of obtaining an increased post count?

Well, that is one example, but a better example is illustrated here (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119018#119018).

[Jonathon Watkins]

Owch. :!: 8O Fair enough I suppose. Off topic is one thing, but an off-topic 'Thread' to increase post count. Hmmmmm.