Would You Use Ad-Supported Windows? 643
An anonymous reader writes "ZDNet reported earlier this week that Microsoft was thinking of offering an Ad-Supported version of Windows. A blog post by John Carroll offers some reasons why Ad-Supported Windows makes sense. From the article: '4. More revenue through targeted marketing: The holy grail of marketing is to target an audience with the sort of ads that most appeal to them. Sending a bunch of male programmers advertisements for breast enlargement isn't terribly useful. Sending a bunch of male programmers advertisements for a four hour extended version of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan is useful.' Is there any situation where you can see yourself open to the possibility of using an Ad-Supported operating system?"
OMG!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Hoth! (Score:5, Funny)
Breast reduction, on the other hand...
Free Windows? (Score:1, Funny)
let me think (Score:3, Funny)
don't we have spyware blockers to stop annoying ads popping up on our desktop already? and now we want to make it part of the OS?
Will they let... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:OMG!!! (Score:3, Funny)
-Jar.
Not yet ad-supported (Score:5, Funny)
existing feature (Score:5, Funny)
Four Hour Extended Version of 'Wrath of Khan'? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:OMG!!! (Score:5, Funny)
A true Slashdotter would know there is really a 6 hour version of the Wrath of Khan and already have the DVD, both a copy from P2P obtained before the release date, and the official one with the hologram cover and an autographed picture of the Enterprise (but such a person would NOT be wondering how the Enterprise signed a picture).
New Poll (Score:2, Funny)
No
No!!!
Hell No!!!
OH FUCK THAT!!!
Wait, that adware isn't suppose to be their?
Re:existing feature (Score:5, Funny)
Re:OMG!!! (Score:1, Funny)
Yes, if you stare at this for 240 minutes:
http://www.khaaan.com/ [khaaan.com]
Spam is still spam... (Score:3, Funny)
Gotta hand it to the Redmond Empire. They've come up with some whack-job ideas in times past (anyone remember 'Bob?'), but this one gives new meaning to 'whack-job.' I can't believe that M$ thinks people would actually be dumb enough to fall for this, even if the OS was offered at no cost (which would, most likely, be the counter-factor to get people to try it).
I suppose the ads will feature characters like Clippy and Bonzi Buddy, doing a song-and-dance for each product. Brrr.....
Re:Two good uses (Score:5, Funny)
Personally, I think it's a great idea. If Microsoft moved all their Windows products to Adware, then computer users would start to grumble. Computer users grumbling will eventually produce a desire to move off of Windows. Then I'll come along and charge $150/hr to set them up with "more technologically advanced Macintoshes". See? It's a win-win for everyone!
Of course, I'd need to take my time setting up the Macs. The blasted things are too damn easy to install. I don't even need to ghost the machines! Just extract all the Applications they need. Hmm... maybe I can find an old 10MBit hub. Preferrably with plenty of collisions. Or maybe I'll just charge thousands of dollars to make up a study saying that companies could save money by moving to Macs...
* For the humor impaired, the above is a joke. I don't usually advertise the fact that I make up studies.
Heh (Score:5, Funny)
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (sucks in air) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (sucks in air) AAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!
Isn't terribly useful? (Score:2, Funny)
You'd be surprised.
KHAAAAHHHHHHHNNNNNNNN!!!!!!! (Score:4, Funny)
I think the director was right to "tighten that up" a bit.
Re:no (Score:5, Funny)
Has anybody seen the film Coyote Ugly, set in a bar where the hot female staff dance on the bar-top? It's pretty shit, but one thing I remember was them chanting 'Hell no h20' and going crazy whenever somebody asked for water.
Reading the parent's comment, I instantly pictured him working in a computer shop, where whenever somebody asks for a copy of Windows, he and the technicians get up on the counter and start chanting 'hell no Windows must go' while gyrating and swinging their black Metallica t-shirts above their heads.
An amusing, yet utterly revolting, picture.
Re:Two good uses (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Deceptive advertising (Score:5, Funny)
You get the idea.
Just consider it the new "WAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPP!" craze.
Re:Heh (Score:3, Funny)
yeah tha'd be great (Score:5, Funny)
That'd be fantastic with ad-supported windows.
[PowerPoint slide transitions in]
Church Potluck, 2pm
Last Name A-J, Salad
Last Name....
[popup]
ENLARG3 Y0UR P3N1S N0W!!!!111
A marketer's response... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Two good uses (Score:5, Funny)
I can't.
you mean... (Score:2, Funny)
how do i turn off these ads?
Re:OMG!!! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:OMG!!! (Score:2, Funny)
Imagine the new BSOD (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Not yet ad-supported (Score:3, Funny)
Doesn't Windows already have this feature ? At least I seem to recall reading about someone using Windows remotely initiated popups to advertize how to turn off said popups, and sending such advertising to the same address every five minutes... Simply add support for multimedia and auto-executing attachments and there you have it.
Sometimes I think that Microsoft does more to push the adoption of Linux than everyone else combined...
Re:Will they let... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Four Hour Extended Version of 'Wrath of Khan'? (Score:3, Funny)
Instead of Shatner crying out KHAAAAAN [khaaan.com], does he go on a rampage for an hour in the Genesis cave?
It's two hours of Kirk gettin' busy with Carol Marcus. I hear he screams "KHAAAAANNN!" a few times during that bit also.
Re:OMG!!! (Score:1, Funny)