Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) announced that it is selling advertising space in
the error messages that appear in Windows. Acknowledging for the first time
that the average user of their operating system encounters error messages at
least several times a day, Microsoft is trying to take financial advantage
of the unavoidable opportunity to make an ad impression. "We estimate that
throughout the world at any given moment several million people are getting
a 'General Protection Fault' or 'Illegal Operation' warning. We will be able
to generate significant revenue by including a short advertising message
along with it," said Microsoft marketing director Nathan Mirror. He also
mentioned that Microsoft is intending to add banner ads into its Blue Screen
of Death in the near future. The Justice Department immediately indicated
that they intend to investigate whether Microsoft is gaining an unfair
advantage in reaching the public with this advertising by virtue of its
semi-monopolistic control over error messages.
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