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Microsoft's iLoo Project A Hoax

Posted by Hemos on Tue May 13, 2003 07:00 AM
from the taken-in dept.
Microsoft
minesweeper writes "It appears that the 'iLoo,' a portable toilet with Internet access designed by Microsoft, was actually just a hoax issued by its MSN division in the United Kingdom. In addition to receiving press here on Slashdot, the fake release was also covered by The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and Reuters. See a diagram of the iLoo here."
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  • load of crap (Score:4, Funny)

    by Cally (10873) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:02AM (#5943587) Homepage
    ...as I said at the time. Boom, boom!
    • Maybe this iLoo was created with the genuine intention of building such a product. But when it started to get press, the MSFT brass realised it was a 'stinky' idea. Why would MSFT UK just release something outrageous like this as a hoax? I think they didn't want to fess up and admit that they had a terrible idea so they just said it was a hoax.

  • a hoax (Score:5, Funny)

    by greenalbatros (215035) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:03AM (#5943592)
    and if you were unfortunate enough to have fallen for it, your picture and whatever it was you did in there will soon be posted on the internet for the world to see. Trusted computing my arse

  • Yeah, but (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:03AM (#5943595)
    unfortunately.. it turns out Longhorn wasn't a hoax. :(

  • Typical Microsoft (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:03AM (#5943597)
    An April fool that's wayyy late.

  • dont read if you offend easily (Score:5, Funny)

    by daveatwork (655626) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:04AM (#5943604)
    sooo, not only do microsoft talk shit, they talk shit about making things that deal with shit, which end up being as useful as shit, because, in the end, its all shit... :-)
  • They even say it to our faces "Your stupid, you believe everything we say, we can tell you this, and you'll still buy our OS for a hugely overpriced cost!". Well I guess at least the UK division has a sense of humor.

    I love you cowboy neal! Come back!

  • Whoever's responsible... (Score:3, Funny)

    by worst_name_ever (633374) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:05AM (#5943607)
    I'm sure when they find out the name of the guy responsible for the hoax, his job will be flushed...

  • Does that mean ... (Score:4, Funny)

    by dereklam (621517) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:05AM (#5943611)
    Does that mean the iLoo has gone down the toilet?

  • Surround Sound (Score:3, Funny)

    by moonboy (2512) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:05AM (#5943612)
    Yeah, I thought the 6 channel surround sound was bit much.

  • It is Fiction? (Score:3, Funny)

    by drwav (577314) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:07AM (#5943616)
    but... I thought reality was supposed to be stranger than fiction.

  • Hrmmm.... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by sdiver (624109) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:07AM (#5943619) Homepage
    So what are the chances MicroSoft thought this was a legit idea upon releasing the concept, only to backpedal and say it was a "joke" a few days later? Seems like and odd joke to me...

  • BSOD (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:08AM (#5943626)
    Just imagine if they had made one and you had to
    take a 3-flusher. All of a sudden, BSOD. The bowl
    is full. You need to flush, but the flush control is a
    mouse click and you can't reboot (that's locked out
    by their new DRM controls so only the janitor
    can reboot). Stranded


    Or, could you imagine the germs on the mouse or
    trackpad. Or you were in New York where no one
    washes their hands. Or porn....

  • Also on CNN (Score:5, Informative)

    by TheMidget (512188) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:08AM (#5943627)
    click here [cnn.com] (don't be afraid, it's not one of those links that are on-topic to this story in their own special way...)

  • Not a totally bad idea. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Deathlizard (115856) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:09AM (#5943631) Homepage Journal
    Although having a Portable PC in a Porta-potty doesn't make much sense, it seems like a somewhat good idea in a permament environment.

    I mean realistically your going to be sitting down anyway and since your basicially a captive audience you might as well read up on the news or sports while your there. It's better than reading the writing on the wall.

    Of course a paper would be just as good, but something like this built into a wall would be more up to date. It doesn't really need to be interactive either. just run headlines, Sport Scores and Stock Market tickers.
    • I just keep thinking of the study where computer keyboards were found to be dirtier than toilet seats...

      I mean, do you REALLY want to be handling a keyboard that was handled by the guy in front of you, who was ALSO in the process of cleaning feces off of his bottom. Hint, the sink and soap are NOT in the stall.

      • Re:Not a totally bad idea. (Score:3, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward
        I've often wondered about this, and I think it is simply because some people take longer than others to drop a loaf. Some can force it out, but others have to let nature take it's course, so they have to sit there for ages and bring some reading material.
        In short, there are both passive and active shitters - to the active, the shitting is it's own reward. With passives, it is merely a distraction.
      • hmm. i don't think people have that much of a habit of touching their own excreted solids and fluids. it reminds me of an old joke. a guy from colorado, a guy from nebraska, and a guy from utah are all in a bathroom peeing. the guy from wyoming finishes and goes to the sink. "In wyoming they teach us to wash our hands with warm water when we're done peeing." he then waits for the others at the doorway. The guy from nebraska finishes next, walks to the sink, and says "In nebraska they teach us to wash

  • So How Does This Affect (Score:5, Funny)

    by The Dobber (576407) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:12AM (#5943643)

    The Open Source communities efforts to build a better shitter?

  • I really think the "hoax" is PR's way of covering their ass. I think Bill was just pissed off about the reaction it recieved.

    This whole thing stinks, they knew it, and they wanted to wash their hands of the matter. Who wouldn't after the smear job it recieved. Talk about being caught with your pants down!

  • Apple iTolete (Score:3, Interesting)

    by POds (241854) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:18AM (#5943677) Homepage Journal
    i wonder if this was inspired by the Apple iToilet [electric-chicken.co.uk]

  • Shit (Score:5, Funny)

    by A Proud American (657806) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:26AM (#5943708)
    I guess this means I should cancel my GNUPoo project over at SourceForge.

  • Damn that 5ux0r5!! (Score:3, Funny)

    by Wo-Fat (197418) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:27AM (#5943709)
    I was looking forward to writing the W32/flusher.gen virus. I had all my plans in the works. Automatic flushing, and handwashing alarms....

  • Really? (Score:3, Funny)

    by bigfatlamer (149907) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:29AM (#5943718)
    A hoax? No way! I already bought my plane tickets and passes to ever music festival in the UK this summer just so I could check my email from an shit covered keyboard in an outhouse.

    Damn...now what am I going to do?
    BFL

  • Yes of course, they had to retract... (Score:5, Funny)

    by joto (134244) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:33AM (#5943740)
    After all, iLoo was already trademarked by Apple, the new toilet from Microsoft will be called Microsoft Shit 1.0.

  • The Ultimate Test... (Score:3, Informative)

    by ayjay29 (144994) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:36AM (#5943760)
    "MSN is really working on building a prototype for the Summer festivals, perhaps Glastonbury ..."

    The Glasonbury Festival could be the ultimate test for a wired toilet. Problem is most of the users would be too stoned to notice, and who in their right mind is going to spend any longer than needed in a Glasto portaloo to check their hotmail, (that is if it doesn't get nicked by the skallies).

    This is how the Festival Organisers describe them...
    "The 'long drop' toilets are open stalls positioned above a large pit - looking down is not advised! The stall gates often don't lock, so it's advised to look under the gate for feet before entering a stall. But don't be surprised if you then do find someone inside - squatting with feet on the seat is a popular way of avoiding skin contact."

  • Absolutely not a hoax, just a major screwup! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Brian_Ellenberger (308720) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:41AM (#5943789)

    Here is the Google Cache [google.com] for the iLoo.

    How can your own company hoax itself?!?! This wasn't just some Onion article or fake email everyone sent out. It was a bloody press release! And it was NOT an April Fools Trick as it dates May 2nd.

    Gee everybody was fooled into believing the iLoo was real because Microsoft issues a press release saying it was building the darn thing. Really pulled one over on us...

    MAYBE the truth is that Microsoft recieved so much bad press over it that they decided to pull the iLoo and pretend it was a joke. If that is the case, aren't there regulations against such things?

    Brian
    • If that is the case, aren't there regulations against such things?

      In the US there are regulations against false advertising, but AFAIK press releases don't count. Press releases are released to the press (for those who couldn't figure that out) and not published by purchasing ad space. So it's my understanding a company can announce whatever they want and the press can report it. What they can't do is buy a billboard and post a picture of the iLoo on it saying "Contact your local plumber!"

    • And it was NOT an April Fools Trick as it dates May 2nd.

      Uh, it would be very un-Microsoft-like for them to release something on time. It was probably intended for April 1st but release got delayed by 32 days.

      -- Dossy

  • Ms does Vaporware? (Score:3, Funny)

    by linuxislandsucks (461335) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:42AM (#5943793) Homepage Journal
    Since one of the DOC lawsuits that MS settle on had a clause about vapor ware does DOC now have the right to claim MS violated the settlement agreement?

  • Not in my lifetime... (Score:5, Funny)

    by pongo000 (97357) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:48AM (#5943833)
    ...would I have ever thought I would see /. ranked right up there with the big boys:

    In addition to receiving press here on Slashdot, the fake release was also covered by The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and Reuters.

    What prestige! I bet my boss wouldn't even notice if I swapped out his beloved Journal with a copy of today's /. headlines. Hell, he might even stop bitching at me about wasting time reading all that geek drivel, now that he realizes he's been in good company all along.

  • This was not a hoax! (Score:5, Informative)

    by Black Perl (12686) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @07:54AM (#5943870)
    This time, SFgate is wrong. It's not a hoax. Read the article. It's a legitimate experiment to build a prototype for the Glastonbury festival. It's just that it got so much attention that an embarrassed Microsoft had to say that it wasn't officially sanctioned communication. This does not mean it's a hoax. The SFgate chose a poor headline, especially after the reporter verified that the project was true.

  • Do we all believe it actually is a hoax ? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by tmark (230091) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @08:04AM (#5943925)
    It *could* be just P.R. damage control designed to counter how silly MS was looking. The CNN article I read indicated that the legitimacy of the toilet was attested to by several other MS staffers.

    • Re:Do we all believe it actually is a hoax ? (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Fishstick (150821) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @08:51AM (#5944245) Journal
      the headline claims it was a hoax, the article says the release was "false", but then later says

      The Associated Press received confirmation of the project from both Microsoft Corp.'s Waggener Edstrom public relations firm and London-based Red Consultancy, which handles such work for the software giant in England.

      In an e-mail sent last week to The Associated Press, Red Consultancy's Ben Philipson wrote "MSN is really working on building a prototype for the Summer festivals, perhaps Glastonbury ... This is very much a 'toe in the water' experiment to gauge interest so we'll have to see how it goes, although judging from response so far it's really captured people's imagination!"

      Malina Bragg, who helps with MSN's account for Waggener Edstrom, also verified last week that the project was true.

      Where did Microsoft say that this wasn't real? All they said was that it wasn't "sanctioned commuinication" and that they "apologized for any "confusion or offense". Sounds like they just are embarassed. They might get the UK office to pull the plug on the thing, but it doesn't sound like anyone "made this up".

      Sounds like somebody just really wanted to put "hoax" in the headline, regardless of the facts.
  • Who would think of trusting Microsoft with a device as important as the toilet? What would stop every script kiddie in the area from using your bathroom? How far from your computer does the toilet have to be in order to prevent Microsoft toilet viruses from reading your Outlook address book? How reliable would such a toilet be?

    So you upgrade to the Palladium toilet, but now you can only go to the bathroom when Microsoft says it's OK.

    Microsoft Flush 2003 offers very little improvment over Flush 2000, but you have to buy it because of "Potty Assurance (tm)." The new requirement of having each bathroom visitor sign the EULA looks annoying at first until you realize that the hardcopy EULAs are useful as toilet paper.

  • lawsuit possibility (Score:3, Interesting)

    by moojin (124799) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @08:21AM (#5944010)
    not that i can't take a good joke, but is their some legal precedence that would enable a person or entity to sue MSN UK? couldn't the media companies that took the time to research and publish (print, tv, internet media) this story could sue for lost revenue, lost wages, lost time, lost reputation (for printing a hoax? couldn't companies with analysts covering microsoft or the embedded devices market sue for lost revenue and lost time?

    not that i would sue, but shouldn't their be some legal ramifications for this hoax? what if somebody could prove that MS stock price actually increased in the time directly after the announcement?

    just my ramblings...

  • Darn! (Score:3, Funny)

    by neildiamond (610251) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @10:22AM (#5945062) Homepage
    I thought Microsoft was finally being innovative!

  • I doubt it was a hoax (Score:3, Informative)

    by Edmund Blackadder (559735) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @10:41AM (#5945258)
    As the article states, the Associated press recieved confirmations that it was true from two of Microsoft's public relations agencies.

    It is believable that maybe some engineers or lower management will plant a false story as a joke, but the public relation firms deal with top management only ... there is no way they would have confirmed that unless they had microsoft corp's ok.

    It is much more likely that after realizing the whole thing just got turned into a bad joke in the media, Microsoft decided to pretend they never had anything to do with the whole project.

  • Late as always... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Dave21212 (256924) <dav@spamcop.net> on Tuesday May 13 2003, @12:21PM (#5946429) Homepage Journal

    A Microsoft spokesperson is now claiming that it was "an April's Fools joke [com.com]"

    Leave it to M$ to delivery over a month late on a simply joke... WinFS in 2005 [theregister.co.uk], yeah right...

  • iLoo is real! Microsoft flip-flops again! (Score:3, Informative)

    by grouchomarxist (127479) on Tuesday May 13 2003, @08:02PM (#5950737)
    According to this article [yahoo.com] Microsoft is now claiming that the iLoo is not a hoax, but was a concept being developed and has since been cancelled. "We jumped the gun basically yesterday in confirming that it was a hoax, and in fact it was not," said Lisa Gurry, MSN group product manager....On Tuesday, though, Microsoft said it had relied on bad information from a Microsoft employee in the United Kingdom who said it was a hoax, Gurry said. After more talks with people in London, the company determined it was a real project, after all.
    • Yes, "Loo" from the company that *still* spells "colour" as "color" and "favourite" as "favorite" even when you select the UK English language settings? Come on guys, you're supposed to have this language thing sorted now.

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