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ARTelevision · 05-13-2003, 04:08 AM

Microsoft acknowledges 'ILoo' news release was joke

The Associated Press
5/12/03 11:46 PM

SEATTLE (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. has acknowledged that a news release in which it said the company was developing a portable toilet with Internet access, called an "iLoo," was actually a hoax, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The April 30 release, issued by the Redmond, Wash.-based software company's MSN Internet division in the United Kingdom, said the company was developing a portable toilet with a wireless keyboard and an extending height-adjustable plasma screen in front of the seat. The iLoo was to expected to debut in festivals this summer in Britain.

The fake release generated coverage by The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press and Reuters.

The Associated Press received confirmation of the project from both Microsoft Corp.'s Waggener Edstrom public relations firm and London-based Red Consultancy, a public relations firm 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 handle the MSN account for Waggener Edstrom, also verified last week that the project was true.

According to a Journal story for Tuesday editions, Waggener Edstrom was unaware that the release was a joke. "It was not sanctioned or known," Waggener Edstrom spokeswoman Kathy Gill said. "We are still trying to figure out what happened and why it happened."

The hoax came about a year and a half after Microsoft promised to dedicate itself to "business integrity" as one of the four tenets of its widely heralded "Trustworthy Computing" initiative. The initiative, announced more than a year ago by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, calls for Microsoft to show the public that it takes security, privacy, reliability and business integrity seriously.

While security focuses on strengthening the software against attacks, the other three tenets deal with how Microsoft treats personal and business data, ensures its software functions reliably, and builds people's confidence and trust in the company.
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I calls em as I sees em - I'm not psychic

05-13-2003, 04:08 AM	#10 (permalink)
ARTelevision I change Location: USA	Microsoft acknowledges 'ILoo' news release was joke The Associated Press 5/12/03 11:46 PM SEATTLE (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. has acknowledged that a news release in which it said the company was developing a portable toilet with Internet access, called an "iLoo," was actually a hoax, The Wall Street Journal reports. The April 30 release, issued by the Redmond, Wash.-based software company's MSN Internet division in the United Kingdom, said the company was developing a portable toilet with a wireless keyboard and an extending height-adjustable plasma screen in front of the seat. The iLoo was to expected to debut in festivals this summer in Britain. The fake release generated coverage by The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press and Reuters. The Associated Press received confirmation of the project from both Microsoft Corp.'s Waggener Edstrom public relations firm and London-based Red Consultancy, a public relations firm 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 handle the MSN account for Waggener Edstrom, also verified last week that the project was true. According to a Journal story for Tuesday editions, Waggener Edstrom was unaware that the release was a joke. "It was not sanctioned or known," Waggener Edstrom spokeswoman Kathy Gill said. "We are still trying to figure out what happened and why it happened." The hoax came about a year and a half after Microsoft promised to dedicate itself to "business integrity" as one of the four tenets of its widely heralded "Trustworthy Computing" initiative. The initiative, announced more than a year ago by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, calls for Microsoft to show the public that it takes security, privacy, reliability and business integrity seriously. While security focuses on strengthening the software against attacks, the other three tenets deal with how Microsoft treats personal and business data, ensures its software functions reliably, and builds people's confidence and trust in the company. ------ I calls em as I sees em - I'm not psychic __________________ create evolution