Linked by Eugenia Loli-Queru on Wed 12th Dec 2001 20:23 UTC
Humor Who said that Microsoft has closed the doors for the alternative operating system's success? Here is how Microsoft and their technologies can help an alternative OS distribution: "1. Make a bootable image of your OS, 2. Attach it to an e-mail, 3. Attatch Rawrite.exe to the same e-mail, 4. Make a VBS script that writes it to the disk of the e-mail receiver, and also sends copies of itself on to all the receiver's friends, 5. Send the email to all _your_ friends and addresses in your contact list (at least they'll be for now). Unconfirmed step 6: Go to jail." The joke was first published on the alt.os.develop newsgroup.
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funny, except......
by Jeremy on Wed 12th Dec 2001 20:34 UTC

E-mail has a 25MB limit built into it, and most ISPs/Webmail providers put a 5MB cap on their systems.

so unless you are distribuiting menuetOS, you are gonna be out od luck.

Re: funny, except......
by Eugenia on Wed 12th Dec 2001 20:42 UTC

Yes, but... ;) You don't have to put in an email the whole OS, but a trim down version of it, just to give a taste to people of what is like. For example, Athene is only 1.1 MB (a VBS script can change the shell of Windows to use Athene instead of Explorer), Linux with VESA XFree can be made with 3 MB (or create a more feature complete version around the limit of 5 MB), AtheOS can be made bootable with 3.5 MB as well, and then, there is always Qube (700 KB), PicoBSD (1.44), QNX (1.44), SkyOS (1.44), MenuetOS (1 MB), V2-OS (250 kb) etc <BR> Don't get ideas though. This is just a joke. ;)

ftp installation
by Anthony on Wed 12th Dec 2001 20:47 UTC

Just have it do an ftp installation.

"That's a JOKE, Son!"
by Dave on Wed 12th Dec 2001 21:04 UTC

Uhmmm ... Jeremy? It's not meant to be serious. Kidding, ok? ;)

by Kevin on Wed 12th Dec 2001 21:11 UTC

okay! thanks for the idea! be sure to vist me when i'm in jail!

lol....

re: thats a joke, son!
by Jeremy on Wed 12th Dec 2001 21:12 UTC

I know it is. I just have one of those minds that does not find stuff funny unless there is a plausable situation....if not I point out problems with it.

some folks find that irritating....I-WON-DER-WHYYYYYY :-)

Re: funny, except......
by Jeremy on Wed 12th Dec 2001 21:14 UTC

yeah but some of those OSs are not featurful enough at that size. MinuetOS is the best out of all of em....to bad they have a lack of drivers though :-(

and yes I realize it is a joke and not intended to actualy be done.

by Kevin on Wed 12th Dec 2001 21:22 UTC

huh? it was a joke? oops! crap! how do i unsend about 500 e-mails?! argh!

lol!

by PainKilleR on Wed 12th Dec 2001 21:47 UTC

Next step is how to get the files to people that use updated versions of Outlook, since it won't let them access executable files (hint: use a zip or rar file, send some instructions)

by GavinJames on Wed 12th Dec 2001 22:54 UTC

... <u>people</u> that use updated versions of Outlook ...

You mean all 3 of them?

I suggest
by ? on Wed 12th Dec 2001 23:15 UTC

Make a file with the magical .hta ending. (Nobody knows that .hta can be used for good and evil). Send a html email that somehow activates the included hta or even better ask the reciever to doubleclick on the attachment. Installation complete.

What's a .hta file?
Write '<html><head><title>Hello World</title></head><body><h3>Hello World</h3></body></html>' in a textfile and save as 'test.hta' doubleclick file. It can run scripts without restrictions. It's *TADA* a HTML Application.

re: i suggest
by Jeremy on Thu 13th Dec 2001 02:27 UTC

Where can I find the syntax of this hta scripting?

it looks interesting and I want to see what can be done with it.

thanks

by Kevin Craik on Thu 13th Dec 2001 02:35 UTC

BeIA is about 8mb's isn't it? would need trimming down a bit more.

I find it sad...
by /<( on Thu 13th Dec 2001 04:48 UTC

...that we now must specifically label comments such as that as a joke, or risk a visit from the fbi or secret police.

HTML Applications
by Hey on Thu 13th Dec 2001 07:50 UTC

HTML Application syntax is over at Microsoft. Do a search on http://msdn.microsoft.com. It's basically a html-file with VB- or Javascript running with full rights.

hta
by Don Cox on Thu 13th Dec 2001 12:53 UTC

"HTML Application syntax is over at Microsoft. Do a search on
http://msdn.microsoft.com. It's basically a html-file with VB- or
Javascript running with full rights."

Whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.

re hta
by ? on Thu 13th Dec 2001 17:03 UTC

>Whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.

Don't whiz on the electrical fence?

Actually, what are you saying?

Hmmm....
by iWindoze on Fri 14th Dec 2001 04:30 UTC

Does anyone think it can be done with Qnx?