Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2000/09/06/ms_exec_moots_windows/

MS exec moots Windows for Washing Baskets

Bluetooth boxers, already?

By John Lettice

Posted in Bootnotes, 6th September 2000 14:38 GMT

Buried towards the bottom of the big dull pile of Microsoft 25th anniversary celebrations (the interesting bit, such as it was, seems to have been Steve Ballmer jumping out of a cake), we find something rather more promising. Microsoft would seem to have written a book. About itself.

Inside Out, Microsoft - In Our Own Words seems to be all about the Great Company in the words of its own staff, with a stack of new essays from Bill Gates and all of the other guys from the high command. All of the other guys who haven't left already, that is.

It'll be out in the US on September 20th, October 5th for the rest of the world and we're sure it'll be a rich seam to mine. We can't wait, but then we don't entirely have to.

Among the helpful excerpts Microsoft has published already we have one from Craig Mundie, senior VP consumer strategy and weird thought thinker in chief.

Craig says: "Today, most clothing has an itty-bitty label with washing instructions, which most people never look at. If the labels were smart, they could tell the washing machine to regulate the water temperature as well as the amount of soap."

There you have it, Windows for Washing Baskets, a Register exclusive, we think. But more of this stuff, please Craig. Say all your clothes have labels that have some processing power on board, and presumably a Bluetooth capability to allow them to communicate with the washing machine. Surely they could communicate with each other as well? Distributed Windows in your clothing? Wear do you want to go today? ®