History Memes / MicrosoftWindows

* [[https://youtu.be/L0-sK1MFu7A onestop.mid]][[labelnote:Explanation]]One of the three UsefulNotes/{{MIDI}} files that can be found in "C:/Windows/Media" since around Windows XP. It's commonly assumed that the MIDI files are simply {{Easter Egg}}s. In actuality, these files are for technicians to troubleshoot MIDI playback without having to download anything. Onestop in particular makes heavy use of Program Changing, which allows any given MIDI channel to change its instrument patch mid-song. This makes the song optimal for diagnosing problems with MIDI devices, and testing if said device properly follows the General MIDI standard (i.e. an instrument is set to the wrong patch number). In 2019, the composer, David Yackley, [[https://youtu.be/Mc70IE8-2Fw remade the song]] as part of a collective album where artists redid their songs without the limitations of MIDI itself.[[/labelnote]]

* It's now safe to turn off your computer. [[labelnote:Explanation]]This screen was introduced in Windows 95, as well as Windows NT for non-ACPI computers. The Windows 95-Me version of this screen is well known with it's orange text on a black screen. Windows XP has the Windows logo with the text, Vista/7 has the text in white and Windows 10 has the text changed into "It's now safe to power off the system", which is the current version of the screen, though they were less known than the 95 one, probably because it was disabled due to ACPI being very common in computers.[[/labelnote]]

* It looks like you are editing a TV Tropes page. Would you like some help?[[labelnote:Explanation]]The UsefulNotes/OfficeAssistant in versions of Office from 1997 to 2003 would deliver messages like this, creating an UnwantedAssistance situation. The phrase comes from one of the more common prompts that would pop up, "It looks like you are writing a letter. Would you like some help?"[[/labelnote]]

** NYC [[labelnote:Explanation]]Typing "NYC" in all caps in the original Wingdings brings up a skull and crossbones, the Star of David, and a thumbs up, which unfortunately led to numerous antisemitic [[ConspiracyTheory conspiracy theories]]. This was by complete coincidence, though. In response, the Webdings font instead brings up an eye, a heart, and a city, in reference to the popular "I Love New York" logo that's used to promote tourism in the state.[[/labelnote]]

* Evolution of the trash can icon [[labelnote:Explanation]]A chart that details the progression of the design for the Recycle Bin icon (despite the image erroneously calling it the trash can), but with the current year being replaced with an [[AcceptableTargets Acceptable Target]] of the user's choice, like a currently infamous piece of media or, if it's BitingTheHandHumor, the user's own icon[[/labelnote]]

* It's now safe to turn off your computer. [[labelnote:Explanation]]This screen was introduced in Windows 95, as well as Windows NT for non-ACPI computers. The Windows 95-Me version of this screen is well known with it's orange text on a black screen. Windows XP has the Windows logo with the text, Vista/7 has the text in white and Windows 8 has the text changed into "It's now safe to power off the system", which is the current version of the screen, though they were less known than the 95 one, probably because it was disabled due to ACPI being very common in computers.[[/labelnote]]

* Creator/FisherPrice Theme[[labelnote:Explanation]]Some users referred to Windows XP's default visual style by this nickname because it supposedly looks like a children's toy.[[/labelnote]]

* Change da world...my final message. Goodb ye. (sic)[[labelnote:Explanation]]In 2019, a Twitter user added Windows 95's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Ak5VgyEoc iconic start-up sound]], composed by Brian Eno, and a voiceover onto a bizarre image with this typo-filled caption. This led to many such bizarre images, and the sound has since been used for characters disappearing in other contexts.[[/labelnote]]

* [[https://youtu.be/L0-sK1MFu7A onestop.mid]][[labelnote:Explanation]]One of the three UsefulNotes/{{MIDI}} files that can be found in "C:/Windows/Media" since around Windows XP. It's commonly assumed that MIDI files are simply {{Easter Egg}}s. In actuality, these files are for technicians to troubleshoot MIDI playback without having to download anything. Onestop in particular makes heavy use of Program Changing, which allows any given MIDI channel to change its instrument patch mid-song. This makes the song optimal for diagnosing problems with MIDI devices, and testing if said device properly follows the General MIDI standard (i.e. an instrument is set to the wrong patch number). In 2019, the composer, David Yackley, [[https://youtu.be/Mc70IE8-2Fw remade the song]] as part of a collective album where artists redid their songs without the limitations of MIDI itself.[[/labelnote]]

* [[https://youtu.be/L0-sK1MFu7A onestop.mid]][[labelnote:Explanation]]One of the three UsefulNotes/{{MIDI}} files that can be found in "C:/Windows/Media". It's commonly assumed that these files are simply {{Easter Egg}}s. In actuality, these files are for technicians to troubleshoot MIDI playback without having to download anything. Onestop in particular makes heavy use of Program Changing, which allows any given MIDI channel to change its instrument patch mid-song. This makes the song optimal for diagnosing problems with MIDI devices, and testing if said device properly follows the General MIDI standard (i.e. an instrument is set to the wrong patch number). In 2019, the composer, David Yackley, [[https://youtu.be/Mc70IE8-2Fw remade the song]] as part of a collective album where artists redid their songs without the limitations of MIDI itself.[[/labelnote]]

* 3D Maze[[labelnote:Explanation]]A screensaver included with every version of Windows up to Me. As its name implies, it consists of a randomly-generated maze rendered in [=OpenGL=], and is navigated through until it's eventually solved, then a new one is generated. It gives off the appearance of a game, largely resembling FirstPersonShooters of the time such as ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' or ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D''. But since it's just a screensaver, any key press or mouse movement will just return the user back to their Windows session. Fortunately, [[{{Defictionalization}} it's been turned into one]] quite a number of times.[[/labelnote]]

* Change the world...my final message. Goodbye.[[labelnote:Explanation]]Windows 95's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Ak5VgyEoc&ab_channel=DaveMiller iconic start-up sound]], composed by Brian Eno. It has since been used as a sound effect for characters disappearing in other contexts.[[/labelnote]]

* Windows 95's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Ak5VgyEoc&ab_channel=DaveMiller iconic start-up sound]], composed by Brian Eno, was one component of the "Change the world...my final message" meme. It has since been used as a sound effect for characters disappearing in other contexts.

** NYC [[labelnote:Explanation]]Typing "NYC" in all caps in the original Wingdings brings up a skull and crossbones, the Star of David, and a thumbs up, prompting numerous antisemitic ConspiracyTheories. This was by complete coincidence, though. In response, the Webdings font instead brings up an eye, a heart, and a city, in reference to the popular "I Love New York" logo that's used to promote tourism in the state.[[/labelnote]]

** NYC [[labelnote:Explanation]]Typing "NYC" in all caps in the original Wingdings brings up a skull and crossbones, the Star of David, and a thumbs up. This was by complete coincidence, though. In response, the Webdings font instead brings up an eye, a heart, and a city, in reference to the popular "I Love New York" logo that's used to promote tourism in the state.[[/labelnote]]

* Sticky Keys[[labelnote:Explanation]]Pressing Shift 5 times in succession activates Sticky Keys. Designed for people with disabilities, this changes the behavior of the Control, Alt, Shift, and Windows keys so they do not have to be held down to preform keyboard shortcuts. However, many programs, games especially, have situations where the Shift key must be pressed multiple times, which can turn into quite the annoyance if the shortcut is enabled. What's even worse is that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StMb8rIS1xo loud internal sounds]] are played whenever Sticky Keys is active by default, and are also unaffected by the volume control. This can be turned off, of course, though the setting is rather hidden.[[/labelnote]]

* Creator/FisherPrice Theme[[labelnote:Explanation]]Some users referred to Windows XP's default visual style by this nickname because it supposedly looked like a children's toy.[[/labelnote]]

* Creator/FisherPrice Theme[[labelnote:Explanation]]Some users referred to Windows XP's default visual style by this nickname because it supposedly looked like a children's toy.[[/labelnote]]

* Creator/FisherPrice Theme[[labelnote:Explanation]]Windows XP's colorful, eye candy-filled Luna theme received some criticism for supposedly looking like a children's toy. Some users referred to the visual style by this nickname.[[/labelnote]]

** Developers, developers, developers, developers.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the same event, Ballmer began his presentation by saying the word "developers" multiple times.[[/labelnote]]

** SULFNBK.exe[[labelnote:Explanation]]A similar virus hoax pertaining to a file found in the "COMMAND" folder of the Window directory in 98 and ME. Though this file is more crucial, as it's what allows the OS to allow filenames to be more than eight characters in length (later version of Windows did away with this file, as newer file systems could store longer file names on their own without compromise). People believing the hoax is a bit more understandable, as its icon is [[https://i.warosu.org/data/g/thumb/0497/18/1439753825382s.jpg a crudely written "LFNBK"]], which is reminiscent of actual viruses during that time.[[/labelnote]]

* [[SchmuckBait Delete the system32 folder]]; it'll speed up your computer by ''[[InsaneTrollLogic a lot]]''.[[labelnote:Explanation]]The system32 folder is actually a very important folder where important system files are located. It's very delicate too; so much as renaming it puts the system beyond repair. Modern versions of Windows are very strict about letting it be deleted or altered.[[/labelnote]]