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Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) announced that it is selling advertising space in the error
messages that appear in Windows. Acknowledging for the first time that the average user
of their operating system encounters error messages at least several times a day, Microsoft
is trying to take financial advantage of the unavoidable opportunity to make an ad
impression.

"We estimate that throughout the world at any given moment several million people are
getting a `General Protection Fault' or `Illegal Operation' warning. We will be able to
generate significant revenue by including a short advertising message along with it," said
Microsoft marketing director Nathan Mirror. He also mentioned that Microsoft intends to
add banner ads into its Blue Screen of Death in the near future.

The Justice Department immediately indicated that they intend to investigate whether
Microsoft is gaining an unfair advantage in reaching the public with this advertising by virtue
of its semi-monopolistic control over error messages.