Asleep At The Server (12/6/99)
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It's like seeing a bridge collapse and then sticking around to watch the authorities haul off the debris; we just can't stop checking the Future Power web site to see how long it takes them to fix the hack. Yesterday we pointed out that Future Power's E-Power page had been, um, "adjusted" by someone who felt that the iMac rip-off should at least give credit where credit is due. We fully expected that Future Power would quickly fix the situation and once again remove all references to the iMac; we even posted our own screenshot so our faithful viewers wouldn't miss out on the fun once the party ended. But every time we check, the hack is still in place.

In fact, several faithful viewers wrote in to note that Future Power's home page was hacked, as well-- the slogan underneath their company logo reads, "always on the lookout for ideas to steal!" We got a nice hearty laugh out of that one. When we checked a few hours later and it was still there, we laughed again. At dinner time, when we saw that the hack was still up, we enjoyed a fond chuckle. Just before bed (yes, we do sleep on occasion), the hack was still there and we smiled a little at the sheer absurdity of it all. And on Tuesday morning, just before broadcast time, we confirmed that the hack was still firmly in place right there on Future Power's home page, which makes us wonder if they're all dead or in comas or something. Is this the level of attention to detail you want in a company making your computer?

At broadcast time, the hack remains, forcing us to consider a possibility set forth by faithful viewer Gary Seto: "Maybe they're just being truthful. Maybe it's part of a new trend in advertising: being honest." Hey, it worked for Dudley Moore in Crazy People, right? Perhaps the other PC manufacturers will follow Future Power's lead.

  • The eMachines eOne: "We License Stolen Designs And Pass The Savings On To You!"
  • The Gateway Astro: "Just Like An iMac, But Cheaper, Less Friendly, and Butt-Ugly To Boot."
  • The Dell WebPC: "Look, Colors! Are We Like Apple Yet?"
  • The Compaq iPaq: "Sounds Like 'iMac'! Buy One! Please? We're Desperate..."

 
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From the writer/creator of AtAT, a Pandemic Dad Joke taken WAYYYYYY too far


 

The above scene was taken from the 12/6/99 episode:

December 6, 1999: "Redmond Justice" not enough for you? Then brace yourself as "Cupertino Justice" heads to Japan. Meanwhile, Future Power's entire staff takes the word "clueless" to new and interesting heights, and all you need are BusinessWeek's review of the WebPC and an application that does global search and replace, and you, too, can enjoy a stroll down Memory Lane...

Other scenes from that episode:

  • 1954: More Antitrust Action (12/6/99)   "Redmond Justice" may be a fun-filled ride of thrills and chills, but if it's just not enough entertainment to slake your thirst for antitrust drama, fear not: there's a spin-off on the horizon. Lackeys working closely with the creative team report that the working title is "Cupertino Justice," though the action will probably take place primarily in distant, exotic lands in hopes of boosting ratings...

  • 1956: Global Search & Replace (12/6/99)   Wow, what a weird feeling of déjà vu! We just read BusinessWeek's review of the WebPC (kindly forwarded to us by faithful viewer Matthew Guerrieri). The WebPC, of course, is Dell's "cool" new consumer computer, and as we scan through this review, we inexplicably get the feeling we've read all this before...

Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast...

Vote Early, Vote Often!
Why did you tune in to this '90s relic of a soap opera?
Nostalgia is the next best thing to feeling alive
My name is Rip Van Winkle and I just woke up; what did I miss?
I'm trying to pretend the last 20 years never happened
I mean, if it worked for Friends, why not?
I came here looking for a receptacle in which to place the cremated remains of my deceased Java applets (think about it)

(1233 votes)

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