Microsoft’s memorable cultural legacies at 50, from Clippy to the Blue Screen of Death

One of the most recognizable Windows elements is the legendary Blue Screen of Death. This only comes up when there are problems, but everyone knows it. More than anything else, this error screen is...

Microsoft’s memorable cultural legacies at 50, from Clippy to the Blue Screen of Death

Providing ubiquitous desktop software for decades, Microsoft has come in for jibes, mockery and even loathing even as it has helped millions of people get things done. Every design decision is felt around the world for better or worse -- often staying with people for years as a fond memory or a meme. Here are a few of the ways Microsoft has marked computing culture: Blue Screen of Death A fixture since the very first versions of Windows -- if me…

The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), a dreaded "error" icon in Microsoft's Windows operating system, may no longer exist in the near future.

Iconic Windows Blue Screen of Death might not be blue anymore, says Microsoft

Last Updated on April 1, 2025 The Blue Screen of Death, also known as BSOD, is something almost every PC user has seen at least once. It usually appears when Windows runs into a serious problem that it cannot fix on its own. This screen shows up suddenly and forces the computer to restart. The ...

If you are told Office, Clippy, or Blue Screen of Death, one word certainly comes to mind: Microsoft. Who would have thought that a modest company, founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen at the bottom of New Mexico, would one day become a colossus of Tech? If Microsoft had, of course, its success with its many software, its acquisition strategy is also for something.

Every Windows user encounters the absolute final boss: The Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD for short. The notorious screen stands out above all for its bright blue color, the sad smiley face and the typical message “An error has occurred”, which is immediately recognizable. But now Microsoft is completely changing the design of the blue screen and breaking with tradition. Actually, you shouldn't call it a bluescreen anymore, because in a preview v…