From: <names deleted to protect the innocent>
To: "Mitchell Wand" 
Subject: Haiku Computer Messages
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 23:02:41 -0400

Subject: Oriental Windows Errors

In Japan, they have replaced the impersonal and
unhelpful Microsoft error messages with Haiku poetry
messages. They are used to communicate a timeless
message, often achieving a wistful, yearning and
powerful insight through extreme brevity.

Here are 16 actual error messages from Japan.

--------------
The web site you are seeking cannot be located, but
countless more exist.
--------------
Chaos reigns within. Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return.
-------------------
Program aborting: Close all that you have worked on.
You ask far too much.
---------------------
Windows NT crashed.? I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.
----------------
Yesterday it worked. Today it is not working. Windows
is like that.
-----------------
Your file was so big. It might be very useful. But
now it is gone.
-----------------
Stay the patient course. Of little worth is your ire.
The network is down.
-------------
A crash reduces your expensive computer to a simple
stone.
-------------
Three things are certain: Death, taxes and lost data.
Guess which has occurred.
----------
You step in the stream, but the water has moved on.
This page is not here.
----------
Out of memory. We wish to hold the whole sky, but we
never will.
-----------
Having been erased, the document you're seeking must
now be retyped.
-----------
Serious error. All shortcuts have disappeared.
Screen. Mind. Both are blank.

Isn't that better than "your computer has performed
an illegal operation?"
--

From: Mitchell Wand 
To: 
Subject: Haiku Computer Messages
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 07:12:25 -0400

Wonderful story
Heard it on the Internet
Shame it isn't true

It lives forever
They  posted it on the net
But their names are gone

-Mitch

See also http://archive.salon.com/21st/rose/1998/02/24straight.html

A google search turned up some interesting variations on this theme.