I read a while ago about some coffee machines unintentionally bridging an internal network and spreading ransomware. I think they had Windows XP on the inside. Couldn't help but find the situation funny in a way.

Good old XP.

Cleaned someone’s virus infected computer out. Plugged the network jack into the cable modem. Under 10 second and I had to start from scratch…

When work tells us they are blocking all external connections in data center, I can’t really argue even with how much work it is.

So, if the server were a real "smart" IoT teapot, such response become actually valid? :)

One day in the future, people will be amazed out how forward thinking our society was circa 1999 when they planned status codes for IoT devices that wouldn't be invented for another 20 years. "Oh if only society now could be as wise forward thinking as people were back then. Planting seeds in gardens they'd never get to see."

Well, this is an error code, so yes but- only if someone asks the teapot to brew a cup of coffee. Per the spec.

A couple of years ago the gas pumps at station nearest to my place were replaced by devices with screens that play ads with sound - so far just touting discounts with their supermarket loyalty cards. They start when someone picks up the nozzle, and were annoyingly loud initially; the sound has been turned down a bit lately.

(Well, there's another reason for me to be pleased with having traded one of the family cars for an electric that charges at home ...)

There are a few gas stations around here with pumps that like to play ads at you while pumping gas. I tend to make a note of them and purposely get my gas elsewhere.

There are usually buttons next to pump screens and one will mute the sound. Just push them one by one.

the manufacturers caught on to that specific mitigation, and it doesn't work that often in the wild anymore.

Ours have it prominently marked MUTE ->

Do you mean ads in the sense of "please buy brand X coffee" or in the sense of "please try some of this machine's delicious coffee"?

just stuff that emphasizes the brand of coffee that's in the machine. It's ridiculous (obviously an ad to buy that brand at home too, which I safely won't since I like my specialty coffee).

We need coffee machines that shut up and serve coffee and don't do brand ads.

If only such a coffee machine still existed.

Sounds like it needs to be playing Doom instead. Or hacked to show branding for tea.

>and shows ads/branding (for coffee) when it is idle.

If there is ever an Office Space 2, I think this is a candidate for the new fax machine.

I think for the same reason that Fawlty Towers ended after one season, there should never be a sequel to Office Space.

It’s too perfect. It could only go downhill.

Fawlty Towers ran for two series, but your point remains.

Agreed on principle, although in the last 2 years there's enough material for a highly successful Idiocracy sequel. Probably a short series too.

No, there must be a sequel; Open Office Space.

Office Space is great but the cubicles date it firmly in the 90s.

> Office Space is great but the cubicles date it firmly in the 90s.

I had a cubicle almost identical to the ones in Office Space all the way up to 2011. If I ever had to return to an office, I’d much prefer that over any office desk I’ve had since.

Office Space 2 => Open Office Space => Silicon Valley

Yo dawg.... We heard U like coffee