Blue Screen of Death

The blue screen of death (BSOD) will appear on a computer screen if anything in the system goes terribly wrong, particularly on Windows NT. (NT = New Technology). It is actually a general protection fault error telling the operator that the system has suddenly terminated, which is a bummer if you happen to have any unsaved documents you are working on. Since the screen is blue in color, except maybe for the little white letters, it is aptly described as" the blue screen of death," even though it is usually not completely fatal.

The predecessor to the blue screen was called “ black screen of death.” It’s distant relative (in Apple computer systems) is said to have a nicer looking “GUI” (pronounced gooey) than an IMB machine, but whether you are an IBM or an Apple user, whenever the proverbial “blue screen of death” (BSOD) is encountered, it is time to restart or reboot the whole system. Shutting it down and turning it on again does this.

In any case, a blue screen of death is not something a person “wants to have happen” to them, or their system. It can cause a loss of information in certain situations. It can also strike anyone, anywhere, regardless of his or her age, religion, gender, occupation, computer experience, financial status political or sexual orientation. It is just plain indiscriminate. It is even known to have made appearances at Microsoft meetings for Bill Gates, (the Microsoft man himself) in demonstrations of new systems before audiences.