Going through some old newsletters, I found these wonderful haikus written to replace computer error messages such as “404 — file not found” or “abort/retry/fail.” Haikus have a tight syllable structure, where the first line has 5, the second 7 and the third 5 syllables.

Printer not ready.
Could be a fatal error.
Have a pen handy?

Everything is gone;
Your life’s work has been destroyed.
Squeeze trigger (yes/no)?

Three things are certain:
Death, taxes, and lost data.
Guess which has occurred.

This site has been moved.
We’d tell you where, but then we’d
Have to delete you.

Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent and reboot.
Order shall return.

Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

First snow, then silence.
This thousand-dollar screen dies
So beautifully.

Serious error.
All shortcuts have disappeared.
Screen. Mind. Both are blank.

Hal, open the file.
Hal, open the damn file, Hal
Open the, please Hal.

Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.