Windows NT sent cardboard coffins and fake dog poop to rivals

The history of technology is often told through dry specifications and groundbreaking innovations, but sometimes the most memorable chapters are written in absurdity. Within the fiercely competitive world of early computing giants, the rivalry between Microsoft and Sun Microsystems was intense—a battle fought over code, architecture, and sheer bragging rights.

But behind the complex design of systems like Windows NT lay a layer of playful mischief. One account from that era highlights how the brilliant minds involved in creating foundational operating systems weren’t just focused on logic; they had a knack for injecting some delightful chaos into their professional lives.

Ex-Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer, who interviewed then-chief architect and designer of Windows NT, Dave Cutler, recalled a particularly memorable exchange involving rival companies. The story centers around a peculiar gift sent to Sun Microsystems co-founder Scott McNealy and Lee Reiswig around the time of the Windows NT launch.

Cutler recounted the elaborate prank: they decided to send these two rivals something memorable. They procured some black cardboard coffins, complete with a special message, and sent them off.

“We found a birthday card that played the Death March,” Cutler explained. “So we sent one of these to Lee Reiswig, and one to Scott McNealy.”

The ensuing mischief deepened when they involved the company’s mascot. At the time, Sun Microsystems ran advertisements featuring a dog named Network. Cutler noted that Scott McNealy was reputed to have brought Network onto the stage during one of his talks, where the dog famously urinated on a fire hydrant with the word “Microsoft” written upon it.

The prank wasn’t confined to abstract jokes. The team escalated the absurdity by including some fake dog droppings in the boxes—a gesture that perfectly captured the spirit of playful rivalry among tech titans of the day.

It seems that while the stakes were high, and the corporate competition was fierce, these engineering leaders found a way to inject humor into their dealings. Whether it was the theatrical coffins or the antics involving the canine mascot, the story serves as a charming reminder that even in the most serious technological endeavors, a little childish fun can make history far more interesting.