By Brett O’Keefe, Plains Regional News Cooperative, Pierre, S.D.
PIERRE, S.D. — Authorities in central South Dakota are investigating an unusual crash involving a stolen truck that overturned along a rural highway and spilled thousands of mini compact discs labeled as Chinese-language versions of Microsoft Windows 95, a software product discontinued more than two decades ago.
The crash occurred early Tuesday morning outside Hughes County. When state troopers arrived, they found the truck abandoned, its cargo scattered across a ditch and nearby field. The driver had fled the scene.
“What caught everyone off guard was the cargo,” said South Dakota Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Ellison. “They were new, professionally pressed Windows 95 mini CDs, shrink-wrapped, labeled, and boxed. They still make these things?”
The discs appear to be 8-centimeter mini CDs, a format briefly popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Each disc is marked as containing a Chinese-language version of Windows 95, complete with printed logos and installation instructions.
Investigators said there is no immediate explanation for why such software would still be manufactured, or who the intended recipient might have been.
Microsoft declined to comment on the specific shipment but said in a statement that Windows 95 has not been produced or licensed for distribution for many years.
Surveillance footage from a gas station roughly 40 miles from the crash site shows the truck stopping briefly late Monday night. The video shows two men wearing dark clothing exiting the vehicle. One is seen carrying a shoulder bag. Authorities said the footage is under review.
“It’s not clear whether both individuals were involved in the transport or if one joined the truck later,” Ellison said.
The truck was reported stolen earlier this month from another state, though officials declined to specify where, citing the ongoing investigation.
Technology experts say the discovery raises questions about the continued use of legacy systems.
“There are still industrial machines and specialized equipment around the world that run on very old operating systems,” said Daniel Wu, a software historian who studies obsolete computing platforms. “But seeing this volume, in this format, suggests something more organized than a hobbyist operation. Could they be used for malicious purposes? Yes. Small-town water treatment plants, power facilities, things of that nature. Systems that aren’t current because of cost.”
Wu said the discs could have been intended for export or for use in isolated systems not connected to the internet.
Authorities have not determined whether the discs are counterfeit, unauthorized reproductions, or part of some other distribution effort. The cargo has been seized, and federal agencies have been notified.
Local residents who drove past the scene described the sight as surreal.
“It looked like someone dumped shiny coasters everywhere,” said rancher Paul Hendricks, who stopped when traffic slowed. “Then I heard they were computer discs from the ’90s. That just made it stranger.”
As of Wednesday, no arrests had been made. Investigators said they are working to trace the origin of the discs and identify the individuals seen on surveillance footage.
“We don’t know yet what this shipment was for,” Ellison said. “That’s what makes it so strange.”
Officials said there is no known threat to the public at this time and urged anyone with information about the truck or its occupants to contact authorities.
Oh that. Meh, that bit probably isn’t a long term thing anyway. I have no real feelings on the matter. I’m not really consistent with it anyway.
Ah, I think I figured it out. No, it’s not about propaganda in politics. Actually, the thing which is most annoying is that im pretty sure that you and I agree that these corporations are awful. But what you see as satirising the corporations, I see differently, because to me, corporations are the only political players that matter. They have all the money, and all the power, and I think that crying wolf about tiny things that the megacorps never really did actually does desensitise people to the tiny (and great) indignities to which these corporations actually subject the world. So, in another comment you asked me with which stories I take issue, and my answer is this: any which paints a corporation, capitalist, or despotic regime as doing something it has not actually done, as these false stories read like real ones, and cheapen the very cause with which I believe you and I both agree.
Fair point. And it’s ok, that we see differently. People have different opinions, different views, different ways of acting on their beliefs. I totally respect that you wouldn’t do what I am doing. But I also think that it’s ok. I am sure there are many things that you do that I would disagree with. But I wouldn’t be mad about it.
I have no ill will toward you, friend. You don’t subscribe to my sense of humor, or my outlet. I respect that. You are also free to start your own community on Lemmy and make it exactly the way you want it to be. Even if I disagree with it.
That’s what Lemmy is about. It’s about letting people do their thing without censorship. That’s why we are better than Reddit. You don’t have to like my content, but I feel you should respect my right to post it since I’m not supporting hate or any political parties or anything of that negative nature.
Absolutely. My only concern has been how many people have been eating your particular onion, in a time when our society really needs to be focused on the very real things being satirised, and not believing things that are literally branded as false. As such, anything I can do to make it clear that these are onions, I will do. I just think you could do more to make it clear that they’re fake.
I appreciate the concern, but nothing about society or Lemmy is going to rise or fall based on what I post. This is just crappy little writing posted to my crappy little community of 3 subscribers. A brief five-minute break from the world. I’m a writer. I write. Some people enjoy it, most don’t. I also do a webcomic called Ashtray Gospel for my web comix community here. Same deal. A few people laugh, plenty others think it’s dumb. No one is required to read any of it, and I think society will be just fine.
It ain’t my job to add quality to society. That’s on you. I’m just here to be rude and add to the mess, and leave if where it lands. Just exactly how I keep my house.
Fair enough.
I’m sorry, I think your autocorrect got the better of you in there, as it so often does to me. I didn’t actually understand the meat of this comment. However, I think my response of a minute ago in the plant capacitor post sums up my personal stakes in the matter.
Meh, I updated comment and removed that stuff, since you get the gist of it anyway.