Winter Rant

The blue screen of death is perhaps one of the most recognized error states in tech and pop culture history [wikipedia]. So it only seemed fitting that I tried that as the prompt for the first day of October. To make things interesting, I kept the prompt simple, but applied multiple styles.

Core Prompt: “blue screen of death” … but each variant listed below uses a different style: plain, cartoon, matrix, jack-o-lantern. Midjourney seems to understand the prompt, and pop culture reference around the Windows error screen. But it does take liberties. The results, however, are aesthetically impressive; and so, they are very interesting!

Here are the results… (!)

Styled Prompt #1: “blue screen of death”

This seems about right. Each image has a computer, so Midjourney gets the Windows error reference. But I also love the “deathly” take on computers.

Styled Prompt #2: “blue screen of death, cartoon, cartoonish, storybook illustration”

I am honestly very, very impressed by these illustrations. I love them all. Again, a computer in all of them, so again, MJ gets the tech reference. And all of them are absolutely spooky 👻

Styled Prompt #3: “blue screen of death, matrix”

I was being adventurous with this one. I purposely typed out “matrix” is small-caps, to see if Midjourney got the reference about the movie: “The Matrix”. And it did! Admittedly there is a strong “computers” connection with the movie, so that certainly helps. Neo shows up, and so the “falling code” in all of them. Cannot fault this one.

Styled Prompt #4: “blue screen of death, Jack-o lantern”

The Jack-o is strong in this one. Computers in two of them: although, one of them is a Mac (!!) 😅 Write coming out of nearly all the Jack-O’s … but that last one. It is a more suitable generation if I asked for “a blue Jack-o-lantern.” It is still very, very interesting — positively scary 😱

Have a spooky October!

— vijay, wrapped up in a blanket with a fever.