To print this page, select "Print" from the File menu of your browser salon.com > Technology April 22, 2000 URL: http://www.salon.com/tech/chal/2000/04/22/number_33 21st Challenge No. 33 Real-life dialog-box alerts: Are you sure you want to ...? - - - - - - - - - - - - By Charlie Varon and Jim Rosenau Are you sure you want to exit? delete this document? close the application without backing up? With dialog-box messages like these, our computers show they are worried for us. They fear that in haste we'll do something that we'll live to regret. What if our computers began cautioning us about the reckless decisions we make in the rest of our lives? Are you sure you want to ingest a muffin containing 1.7 grams of partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil? Are you sure you want to marry someone without asking for references? Are you sure you want to vote for a candidate whose wealth exceeds that of Nova Scotia? Readers are invited to submit up to five "Are You Sure ...?" messages, each no more than 40 words. You may choose to include the name of the person on whose screen the message is popping up. R U L E S Send your submissions via e-mail only to salon21st@salon.com. Please include your full name and an accurate e-mail address so we can contact you if you're a winner. By submitting your entry you give Salon Technology permission to publish it. Deadline for entries is May 1. P R I Z E S The winning response will receive a copy of Salon Technology senior correspondent Andrew Leonard's book, "Bots: The Origin of New Species." In two weeks we'll publish a winner and some selected entries -- then start over a couple weeks after that with a whole new challenge. salon.com | April 22, 2000   - - - - - - - - - - - - About the writers Charlie Varon is a humorist and playwright. His works include "Ralph Nader Is Missing" and "Rush Limbaugh in Night School." Jim Rosenau is a writer, editor and software designer in Berkeley, Calif. Jim and Charlie are also co-founders of the citizens group Californians for Earthquake Prevention and partners in Mockingbird Media, which offers a full line of comic services.