The five best online April Fools' pranks

3. Windows-based computers reach dangerous speeds

Last year, PC World reported on a dangerous trend sweeping the nation: Sudden PC Acceleration Syndrome, or SPCAS. According to PC World, a speedy Windows-based computer had nearly taken the life of William "Billy" Boness of Chickamauga, Georgia. For Windows users, accustomed to long wait times, and a decidedly un-streamlined operating system, the prospect of a hyper-speed PC was a jarring one. And things got worse: Mr. Boness was not alone.

"Windows machines across the country seem to be going haywire, sending unsuspecting users to emergency rooms and undermining PC owners' confidence in the inherent safety and reliability of the beloved proprietary computing platform," wrote the folks at PC World. "Initial reports, subsequently debunked, that the speed-ups were strictly a mechanical issue caused by a sticky Tab key served only to panic consumers further."

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