It is not uncommon for Microsoft employees who are aficionados of arcade video games to set up a unit in free play mode in a public space for anyone to play. For example, the Habitrail in the Building 16-18 complex used to be filled with arcade video games.

In the original Microsoft X-wing buildings, a convenient place to set up an arcade video game was at the end of each wing. Some time in the early 1990’s, I was at work on a weekend when the power suddenly went out. While waiting to see if the power would come back on, I wandered around the building. And that’s where I saw an arcade video game happily playing its attract mode. During a power outage.

It turned out that the wall outlets at the end of each wing were powered by the emergency generators.

I figured this was not the best of use emergency power and turned off the machine.