# A Tribute to the Windows 3.1 "Hot Dog Stand" Color Scheme

**URL:** <https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059>\
**Category:** blog\
**Created:** [July 14, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059 "2005-07-14T00:00:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Alex](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Alex](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/Alex)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/41 "2007-10-09T00:00:00Z")

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I love that theme, I just installed 3.11 Workstation on my PSP, and I use that theme just to prove that I have the real thing.

Flourescent is much worse!

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**Author:** ![Pi11](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/p/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Pi11](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/Pi11)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/42 "2007-11-13T00:00:00Z")

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I rather liked the Plasma Power Saver theme, actually.

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**Author:** ![ann2](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ann2](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/ann2)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/43 "2007-11-26T00:00:00Z")

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I used hotdog at work a)for high def under a thick anti-glare mesh that health-and-safety put up and b) to stop anyone else going near MY STUFF !!

Worked great.

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**Author:** ![alan8](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@alan8](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/alan8)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/44 "2007-12-12T00:00:00Z")

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how do you install 3.1 on the psp?

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**Author:** ![pink](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@pink](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/pink)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/45 "2008-01-03T00:00:00Z")

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sigh… i miss win 3.x it was fun…and the programs were better. they did what you expected from them with out choking up your entire computer… oh well.

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**Author:** ![queuebert](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@queuebert](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/queuebert)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/46 "2008-01-18T00:00:00Z")

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Jesus. There’s somebody else on the Internet that also has the Windows 3.1 “Hot Dog Stand” colour theme in his active consciousness besides me. I thought of dressing up as the Hot Dog Stand colour theme for Halloween last year, but as usual, my laziness took over.

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**Author:** ![yksoft1](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yksoft1](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/yksoft1)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/47 "2008-01-29T00:00:00Z")

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I even managed to run Windows 1.01, 3.1 and the Chinese-only 3.2 on my 2006 Core Duo laptop directly on Windows 98’s DOS booted from a USB disk. though only in Standard-mode (386 enhanced mode always crash) and with 16 colors (I don’t think that even I got a supported video card I can get high res/high color without 386 enhanced mode).  
It’s exciting that it correctly displayed that I have a gigabyte of ram.  
by the way, the last display chipset that has Win3.x driver is Riva TNT2, without acceleration. Just search tnt5w311.zip.

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**Author:** ![JeffS](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JeffS](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/JeffS)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/48 "2008-01-30T00:00:00Z")

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I remember being in a GUI guidelines session at a VBITS conferance in the early 90’s and the Microsoft UI standards creator, Virginia H., did the presenting. She commented that “Hotdog Stand” was actually included as an example of a bad color scheme.

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**Author:** ![Lady\_Julian](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Lady\_Julian](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/Lady_Julian)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/49 "2008-02-04T00:00:00Z")

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I’m not a programmer or anything intense…but my gods, that  
“Hot Dog Stand” colour scheme is a huge laugh!!  
Don’t know whether to love it or hate it, but I’m dyin’ to  
try it on my poor abused XP box.  
And maybe also on my even poorer, MORE abused 98SE box.

It’s so bad it’s great!

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**Author:** ![MicrosoftB](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/m/ed655f/32.png) [@MicrosoftB](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/MicrosoftB)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/50 "2008-03-10T00:00:00Z")

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I want this theme for Vista.

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**Author:** ![SuperBlit](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SuperBlit](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/SuperBlit)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/51 "2008-03-23T00:00:00Z")

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For those who want the values for the Hot Dog Stand theme, here you go. I hope the columns line up.

Screen Element H.S.L R.G.B

Desktop 40.240.120 255.255.0  
Application Workspace 40.240.120 255.255.0  
Window Background 0.240.120 255.0.0  
Window Text 160.0.240 255.255.255  
Menu Bar 160.0.240 255.255.255  
Menu Text 160.0.0 0.0.0  
Active Title Bar 160.0.0 0.0.0  
Inactive Title Bar 0.240.120 255.0.0  
Active Title Bar Text 160.0.240 255.255.255  
Inactive Title Bar Text 160.0.240 255.255.255  
Active Border 0.240.120 255.0.0  
Inactive Border 0.240.120 255.0.0  
Window Frame 160.0.0 0.0.0  
Scroll Bars 160.0.181 192.192.192  
Button Face 160.0.181 192.192.192  
Button Shadow 160.0.120 128.128.128  
Button Text 160.0.0 0.0.0  
Button Highlight 160.0.240 255.255.255  
Disabled Text 160.0.120 128.128.128  
Highlight 160.0.0 0.0.0  
Highlighted Text 160.0.240 255.255.255

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alec](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Alec](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/Alec)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/52 "2008-03-28T00:00:00Z")

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nice, I remember that we had a windows 3.1 machine, that was when I was about 7 years old, in about the year 2000 would love to still have the whole working machine. 1 thing good about the hardware back then is it doesn’t break, seeing as I still have a working hard drive on my desk and it still works. When this computer gets older and I have moved on, I will install the 3.1 HDD in this computer and see if 3.1 loads (I would about 3000 feet tall if it worked…) :P

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**Author:** ![je12](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@je12](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/je12)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/53 "2008-04-22T00:00:00Z")

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I don’t think it was included as a joke. I think it was made for people who are colorblind. (no joke!)

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**Author:** ![Alexus](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Alexus](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/Alexus)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/54 "2008-04-26T00:00:00Z")

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This is like, omg, the best theme eva! I just can’t get over it! Wish they had it for vista ;)

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**Author:** ![hanksims](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/h/a8b319/32.png) [@hanksims](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/hanksims)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/55 "2008-06-09T00:00:00Z")

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linux port, please

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**Author:** ![George](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@George](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/George)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/56 "2008-06-09T00:00:00Z")

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I love seeing Microsoft Bob there! As long as we’re discussing defunct ideas that some 'head at Microsoft thought would be brilliant…

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**Author:** ![JOh](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@JOh](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/JOh)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/57 "2008-06-09T00:00:00Z")

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LOL, I still have a running 486 machine with Windows 3.11 on it. I like to go “back in time” every now and again.

JT  
[http://www.](http://www.) [Ultimate-Anonymity.com](http://Ultimate-Anonymity.com)

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**Author:** ![devolute](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@devolute](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/devolute)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/58 "2008-06-09T00:00:00Z")

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If you think that looks garish, you should try using Windows XP. The default scheme is a killer!

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**Author:** ![SomeG2](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SomeG2](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/SomeG2)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/59 "2008-06-09T00:00:00Z")

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I would disagree with those who assert that this theme was included for those who were color blind. I would instead argue that this theme was included for those who were 100% blind, PERIOD.

Hats off to Microsoft for ushering in a new era in software based assistive technology! For the first time in the brief history of man, the blind can now see!!!

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**Author:** ![someone](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v2/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@someone](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/u/someone)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://discourse.codinghorror.com/t/a-tribute-to-the-windows-3-1-hot-dog-stand-color-scheme/1059/60 "2008-06-09T00:00:00Z")

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Protip: reminiscing about using unspeakably ugly shitty toy software from a felonious megalomaniacal megacorporation isn’t cool.

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