It was like someone in Redmond was trying to make the most condescending desktop environment possible. “I want it to shove Saturday Evening Post in between the user and Windows 3.1.”
At the time they were going with the idea that computer were too complicated for “regular people” and that they needed a very dumbed down interface to reach the masses. It was released at the same time as Windows 95, but it really feels like it was made for Windows 3.1, which it also supported. It was just such an insultingly bad product.
It is my understanding that Microsoft BOB’s code was present in every copy of Windows XP.
I’m badly remembering this, something about the product key encryption needed a sizeable chunk of arbitrary data to function, and they had BOB laying around.
That is the first I have heard of that. Seems unlikely, but you never know. They did still keep the dog and Clippy around, and it isn’t like BOB was very big to begin with.
BOB was an abomination. I hope they took it to hell.
It was like someone in Redmond was trying to make the most condescending desktop environment possible. “I want it to shove Saturday Evening Post in between the user and Windows 3.1.”
Bob is what Satan uses.
At the time they were going with the idea that computer were too complicated for “regular people” and that they needed a very dumbed down interface to reach the masses. It was released at the same time as Windows 95, but it really feels like it was made for Windows 3.1, which it also supported. It was just such an insultingly bad product.
It is my understanding that Microsoft BOB’s code was present in every copy of Windows XP.
I’m badly remembering this, something about the product key encryption needed a sizeable chunk of arbitrary data to function, and they had BOB laying around.
That is the first I have heard of that. Seems unlikely, but you never know. They did still keep the dog and Clippy around, and it isn’t like BOB was very big to begin with.
Well here’s Dave Plummer, the retired Microsoft developer telling the story first hand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXHu9OmLd8Y
Interesting, thanks!