Since 1996, microsoft has taken every opportunity to include bobs legacy into their successful products microsoft office, microsoft windows xp, and msn messenger to name a few. Welcome to the coop channel of danooct1 and rogueamp, where well be talking about whatever the hell comes to mind whenever we feel like. A failed attempt at introducing roombased gui for beginners. Microsoft bob a tour of microsofts forgotten desktop enhancement. Dec 15, 2010 ive tried playing around with microsoft bob on a windows xp virtual machine, and i kind of liked it, actually. The program was intended to provide a more userfriendly interface for the windows 3. Installing microsoft bob on windows vista, xp and older. It has been 20 years since the world was introduced to microsoft bob. Here is my video demonstration of the ol program from the 90s called microsoft bob. This tutorial video will show you how to install microsoft bob on any windows operating system, vista and older. Microsoft released microsoft bob in 1995 which absolutly flopped. Bill gates says microsoft bob will make a comeback. It was also one of microsofts more notable failures.
Windows xp cd included microsoft bob code mspoweruser. For a time, bob development ran in parallel with windows 95. In this youtube exclusive ill show you one of microsofts failed experiments with alternative user interfaces. Apr 24, 2016 microsoft launched bob a desktop enhancement software at the consumer electronics show in 1995.
The bob letter writer is a simple word processor designed for the bob environment. It presents your desktop as a series of rooms with various selectable objects, and assists you with a friendly animated guide. Certain elements from microsoft bob made their way into microsoft office, and there are rumors that some of the code from microsoft bob was used to fill the extra space on the windows xp installation cd. Dec 19, 2008 set to launch on startup for this video, i launch firefox, internet explorer, itunes, pidgin, gimp, and openoffice in microsoft bob. Act files other than hanks will crash the game, as hanks. The program was originally designed to be used with microsoft windows 3. Windows 95, which was released later that year, had the new windows explorer user interface which wiped the floor with bob. Another video with the actual launch of the program from within. Bill gates says microsoft bob will make a comeback cnet.
Microsoft bob is a graphical shell intended for novice users. Before windows 95 was released, microsoft had another software program in the works that was designed to make computers easier to use for. Some media even claimed that bob is named one of the worst technology products of all time. The 90s house environment program that we all know. Jul 02, 2012 why obtaining the true 121st star in super mario 64 will be the hardest challenge yet duration. I own bob, the bob plus pack, great greetings for bob and the only two computer books written for the software.
The funny thing is, bob never completely went away. This is from the splash screen of the bob household manager. Sqlbits is always one of my favorites because of the great community that attends and the opportunity for me to travel to a great city like london. Portions of content provided by tivo corporation 2020 tivo corporation whats new. Oct 11, 2017 codenamed utopia, microsoft bob was introduced to the public on january 5, 1995, at ces by bill gates. Microsoft launched bob a desktop enhancement software at the consumer electronics show in 1995. In order to do that, microsoft decided to replace the desktop and explorer by a house with different rooms which contain certain objects, which you click to start programs.
Jul 15, 20 bill gates says microsoft bob will make a comeback. Why obtaining the true 121st star in super mario 64 will be the hardest challenge yet duration. I dont at all remember where i got this copy from as i downloaded it back in 2011. However, lexi is more complete, with a background and less placeholder text. Whatever happened to microsoft bob a plan conceived in the.
So while microsoft was working on the start button it. Tech support scams are an industrywide issue where scammers trick you into paying for unnecessary technical support services. Windows fundamentals for legacy pcs installation duration. Microsoft bob worked in a virtualized enviroment with windows 95, and it had probably an even worse video driver than mine. Microsoft bob was a microsoft software product that was released on march 11, 1995 and discontinued in early 1996. Centralized, singleimage management to support 50 to 50,000 endpoints.
Codenamed utopia, microsoft bob was introduced to the public on january 5, 1995, at ces by bill gates. Windows 95 or 98 bob the builder can we fix it bbc for sale. Ben armstrongs virtualization blog microsoft and facebooks next big thing looks a lot like a. Ive tried playing around with microsoft bob on a windows xp virtual machine, and i kind of liked it, actually. It features vector based graphics that scale to any size or resolution screen, supports user profiles.
I followed the insturctions and the installer rebooted well, it logged me off for some reason. What we have here is the microsoft bob effect, where change runs amuck simply because it can, compounded in this case by a sense of panic in redmond, wash. Set to launch on startup for this video, i launch firefox, internet explorer, itunes, pidgin, gimp, and openoffice in microsoft bob. I did not create nor do i own the rights to this software. Its purpose was to make it easier to use your computer and manage your files. Released in march 1995, microsoft bob was designed as a nontechnical interface for desktop computing. Windows vista beta 1 startup sound animated by infinityplusone. Microsoft bob simplifies home management by bringing everything together in one place. How can i continue to support microsoft, when i no longer believe in them. Since 1996, microsoft has taken every opportunity to include bob s legacy into their successful products microsoft office, microsoft windows xp, and msn messenger to name a few. Microsoft bob gets the last laugh user friendly medium saudi microsoft bob microsoft bob lives. Smartdeploys awardwinning technology combines the best of progressive solutions like sccm, centralized solutions like vdi and legacy imaging solutions like ghost, without the common drawbacks. Jan 22, 2015 windows 10 is a new chapter for microsoft.
Get talking dragon bob microsoft store download microsoft bob game included windows 3. On jan 21, microsoft raised the curtain on the next act for windows 10 and provided some significant insight into how the operating system and microsoft are evolving. Best way to get help unfortunately, this project hasnt indicated the best way to get help. It included letter writer, calendar, checkbook, household manager, address book, email, financial guide and geosafari. How to install microsoft bob on windows xp easy youtube. Speaking monday at the microsoft research event, the chairman said microsoft bob didnt get it right, but he thinks the personal assistant. Microsoft bob was a layer on top of windows, similar to windows 1. It gave the computer screen an interface that looked like a room in a house. Theres no question that microsoft bob was nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. So while microsoft was working on the start button it was also coding bob s cartoon home interface. How to install microsoft bob on windows vista and xp youtube. In windows xp you can tell the operating system to run an executable file in compatibility mode, which might help, but i doubt it. Most of you might now know about microsoft bob, bob was intended to be a friendly user interface on top of windows 3.
One of the weirdest microsoft experiments was microsoft bob. Sep 16, 2015 tech support scams are an industrywide issue where scammers trick you into paying for unnecessary technical support services. Get organized with a calendar and an address book, keep track of your bills on checkbook, and stay in touch with friends and relatives with greatlooking letters from letter writer. Here is a list of what we recommend you will need to try bob.
The main interface is portrayed as the inside of a house, with different rooms to correspond to common realworld room styles such as kitchen and family room. If you do, you probably remember it as an intensely marketed but laughable failure what some call the number one flop at microsoft. Apr, 2014 most of you might now know about microsoft bob, bob was intended to be a friendly user interface on top of windows 3. Jun 28, 2015 it has been 20 years since the world was introduced to microsoft bob. Billed as the only software a customer would need, bob was both an environment to work in and a collection of bobspecific applications designed to work in that environment. Windows 10 is a new chapter for microsoft bob hafner. But since i barely have any apps to put msbob in good use, i wanted to install it on my windows 7 host. A software fabricated to look like an animated house with your own pet dog to assist you. Aug, 2009 microsoft bob worked in a virtualized enviroment with windows 95, and it had probably an even worse video driver than mine. Microsoft engineering is actually sending quite a few february 15, 2018 by bob ward.
Internally, bobs internal code name was utopia and it was discontinued by. I have the blessed opportunity to speak at many customer events. Even today, microsoft bob remains something of a punchline among long time techies. It was received very poorly by both consumer and critics. By continuing to browse this site, you agree to this use. This site uses cookies for analytics, personalized content and ads. Let me take you on a tour through the infamous and oft forgotten program microsoft bob, and show you why its not as bad as people make it. Microsoft bob techrepublic microsoft bob a tour of microsoft s forgotten desktop. You can help protect yourself from scammers by verifying that the contact is a microsoft agent or microsoft employee and that the phone number is an official microsoft global customer service number. I get this weird feeling like i shouldnt be running this program.