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15 Years of Microsoft Bob

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the celebrate-good-times-come-on dept.

harrymcc writes "Microsoft Bob — still synonymous in the tech industry with 'embarrassing flop' — shipped fifteen years ago this week, on March 31st, 1995. When the Windows interface featuring animated cartoon helpers was announced, it was hyped to the heavens and briefly accepted as a breakthrough that showed where software was going. Instead, dismal reviews and poor sales killed it after only a year on the market. At Technologizer, we're marking the anniversary with a complete look at how it came to be and why it failed so resoundingly — and how Microsoft tried again with Office's 'Clippy' and other attempts to revive the basic idea."

4 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. Don't Forget Melinda Gates... by nweaver · · Score: 5, Funny

    How did she meet Bill?

    She was Unit Manager for Microsoft Bob...

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    1. Re:Don't Forget Melinda Gates... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      How did she meet Bill?

      She was Unit Manager for Microsoft Bob...

      Bill: Well hello there, how'd you like to manage my unit? *strikes pose*

  2. If you have Windows XP, you got a copy of Bob by aoshi73 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Nice story about MS Bob. Run a search on Bing for "History taking up space." Here is the direct link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2008.07.windowsconfidential.aspx

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  3. Re:Hey by Scrameustache · · Score: 5, Funny

    These cranky people are not knuckleheads, but rather accountants

    You and I have wildly diverging opinions of accountants...

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