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The Weird History of the Microsoft Windows Start Button

Gamoid writes: Windows 3.1 was so complicated that even a Boeing propulsion scientist couldn't figure out how to open a word processor. A behavioral scientist, who once worked with BF Skinner at Harvard, was brought in to Microsoft to figure out what was going wrong — and he came up with the Start button, for which he holds the patent today. It's a weird and cool look at how simple ideas aren't obvious.

9 of 270 comments (clear)

  1. Re:The only intuitive interface is the nipple by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 4, Funny

    The only intuitive interface is the nipple and it will be forever great.

    ... for those who don't scroll much.

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  2. Re:It's not weird at all. by fustakrakich · · Score: 5, Funny

    Somebody was facing a problem. He thought about the problem.

    He looked at System 7

    He proposed a solution. It worked.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  3. Win95 original "meme" by Cito · · Score: 4, Funny

    32 bit extensions and a graphical shell [on top of] a 16 bit patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor, written by a 2 bit company, that can't stand 1 bit of competition.

  4. Re:The only intuitive interface is the nipple by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Funny

    You need to teach your baby to use the nipple, too.

    I wonder how many of these nipple-challanged babies grow up and go to work for Microsoft.

  5. Re:Major change? No. by khellendros1984 · · Score: 4, Funny

    You double clicked on a game icon and it launched within two seconds

    Well...either that, or you got a message saying that you needed to lower/raise the bit depth of your display, enable/disable some memory manager, or something similar. I kind of missed Windows 3.1 too, until I started playing with it in a VM and kept running into all the antiquated bits that I'd forgotten about...then it would make one of the classic "ding" sounds, and I'd forgive it in a wash of nostalgia.

    --
    It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
  6. Re:Rocket Surgery by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    I used to work at Boeing. Some of those people are still looking for the 'Any' key.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  7. Re:MenuChoice and HAM (1992) by dbIII · · Score: 5, Funny

    Later on I'm surprised the Win7 advertisements didn't go like this:
    "I'm a PC and looking like a Mac was my idea."

  8. Re:The only intuitive interface is the nipple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Nipples are like remote controlled cars.
    They're intended for kids, but it's always the dads who end up playing with them.

  9. Re: The only intuitive interface is the nipple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    > They go for human ones like magnets

    Well, who doesn't? :)