computers: msbob

Price in the USA:	Full version:	99 $
alternative Windows surface	Data medium:	CD-ROM
appeared in the USA:		March 1995

BOB is the attempt of Microsoft in the year 1995 a surface for Windows (3.1x or Win95)
to create, which should be extremely simple to serve. The code name for the new surface by the way was
Utopia, it was inserted before BOB already once into child write program named Creative a Writer,
in addition more in the press articles of BOB and Utopia. In the first 6 months BOB became for instance 30.000-mal
sold, surely gateway with its oem versions had a larger portion. In order to clarify it:
Windows 3,1 was sold to Windows 95 in the first 2 months 3.000.000-mal, in the first 3 months
45.000.000-mal.

The whole floppte thus completely and I is not completely reliably whether it in this country at all came out,
it was planned for in the middle of 1996. By the way the responsible person developer was not fired, it was
Bill Gates's own woman: Melinda gate.

In order the principle of BOB more near know to learn, I a small 20-teiliges “teaching program” provided
learn simply to start and BOB more near know.

BOB will completely normally installed under Win 3.1x, it can to Windows be loaded even automatically.

BOB 1,0 is started (here under Win 95)

BOB 1.0a (here under Win 3,1), BOB of programs adhere started not to the normal window shape
separate have a free edge.

The keyword was called “Social interface”.
Around this to realize there was a house instead of a program manager!
Over with these to work one had to enter it only times, therefore those happens
Registration, before the entry door. Around itself to announce one does not have a combination of keys,
as press is the case for NT, but knock.

The registration.

An assistant worries then about it,
whether one wants to be now a new user or guest. As a guest one comes
only into a “public area”, as users one can do itself its
Area according to own desires provide, from the space station, over
Spukschloss, up to the normal house.

My own area. With BOB everyone kriegt its own Bude

Bob in the universe, accompanies DOT” of one of the few survivors of BOB in Office 97 from “The

BOB in the Middle Ages: It even still runs under Windows XP and in high resolutions (original 1280x1024)

The surface of BOB: Area with objects

Programs are also not directly any symbols separate objects, them can one
arbitrary form have, from picture with frameworks up to newspaper the reading horse.
By “F1” key one can be able to be indicated those the linkage of the objects.

With pressures and stops of “F1” one can let the object functions indicate.

Around many programs to accommodate to be able there are several areas, in which one its programs
placing can. They are naturally connected by doors.


The whole time on the verses is his personal assistant, he gives references and makes further options possible. There are altogether 17 pieces, of DOT (red ball, from Office 97 well-known), over Rover (a yellow dog, condemns similarly to Fredo a search assistant with Windows XP) up to Shakespeare. One can also invisible select if the others is too nervig. Everyone has by the way its own personal record and some animations and sayings. Look at yourselves all 19 HERE!

Which the BOB assistant still made later:
Rover from Bob	Fredo from Win XP
	Further survivors of BOB in ms Office, thx tons gandro.
With msn the Explorer there is a Smilie (emotion), if one enters 8-\| receives one one “Streber Smilie”:

The moreover one some programs are provided, there would above all be a few financial programmes,
a directory, an email program, a write program and a Quizspiel.

The Calender can indicate the moon and a suitable event to the day!

The directory

Bob is also very attentive, it notes not only the birthdays of other people, but also
the being suitable.

Nevertheless one thinks of one.

The write program is very simply held and offers to the beginner with few Mausklicks
to provide the possibility fast a letter with graphic Spielereien. To some causes gives
it even already example texts.

The preview mode of the write program, one considers the response possibilities on the question,
whether the example text is standing to remain. In BOB a very loose clay/tone prevails.

Naturally one can provide and edit also texts.

One of the highlights are the geo safari Quiz. Here one can answer geographical questions.
Of countries of Africa determine, over objects of interest of the earth assign, up to
Flag rates. This is even with up to 4 players possible against each other!

I am not completely safe me, Iceland???

It gives to also still organize a few programs around its life somewhat better, there would be
a kind financial adviser, who gives one for example Tipps for the autopurchase (which one has that
…, comparison of draw-ineven models wants),

BOB regulates the financial life…

a kind household manager, who notes for one who with flashes to is, or of whom one which
Gift got (not which one back-gives it again),

and the private life

and with it a check book, a budget, is also still this by “Lexi” is thus administered,
the one at the beginning with questions löchert. So one knows regular expenditures (pocket money,
Newspaper, etc.) register. Taken off by the fortune which one with itself one carries and
from the account, the latter one could probably serve also electronically via BOB.

The BOB check book Bill Gates not to probably use, for billionaires is not suitable it.

The last large program with BOB thereby is, is a Mail program it unfortunately functioned
only with an address of the offerer MCI, who is active only in North America. The URL BOB.COM
more than BOB Mailserver, here are existed also not verscherbelt old shares.

Unfortunately gibt's no more enamels @bob.com are. Whether Rover has also BOB on its computer?

File management

But how one installs a program, without one has file management (it is which one uses the file manager/Explorer of Windows)?

This is completely simple! One says simply to the personal assistant that one adds something (adden) would like, something of a disk. In the next step one says then still which disk, e.g. floppy one, non removable disk file or CD-ROM, is at all meant which. Thereupon BOB in the listing looks for set UP programs, and finds files like “Setup.exe” or also not.

After a last question the Setup program is started as simple Windowsprogramm outside of BOB.

A not real BOB program is the baking UP program, it seems after a certain time automatically to start and stores the user-defined attitudes on a listing of the non removable disk. The program guesses itself/advises to procure for a correct Backup a program special on disks.

Picture right:
The dialogues with installing program in the overview.

Picture down:
A Backup program which can be used only halfway also participates in BOB.

And some more, the BOB programs also one runs her under Windows only under BOB, starts,
while BOB does not run, then one gets the error message that one is to start only BOB
in order to be able to use the program.

Hey, starts BOB!

Only which could speak against BOB is which one as Windows professional, fast its
Shortcuts and used windows miss. But for beginners is it simply ingeniously, only
the question is whether it thereby not beginners remains.

Version differences:

The only obvious differences between BOB 1,0 and BOB 1.0a gateway edition are with
original BOB 1,0 only 12 assistants thereby were (Baudelaire, Chaz, The DOT, Lucy & wants to be missing,
these can be in-copied however simply into the sublist “Actors” (like Lexi and Hank) and are
then operationally). Also there were only 4 instead of 10 Styles (space topics, like castle, house etc.). These leave themselves
only somewhat pedantically re-tool and mean a possible loss of the stored areas.

Minimum requirements:

If one it under Windows 3.1x installed should one a stronger computer possess
(which Win 3.1x computer are often not). On my 486 DX one has 4,100 with 32 MT
already noticed that the program memory occupies, in particular fixed disks properly
well one uses (approx. 40 MT).

486 SX or better
8 MT main memories
32 MT fixed disks
SVGA display with 256 colors
Windows 3,1 or more highly
Mouse recommended
Modem with min. 2400 Baud recommended

The support ended to 01.07.1999.

The BOB packing
(Click for increasing)

Finally I possess a BOB original! Were only 13 $, 20 days time and 2x that Transit period of 9312 km necessarily! (Money hin/BOB back) Thereby 1,0 oem concern BOB

above: CD Cover (ms Home version)	down: CD (BOB 1,00 oem) ms Home version

Installation-tap:

BOB and some programs of BOB should after the installation (and restart of Windows)
(sometimes particularly under Win95 the case) should one does not start all *.dll and *.vbx files out
the master directory of BOB (standard: C:\MSBOB) into the Windows listing copy.

Left internally: