Microsoft Interface Manager

Fun fact: If Bill Gates had his way, Windows OS would have been called 'Interface Manager'. Gates had planned to release it under the same name. However, 'Windows' name prevailed because it best describes the boxes or computing 'windows' that were fundamental to the new operating system.

Long before Windows became Windows, Microsoft was in a hot race to compete with Apple and other companies that embarrassed GUIs as their primary interface human machine, with the help of a new device called the mouse.

Before the Desktop :)

Microsoft, being a software company decided to give it a shot and in September of 1981, works on what would become Windows later on started. Named "Interface Manager", it was not an operating system per se but rather an add-on to Microsoft's cash cow and star product, MS-DOS, that graced every IBM PC and was compatible. Think of Interface Manager like a french paint job for an old Bettle.

Word processor in Interface Manager

As can be seen in the photograph, the design, and concept of Interface Manager is very different from that seen in the first versions of Windows. The screen is divided into two parts: the panel available at this time for teams, and the “working area” where windows are placed to open applications.

Shutting down Wi....heu Interface Manager

When you start a text editor set of commands on the toolbar at the bottom has changed, i.e. Apparently, there appear general commands or commands for the currently active window.

Interface Manager is an interesting piece of history as it helped the company to take the right direction in order to compete with IBM and Apple, although the Initial attempt had not drawn interest from users and developers, they would set the foundation for the future of the operating system. By the time Microsoft had done with Interface Manager, they renamed it to Windows. And the rest like they say, it's history.

Sofiane M. MEROUANI

1985: The Coming of Windows 1.0

The first version of Windows came out in November 1985 and had not gathered enough interest for users and developers alike but set the foundation for GUI, drivers, and multitasking for the future of Windows. It would then culminate in a successful release of Windows 3.0 that saw widespread use and critical acclaim.

Windows 1.0 was released in 1985.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Microsoft began works on Windows back in September 1981, when computer scientist Chase Bishop outlined the design principles of what he named "Interface Manager". Two years later, Bill Gates announced that Microsoft would be heavily involved in making a GUI for the venerable MS-DOS named "Windows" based on works by Bishop. Gates's interest in that trend was fueled by the desire to get into a niche market of premium operating systems which adapted graphical user interfaces instead of arcane obscure command lines that graced DOS-based OSes.

The marketers at Microsoft found the name "Windows" appealing and friendly. Its first incarnation was released in November 1985.

Another factor that pushed Redmond to make a GUI was the advent of a new companion to the keyboard. That companion is a mouse, a little pointing device that allowed the user to manipulate objects on the screen by moving and clicking on any item or object on the screen. While Virtual Reality is in vogue nowadays, the mice back then were all in rage, and the media and dedicated press regarded it as the hottest add-on for the Personal Computer.

As opposed to Macintosh, Windows 1.0 was not considered a standalone product, but rather an add-on to the MS-DOS, a layer that would sit on the top of the operating system. For many engineers who worked on the project, Windows was seen as a death path. But long before David Cutler or Jim Allchin came on board, Bill Gates had its top lieutenants on the Windows project that was seen by many within the company as an embarrassment. The Windows 1.0's chief was Tandy Trower, who had faith in the project.

But yet, when it was released, Windows 1.0 impressed no one.

Windows 1.01 sported a primitive graphical environment. It included a simple program launcher and file manager called MS-DOS Executive. Windows 1.0 also included several basic applications, including Calendar, Clock, Clipboard, Cardfile, Terminal, Notepad, Write, and Paint. Notepad was suitably Spartan in function, and Paint only supported monochrome graphics. The software also ran MS-DOS programs within a window, but few single-task DOS applications behaved properly in this new multitask environment.

However, it should be noted that this early incarnation of Windows, didn’t offer overlapping application windows as in Apple, though individual Windows applications could display their own overlapping sub-windows for dialog boxes and the like. But the system-wide clipboard was seen as a huge step forward by which the system could share data between open applications.

In summary, Windows 1.0 was a mess and stood very little chance in the niche market dominated by Big Blue, and Apple. Even Steve Ballmer admitted that Microsoft would be "wrestling with a bear" when it came to competing with IBM. But Microsoft saw Windows 1.0 as a pilot project that would lay the groundwork for future improvements on the concept. Also, some of its innovative features will be ported later, like the taskbar debuting in Windows 95.

Rome was not built in a day and neither was Windows.

Sofiane M. MEROUANI

Once upon a time in Xerox Parc

"I think it's more like we both had this rich neighbor named Xerox and I broke into his house to steal the TV set and found out that you had already stolen it"?

Bill Gates.

In the late 70s, Xerox at Palo Alto, California, pioneered the first graphical user interface or GUI for the future of computing. At that time, most computers ran arcane unfriendly text-based command prompts (Pre MS-DOS era) using only the keyboard. But Xerox turned the dial to eleven, by introducing a new pointing device called the mouse which allowed users to manipulate any objects on the screen. With this breakthrough invention, Xerox truly achieved something unique for mankind.

The only catch is, they failed to ship it.

Xerox Parc Engineers Invented the Future

So in 1979, Xerox invited Apple for a tour and showcased their brand-new invention to Steve Jobs who 'ripped off' the idea of the GUI right into the Apple Lisa he spearheaded back then for business users but failed miserably. Until 1984, when Apple released the famous and overly expensive Macintosh for the messes. While their competitors still relied on arcane text-based command prompts, the Macintosh used a bit-mapped graphics display. Individual applications appeared in floating, resizable, and overlapping windows, instead of fully occupying the screen. The interface was optimized for manipulation via the mouse, not the keyboard.

Tech wizards at Palo Alto, CA

In order for the Apple Macintosh to thrive, they needed third-party developers, and Microsoft was the top provider. Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft blossomed into a million-dollar software provider and used the BASIC language to support every personal computing platform available at that time. When Macintosh was released in 1984, Microsoft started porting their fledgling software like Multiplan, Word, and Excel to Mac.

But Bill Gates had another bright idea in mind.

Suggested Reading: Long before Steven Sinofsky took the helm of the Office Division, the legendary Mike Maples Sr. drove Microsoft's Application Division to the pinnacle of success. As a former IBM executive, who joined Redmond on labor day in 1988, Maples was the inspiration for many within the company, including his son Mike Maples Jr. Find out more on our pilot episode of Microsoft Legends here.

While Microsoft was still providing software for the Mac, Gates' troop worked closely with Steve Jobs' in order to refine Macintosh's user interface. They defined various on-screen elements that we're all familiar with now, like the radio buttons, dialog boxes, and the doublewide outline around the default buttons. Because Microsoft kept supporting this new platform, they learned as time went by how to improve the user interface, and why not create their own operating system with all that they acquired while working with Apple? (The same thing happened with Sony when developing Nintendo Play Station peripheral add-on in the late 80s.) After all, Microsoft's revenues came from selling software for Macintosh, and they amassed enough capital for Gates's Research and Development division to start thinking about making an in-house' serious competitor for Apple.

So works on what would be "Interface Manager", an add-on, that is to say, a piece of software that acted as a layer and sit on the top of the venerable MS-DOS, started in 1981 when a computer scientist Chase Bishop invented the first electronic model for Microsoft. in 1983, Microsoft announced Windows. And Apple became downright suspicious.

It took Microsoft two years to create the first version of Windows. They were late at the party, as the niche market for the operating system was already filled with fierce competitors. Apple Lisa and Macintosh were selling at higher prices and the runners-up like VisiCorp had released several DOS-like graphical shells in an attempt to capitalize on the GUI hoopla and make PCs more friendly.

So Microsoft had a lot of homework to do since the first version of Windows was less sophisticated and really worse in design as compared to Macintosh. It would lack some of that system’s more advanced and useful features, like support for overlapping windows. Instead, on-screen windows could only be tiled onscreen.

But Windows stood a very little chance against Apple. After some initial excitement in 1984, The Macintosh bombed due to a lack of resources, compatible applications, and higher prices. Steve Jobs was ousted a year after the first version of Windows was released.

Mike Maple ran Microsoft's Application Division in late 80s.

With no viable competitors in sight, Microsoft engineers went back to the lab and started improving the GUI for the upcoming version of Windows. In the meantime, Gates hit his first billion mark in his bank account and went on a recruiting trip with his lieutenants for the greatest minds around the block. David Cutler from DEC and Mike Maples from IBM joined the Microsoft bandwagon in 1988, while Jim Alchin followed suit in 1991. With Windows 3.0 achieving considerable success in the early 90s, these legends would drive the success of Windows and Office ever further for the future and beyond.

Sofiane M. MEROUANI