I used Workbench for quite a long time (didn't get a Window PC until '97). First 1.3 on an Amiga 500 and later 3.0 on a 1200 tricked out with a 68030 and 42 (ye

I used Workbench for quite a long time (didn't get a Window PC until '97). First 1.3 on an Amiga 500 and later 3.0 on a 1200 tricked out with a 68030 and 42 (yes) MB RAM. Some of the things in Workbench were really nice. For example "datatypes" that basically provided a pluggable way of adding file support to applications. If a datatype was written for the new QOI image format, then all the image manipulation programs written 30+ years ago would be able to use it. Another thing that comes to mind was the ASSIGN command for setting up and manipulating search paths. These search paths were used extensively in the system. For example, libraries would be looked for in "LIBS:" and if you wanted to add a new path with libraries, you would just do "ASSIGN LIBS: <SomeNewPath> ADD". No need for messing with colon-separated lists of paths. Plenty of downsides too.. Notable no memory protection. A program going haywire could easily bring down the whole system. Graphics performance in Workbench was generally pretty dreadful, especially with higher color counts.