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"Show Stopper!: The Breakneck Race to Create Windows" is one of those books I got from the library and could barely do anything else until I finished the book.

"Show Stopper!: The Breakneck Race to Create Windows" is one of those books I got from the library and could barely do anything else until I finished the book. Highly recommended if you have not already read it. Maybe time for a re-read. I do remember the story of one Microsoft programmer who spent weeks if not months struggling and working on the task of drawing a window on screen. Remember they did not have any Windows MFC APIs. They were writing the APIs. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1416925.Show_Stopper_ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1416925.Show_Stopper_

localhost 4y ago
I interviewed Larry Osterman on my podcast [1] and at 19:35 he talks about his time on the Windows NT team and hanging out with Greg Zachary, the author of Show Stopper, at his house in Berkeley. There's also Helen Custer who came along with Cutler to help document the creation of NT. Lots of other fun stories from Larry's time on that team. I kind of regret not asking him about Cutler. Maybe next time! [1] https://john-lam-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-9-larry-osterman https://john-lam-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-9-larry-...
- craz8 4y ago
  Larry Osterman is one of the Jeopardy questions to “Who’s worked at Microsoft longer than Bill Gates” I worked with him at what turns out to have been towards the start of his time at Microsoft. Lots of great stories even then
bcantrill 4y ago
Agreed -- this book is mesmerizingly good. Last year, we had a discussion of "Show Stopper!" with G. Pascal Zachary that also featured Jessamyn West, daughter of Tom West (of "Soul of a New Machine" fame)[0]. It was a fascinating discussion (technical difficulties with Twitter Spaces aside!). [0] https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mx2t2aA7sSbELV5YVOD2G https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mx2t2aA7sSbELV5YVOD2G
shadowofneptune 4y ago
My favorite details from the book: The project got slowed down because Microsoft management allowed the Presentation Manager to be written in C++. Nobody on the team was familiar with the language and being the early 90s it was still immature. The 'rewrite it in Rust' of its time. It's a book old enough that the concept of email has to be explained to the reader, as well as why Gates would spend so much time checking his email.

localhost 4y ago

I interviewed Larry Osterman on my podcast [1] and at 19:35 he talks about his time on the Windows NT team and hanging out with Greg Zachary, the author of Show Stopper, at his house in Berkeley. There's also Helen Custer who came along with Cutler to help document the creation of NT. Lots of other fun stories from Larry's time on that team. I kind of regret not asking him about Cutler. Maybe next time! [1] https://john-lam-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-9-larry-osterman https://john-lam-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-9-larry-...

craz8 4y ago
Larry Osterman is one of the Jeopardy questions to “Who’s worked at Microsoft longer than Bill Gates” I worked with him at what turns out to have been towards the start of his time at Microsoft. Lots of great stories even then

bcantrill 4y ago

Agreed -- this book is mesmerizingly good. Last year, we had a discussion of "Show Stopper!" with G. Pascal Zachary that also featured Jessamyn West, daughter of Tom West (of "Soul of a New Machine" fame)[0]. It was a fascinating discussion (technical difficulties with Twitter Spaces aside!). [0] https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mx2t2aA7sSbELV5YVOD2G https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mx2t2aA7sSbELV5YVOD2G

shadowofneptune 4y ago

My favorite details from the book: The project got slowed down because Microsoft management allowed the Presentation Manager to be written in C++. Nobody on the team was familiar with the language and being the early 90s it was still immature. The 'rewrite it in Rust' of its time. It's a book old enough that the concept of email has to be explained to the reader, as well as why Gates would spend so much time checking his email.