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> For one “start” was never actually how most people started using the computer - it is through desktop shortcuts This is just wrong haha. Here's a raymond che
by _gabe_ 4y ago
> For one “start” was never actually how most people started using the computer - it is through desktop shortcuts
This is just wrong haha. Here's a raymond chen post:
> But one thing kept getting kicked up by usability tests: People booted up the computer and just sat there, unsure what to do next.
> That’s when we decided to label the System button “Start”.
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20030722-00/?p=43083 https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20030722-00/?p=43...
Edit: I hope this comment doesn't come off as rude or anything too :). I just remember reading about this in Raymond's book and the fact that the start menu originally didn't say start stuck out to me.
- derefr 4y agoAh, but that's because those people were presumably used to Windows 3.1, where when the computer started up, a window opened displaying an icon grid of programs you could open. From the perspective of one of these people, Windows 95 is like if Windows 3.1 failed to finish booting up, so Program Manager never started, and you were stuck just staring at the wallpaper.
- smileybarry 4y agoWell, prior to Windows 95, Windows didn't really have a desktop. 3.1's desktop was just an icon-grid taskbar. (Now I'm wondering if the "single instance" behavior of moving to front when you relaunch an app was done to accommodate that UI pattern)