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The state-of-the art Windows shell at the time was the MS-DOS Executive: https://microsoft.fandom.com/wiki/MS-DOS_Executive https://microsoft.fandom.com/wiki/M
by Stratoscope 3y ago
The state-of-the art Windows shell at the time was the MS-DOS Executive:
https://microsoft.fandom.com/wiki/MS-DOS_Executive https://microsoft.fandom.com/wiki/MS-DOS_Executive
Alan's idea was that your desktop could be customized to your needs, either by yourself or by an IT group. Say you're rolling out machines to an accounting team: the Windows desktop would have tools right on it to make those team member's jobs easier.
Or you could make your own desktop tools with a few clicks and maybe a bit of scripting.
In the end, Microsoft decided to go with Program Manager and File Manager for the "shell" and turn Ruby into application development tool.
- bitwize 3y agoApple: Develops something close to the perfect desktop UI on their first go. Microsoft: "I know! We'll let users create their own UI! What could possibly go wrong?" That Ruby ended up the way it did was an example of what they call "cooler heads prevailing".
- chrisco255 3y agoApple released something similar called HyperCard in 1987: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperCard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperCard, allowing users to create their own UI.
- bitwize 3y agoHyperCard was not intended to enable users to change the shell UI. Ruby was, originally.
- chrisco255 3y agoWhat's the fundamental difference? HyperCard apps had minimal chrome and were fully customizable.