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Bill Gates sympathizes with your Windows NT login woes, admits three-button start 'was a mistake'
While most of the world associates the classic control-alt-delete keyboard command with soft reboots and frozen applications, a small portion of the population battles with the bizarre concept of the command as a login as well. Windows NT users, specifically, recall using the command as a means to turn on their desktops -- something that Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates is finally calling "a mistake." In a wide-ranging interview on-stage at Harvard University, Gates regaled current students of his alma mater with tales of his time at the school. But apparently Harvard Campaign co-chair David Rubenstein couldn't forego his chance to get an answer -- or at least an apology -- from Gates on the bizarre login procedure. Gates admitted, "It could've had a single button, but the guy who did the IBM keyboard design didn't wanna give us our single button. It was...it was a mistake." Of course, Gates laughs it off, having moved beyond guilt over software released 20 years ago. Head below for the full video, and jump to the 17-minute mark should you wish to see the exchange over Windows NT first.
Microsoft's 'Menlo' working towards a mobile future without Windows CE?
Since Courier's now a mystery unearthed -- and subsequently sent six feet under -- it looks like we need new secret Microsoft projects to pique our curiosity. Enter the ever-connected Mary Jo Foley with some investigative notes into "Menlo," which seems to be a future replacement of Windows CE "with Windows NT inside of mobile devices." The associated graphics platform would be "Experiment 19" (not quite as interesting a codename, we agree). Presumably heading up Menlo is Galen Hunt, a researcher from the Singular project, joined by other Microsoft brains Ruben Olinsky and (at least at some point) Kerry Hammil. It's always surprising how much info we can glean from LinkedIn, but we digress: Hunt's associated profile says Menlo "[combines] OS, UX, and applications research to explore the future of computing when mobiles becomes users primary PCs." Some bigger picture conjecture seems to center around Menlo having a Silverlight-based UI and boasting improved compatibility between itself and Windows desktop apps. Lots of food for thought, and if you're interested in what might come out of Redmond many, many years down the line, head on past the read link for all the juicy tech gossip.
