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Microsoft Bob 1.0a setup program - CD-ROM

To the surprise of many, Microsoft Bob is actually a 16-bit graphical user interface that can run on 16-bit Windows 3.1x and 32-bit Windows 9x. Microsoft Bob can run in place of both the 16-bit Windows 3.1x Program Manager "shell" and the 32-bit Windows 95 Start Menu "shell," or be run like any other Windows program.

Featured below are 21 screen shots taken from the Microsoft Bob 1.0a CD-ROM edition setup program.

Upon starting the SETUP.EXE program, this window is displayed.

This setup window displays a message suggesting the closing of all running programs before proceeding. It also displays a copyright notice.

This window prompts you to enter your name to "personalize" your setup for Microsoft Bob.

After entering your name, a confirmation window is displayed to make sure this is the name you want entered.

This window displays the Product ID number for Microsoft Bob for registration and technical support records.

If the computer Microsoft Bob is being installed on has less than 8MB of RAM, this notice will be displayed.

It was also displayed on two test systems I installed Microsoft Bob on, one having 128MB RAM and a second having 512MB RAM.

This window displays a "Bob button" to click to initiate the actual installation of Microsoft Bob. An option to install Microsoft Bob in a directory other than the default is also provided.

This window provides the option to give a custom name to the Program Manager group Microsoft Bob's icons will be installed in.

This portion of the setup process allows you to choose whether or not to allow Microsoft Bob to run instead of the Windows 3.1x Program Manager "shell" or the Windows 95 Start Menu "shell."

If you select "Yes," the Microsoft Bob setup program replaces your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI file's default "shell=progman.exe" for Windows 3.1x, or "shell=explorer.exe" in Windows 95, with "shell=home.exe" -- the executable file that starts Microsoft Bob's "Bob Home."

While Microsoft Bob's setup changes the setting for the startup shell in SYSTEM.INI, it does not actually replace the default Windows "shell." If you decide in the future you would like to use the default Windows "shell," all you need to do is edit the SYSTEM.INI file and replace the "shell" statement's "home.exe" with either progman.exe or explorer.exe for the version of Windows you are using and restart your system.

During the actual file copy installation phase of the Microsoft Bob setup, several advertising displays are shown. This one features "Rover," the default "Personal Guide" in Microsoft Bob, offering a suggestion to fill out and send in your Microsoft Bob registration card.

Rover looks rather rabid in this screen shot....

This setup "ad" mentions the "Bob Home." This is the "social interface" in which all activity takes place.

"Bob Address Book" is one of several application programs integrated into the Bob graphical environment.

"Bob Calendar" acts both as a personal information manager (PIM) and displays the system date.

"Bob Checkbook" is a financial manager application program integrated into Microsoft Bob.

"Bob E-mail" is a POP3, dial-up Internet client for Microsoft Bob utilizing a service provided by MCI ®.

"Bob Letter Writer" is a word processor and card/sign/poster creator all in one package.

GeoSafari is an educational program that can help kids (teenagers, and adults, too) learn about geography and the Solar System.

"Bob Household Manager" is a collection of various database programs for record keeping and also provides helpful text and illustration information on a variety of household topics.

Like the Household Manager, "Bob Financial Guide" also provides many database "list" programs to keep financial records. It also provides substantial text information on financially related topics.

Yes, they do -- and howl, and bark, and yawn, and chomp, and squeak, and meow, and purr, and growl, and...

Finally, when all files are copied and settings are made, the computer must be rebooted to allow the changes to take place. If you allowed Microsoft Bob to replace your Windows "shell," your computer will boot up to Microsoft Bob's "social interface."

Have you got Bob installed yet?
What's taking so long?!?

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