D2CA.ORG - Dan's 20th Century Abandonware - Microsoft® Bob™ Exhibit

Upon signing in to Microsoft Bob, you are taken to a "room" in the "Bob Home." If it is your first time running Microsoft Bob, that room will be the "Public Family Room." If you later exit Microsoft Bob from a different "room," the next time you sign in you will begin your session in the room you last exited from.

In addition to Microsoft Bob's "public rooms," there are dozens of other rooms and even outdoor scenes. All of these rooms are featured on this page. I have added extra "decorations," furniture, and program items to many of them for additional effect.

Featured below are 75 screen shots of the Microsoft Bob program and the "Bob Home."

Microsoft Bob Windows 3.1x Program Manager Group

If you did not set up Microsoft Bob to run in place of your Windows 3.1x Program Manager "shell," you will see the Microsoft Bob Program Manager group which contains three icons -- one to run the Microsoft Bob graphical "social interface," one for Microsoft Bob's "read me" file, and one to access the Microsoft Bob setup program.

Upon starting Microsoft Bob, the credits "splash screen" literally "floods" the entire screen.

Your Microsoft Bob "session" begins at the "Front Door" of the "Bob Home." Based on the time, "Rover," your default "Personal Guide," greets you properly.

Microsoft Bob sign in - Gateway 2000 Edition

Here is another view of the Microsoft Bob "Front Door," taken at a different time of day, using the "Microsoft Bob 1.0a Gateway 2000 Edition." Note the Gateway 2000 logo in the lower left corner of the screen shot.

The "Public Family Room."
This room is designed to give you a sense of warmth and community.

This is the default starting place for Microsoft Bob after signing in. Because the room "decorations" and the program illustrations look so much alike, Microsoft Bob has labels for the program illustrations that can be viewed by pressing the F1 key. When the F1 key is held down, program, door, room, and other labels are displayed.

If you single-click a program icon, a prompt appears giving you the option to start the program. If you double- click a program icon, the program starts without any prompts.

Clicking on the wall safe will take you to the "Public Safe Room." Clicking on the door knob of a door on either side of the room gives you the option to go to other rooms. When you change rooms, your "Personal Guide" will follow you from room to room.

The "Public Study Room."
Designed to give a sense of quietness for thinking and studying, the Public Study Room is the "library" of the "Bob Home."

With side doors like the Public Family Room, clicking a door knob of a door on either side of the room gives you the option to go to other rooms.

There is a flaw in a horizontal tile line near the center of the room in the blue tiled section. Can you find it?

The "Public Safe Room."
Designed for a feeling of security and financial dealings, the Public Safe room was created to allow you to organize programs by rooms in much the same way Windows 3.1x organizes icons by groups. The implication of this room is to put the financial related programs in it.

There is no obvious "door" in this room -- just the hinges. To exit the Public Safe Room, you have to click the green arrow at the far left center of the screen.

The "Public Mouse Hole."
Designed for something with four legs that has a fondness for cheese, the Public Mouse Hole isn't even labeled a "room." This is an alternative place in the "Bob Home" where decorations and program items can be added.

To go to another room, click on the doorknob of the mouse hole's door.

Hanging Bob posters in the Public Mouse Hole might be trendy, but I wouldn't recommend burning open fires.

Microsoft Bob Gateway 2000 Edition "rooms."
In 1995, Microsoft licensed a special edition of Microsoft Bob to Gateway 2000 to bundle with their personal computer systems. This custom release includes five extra "rooms" and an extra category of 27 "Gateway" graphics.

The "Gateway Shared Family Room."
"Yeeee hawww!" "I'm a-pickin'!" "And I'm a-grinnin'!" It's Microsoft Bob gone country -- Gateway style.

All the program "icons," except Bob Calendar, the clocks, and GeoSafari, are depictions of animals and have text titles of what they are. But if you return to the regular "Bob Home," it is the same as the standard release of Microsoft Bob. The icons differ from those "on the farm" -- and for a "social interface" that is supposed to simplify computing tasks, aren't two different sets of icons for the same program all the more confusing?

In the upper right of the screen shot, just to the right of the window above the door, is a black and orange license plate with "GW2K" (Gateway 2000) on it.

Well, gee whiz, enough of that already. Let's go fetch Granny and have her bring along a jug of her "rheumatiz medicine." We're gonna sit around the potbelly stove for a spell and watch Jed do some "stompin'."

The "Gateway Shared Attic."
To get away from it all, climb the old, rickety ladder up to the attic and close the trap door for a little bit of privacy -- just you, Rover, that chicken on the typewriter, Mr. Ed, Porky, and that little mouse. Up here, you can be alone to think clearly for your "chicken scratchings" and planning the next time to go Crawdad hunting. While you're here, you might take a look through your list of friends to see who you want to take with you this time. Looks like a nice day outside....

And while you're in the attic, be sure to click on the horseshoe hangin' above the window and turn it upside down so the ends point up. That "keeps the good luck in."

Note the Gateway computer box in the far left center of the screen shot. I think Jed's warranty is up on his 1995 Gateway computer, so it's safe to assume he can take this box to the recycling bin in town -- 48¼ miles away, as the crow flies. Tell Jed to be sure to do what Bob Calendar's "EcoTip" says and break the box down before putting it in the bin. If he has trouble breaking it down, a couple of shotgun blasts ought to do the trick. Ask him to bring back some sorghum molasses, too. Granny's making Possum Pie tonight....

The "Gateway Shared Kid's Room."
Aaaaaahhh!!! Jeeeeeeed!!! The kids are out of their room again! How many times have I told you that little green tractor just ain't enough to keep them young'ns occupied!

That confounded contraption called GeoSafari kept them entertained for a while, but they figger'd out all the answers then looked for somethin' else to do.

I'll bet they found the address to Jim Beam's General Store in the Bob Address Book and took off a-runnin' to get some rock salt for their slingshots. One look at that yellow "Bob clock" and I'd run, too!

I'm tellin' ya, Jed, we need to keep an eye on those little whipper-snappers 'cause I've caught them behind the wood shed peekin' at Elli Mae when she's takin' a shower in the rain barrel. Good thing I patched the holes in that old quilt we use for a shower curtain. It seems to wear out terrible fast these days....

Jed? Are ya listenin' to me? Jed??? WAKE UP!!!

The "Gateway Shared Kitchen."
Granny would really appreciate it if someone besides Elli Mae would offer to help her bake her famous Possum Pie. The recipie is right there in Bob Household Manager under "C" for critters. How it got in there, I have no idea. Those young'ns must have been playin' with that newfangled computer again.

Uncle Jed forgot to bring back sorghum molasses from town. I think he forgot to drop off the Gateway computer box at the recycle bin, too. He's out back, cuttin' on his whittlin' stick again. He must have somethin' on his mind. That happens every now and then.

Granny's rheumatism is acting up again. I might have to go out to the still an' check on her latest batch of medicine. Sure hope the fire didn't go out....

Elli! Fetch those two young'ns an' have them pump some water from the well. Are ya still seein' that nice young man who's been courtin' you? Elli? Elli?? ELLI?!?!?

The "Gateway Shared Study."
Ah! That's why Jed kept the Gateway computer box -- to use as a computer desk. Good environmental thinking! He saved money and natural resources by not having to buy a desk that has extra packaging or resorting to chopping down the big Oak tree in the back. Good thing about the tree -- it shades the outhouse in the afternoon. And you know how hot it gets in there in the summer. Oh, the humidity....

Ya know? That fancy computer isn't all that bad, once ya get learned on it a little. Jethro's been cipherin' on it. Knot into knot goes not.

I even had him get into that Bob Financial Guide and figger up our taxes on all that oil we found a while back. Ya know what? Them Revenuers owe us money! 'Magine that.

Now, Granny! Granny! Don't you go grabbin' for the shotgun again. You know what happens when you get your blood pressure up and all.

Well, folks, I'd love to stay and chew the fat but it's time we got our chores done. Time's a-wastin' an' we turn in at eight. Y'all come back now, y-hear?

Moving right along...
So, bidding farewell to the "Wichita lineman," setting our clocks ahead from "Tulsa Time" to real-time, and returning from the Ozarks, shall we continue?

Other "rooms" in the "Bob Home."
There are literally dozens of additional "rooms," and some outdoor scenes as well, that can be added to the "Bob Home." They can be set up as shared or private rooms.

There are attics, kitchens, kid's rooms, play rooms, sun rooms, garages, roof tops, outdoor scenes, outer space compartments, and more. But what I'd like to know is where is the "Public RESTROOM?!?"

Displayed below are screen shots of other rooms for the "Bob Home."