Similar to early graphical shells like Jane, the main interface is portrayed as the inside of a house, with different rooms corresponding to common real-world room styles such as a kitchen or family room. The user interface was designed to simplify the navigational experience for novice computer users. Its legacy would be observed in future Microsoft products, notably Microsoft Bob's characters such as Rover as a Windows XP search companion and Clippy the anthropomorphized paperclip as a digital assistant for Microsoft Office.Ī screenshot of the "family room" area of the Microsoft Bob software, including the "Assistant" character Rover.īob included various office suite programs such as a finance application and a word processor. Upon release, Microsoft Bob was criticized in the media and did not gain wide acceptance with users, which resulted in its discontinuation. In this case, clicking on the pen and paper would open the word processor.Ī cartoon dog named Rover and other cartoon characters provided guidance using speech balloons. Microsoft Bob presented screens showing a "house", with "rooms" that the user could go to containing familiar objects corresponding to computer applications-for instance, a desk with pen and paper, a checkbook, and other items. The program was released on March 11, 1995, and discontinued in early 1996.
BOB BLITZER MS AGENT SOFTWARE
Microsoft Bob is a Microsoft software product intended to provide a more user-friendly interface for the Windows 3.1x, Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems, supplanting the Windows Program Manager.