August 1995: Windows 95 Launch
For several years Microsoft promised a new version of Windows, a version that would be a
massive overhaul from Windows 3.1. They
promised the removal of MS-DOS (or at least hiding it to the point no one would notice it was there). They promised
a blockbuster user interface (UI) that would make computing easier. Windows 95 was to be the operating system that
delivered all this. In the spring of 1995 it looked like it might slip until 1996,
but by early summer we were barraged with
promotional material advertising an August launch. In my years working retail this was the most
heavily promoted product launch.
It wasn't just for the OS, we were sent piles of books like "Windows 95 for Dummies" and promos for
all the upcoming software that utilized new features in Windows 95.
Our store was sent a promo video from Microsoft that we ran on a continuous
loop. The TV show Friends was starting to gain
popularity so Microsoft hired Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry to record a ~45 minute video introducing Windows 95.
It was a lot of them going "
wow, you can play a CD and work on a
document at the same time".
I
wish I saved a copy of this tape.
We took more pre-orders and reservations for Windows 95 than practically anything we ever sold.
There was a $99 upgrade version on CD and a $200 full version on 13 3.5" disks. Oddly, we didn't carry
an upgrade on 3.5" disk or a full version on CD (although both existed). I feel sorry for anyone who
had to install the floppy disk version. Yeah, we did have a few customers ask for 5.25" disk editions which didn't exist.
When the launch day came we weren't flooded with customers but did sell a steady stream of 5-10 an hour (which was a
lot for that location).
Windows 95 was the biggest step forward in the history of Windows, period.
Windows 98 was a slight improvement over 95 but was essentially the same OS.
Windows ME was actually a step down from 98.
Windows 2000 (my personal favorite) finally abandoned MS-DOS by running on the NT kernel.
It was a giant step forward but to the average user isn't different than 95.
Windows XP is just 2000 with a lot of screen real estate being wasted by oversized toolbars.
Through all these iterations, the UI metaphors introduced in Windows 95 have survived.
Programmers also know that the underlying UI APIs have barely changed since Windows 95.
Overshadowed by Windows 95 madness was the release of the ill-advised Nintendo Virtual Boy. Well, I suppose the release of
a new line of double-ply toilet paper would have overshadowed the Virtual Boy. Never before had anything arrived in the store
that made us say "there's no way we can sell this". It originally retailed for close to $200 but the price was slashed
on several occasions. Were it not for the Jaguar CD this would have been the worst selling system ever. Nintendo shipped out
demo units to stores hoping to spur sales.
These demo units had a Virtual Boy embedded into a bulky stand, Red Alarm was the only game included.
The demo unit helped a
little. Some customers found it strangely addictive and bought it. The part that's still funny to me is that we
were handed down strict orders from home office to not let children under 10 play it.
Any system that includes a warning with the phrase "may cause permanent eye damage to children" is doomed.
The price of the Virtual Boy went all the way down to $50 but sales never picked up. The price cuts had the opposite effect on shoppers,
they now saw it as a dead system. Eventually we were told to throw out the demo units. Not "send back" but "throw out".
On the way to the dumpster it took a detour to my trunk. I stupidly threw out the base because it was too big and bought a regular
replacement stand for $7. I grabbed a couple of games on clearance for ~$5 but haven't played them much, it gives me a nasty headache.
