Over the years, they’ve made at least ten completely different startup sounds. On the one hand, Apple has been very consistent… Here’s the startup chime of a Macintosh Quadra, from the early 90s.Īnd here’s what it sounds like on a new Macbook.īut with Windows, Microsoft went in the opposite direction. Over the years, the two biggest computer companies have taken completely different approaches to their startup sounds. If you unpack them, they reveal what the company was thinking, how they felt about their technology, and where they were headed. These sounds are like mini time capsules. Startup sounds may only last a few short seconds, but they can tell us a lot about the company that designed them. And that included the noises they made when you turned them on. It was around this time that computer companies started to be much more intentional about what these devices sounded like.
By the mid 80s, many people could buy a powerful computer that would fit on their desk. These primitive machines often filled entire rooms and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.īut soon enough, engineers started to pack more and more power into less and less space. ”]īack in the 1960s, most people had never even seen a computer. Can you check this oil level please, Harry?". This long winded process involved giant levers, a ton of switches, and even oil and temperature checks. At the time, it took half a dozen people spread throughout different rooms just to boot it up. What you are hearing right now is a BBC recording of a computer starting up in the late 60s. “Right, can you check those temperatures please Malcolm?” You’re listening to Twenty Thousand Hertz.
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If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at. The application closes on May 11th.įollow the show on Twitter, Facebook, & Reddit.īecome a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. Featuring former Microsoft Lead UI Designer Jensen Harris and Sound Designer Matthew Bennett.Īpply for the full time Associate Producer position here. In this episode, we explore the creation of the classic Windows startup sounds through Windows 7, and what each one says about Microsoft’s evolving technology. Over the years, Microsoft has made at least ten iconic startup sounds for Windows-from the triumphant “Ta-da!” of Windows 3.1, to the ambient chime that Brian Eno crafted for Windows 95, to the orchestral sweep of Windows XP. Since its debut in 1985, a lot has changed in the world of the PC-but a lot has also stayed the same.This episode was written and produced by Fran Board. The press release simply began with “It’s here.” ( Source)Īll featured images courtesy of Microsoft.īelieve it or not, it’s been 30 years since Microsoft introduced Windows, arguably the most popular operating system in the world. In addition, it was the most publicized launch Microsoft had ever done, including commercials featuring the Rolling Stones singing and everyone’s favorite Friends. ( Source)įun fact: If you don’t remember (or, you know, weren’t old enough/alive back then), Windows 95 sold a record-setting amount of copies in its first five weeks-seven million, actually. Claim to fame:Hello, Start button and Start menu! In addition to the now-iconic way to start your 90s computing experience, Windows 95 also introduced Internet Explorer-though you needed to initially buy the Windows 95 Plus! pack to get access to the Internet.