Gates bores in Windows 98 launch

I've seen Microsoft CEO Bill Gates live several times, and even walked withhim at the IE 4.0 launch, as he surveyed new Channel demos, but his speechat the Windows 98 launch was probably the most boring he's given in a longtime. While his comparison of the automobile industry to the computerindustry worked amazingly well, the speech droned on and on, boringeveryone in earshot. It was an oddly undramatic moment for the launch of amajor operating system, and while the rest of the launch event was as goofyas expected, the Gates snoozer was a surprise.

Windows 98 was launched with a "Route 98" theme, and the talk was appropriate for the theme, as Windows 98 was described as the first majormilestone on the road to total Internet integration. Gates likened ourposition today with computers to the automobile industry of the 1920's:Computers are getting there, but they are still too hard to use andunderstand.

"The auto gave people freedom to go new places," Gates said. "The PC is doing the same thing, but it is doing it far faster."

Before Gates came on and put the crowd to sleep, Microsoft VP Brad Chase showed off various aspects of the new operating system, even going so faras to perform the now-infamous USB scanner demo that crashed a Windows 98beta in a demo months ago. Chase was goofy but likeable, and the videosegments featuring real users such as a senior citizen home and a disabledex-police officer were surprisingly touching. These video segments allowedreal people to explain how Windows 98 enabled them in different ways to dowhat they wanted to do: Reba McEntire and a high school right here in thePhoenix, Arizona area were also featured.

Chase also took time to demonstrate two technologies for Windows 98 thataren't even available yet, Chrome and something called Task Update. Chromeis a multimedia add-on for the very latest PCs only that allows Web developers to create amazing 2D and 3D effects in low-bandwidth Web sites.The Task Center is a Web-based add-on to Windows Update that lets the userbrowse through a list of tasks such as "Change my desktop background" or"Change my screen resolution." Chase said this feature would be availablethis Fall.

In many ways, the Windows 98 launch was as low-key as the Internet Explorer4.0 launch, which also took place in San Francisco. But maybe that's a goodthing: The hype for Windows 95 was so over the top that many people weredisappointed. This time around, perhaps they will be in for a pleasantsurprise.

By the way, Microsoft has posted the Windows 98 launch video on its Website, which is viewable by both Real Audio and Microsoft's Media Player