News Microsoft's Windows 95 startup sound has been immortalized in the Library of Congress

[Admin]

The US Library of Congress has decided to immortalize the Windows 95 startup sound in the National Recording Registry.

Microsoft's Windows 95 startup sound has been immortalized in the Library of Congress : Read more

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I remember this quite well. What I still can't get over was, how Windows 95 won out because of the hype over the superior OS by IBM OS/2. W95 was trash and most of the programs were still launching from MS-DOS.

 

[USAFRet]

I remember this quite well. What I still can't get over was, how Windows 95 won out because of the hype over the superior OS by IBM OS/2. W95 was trash and most of the programs were still launching from MS-DOS.

Win95 could still run all the preexisting DOS applications.

 

[ezst036]

Windows 95 and Windows 2000 are the only two MS operating systems worth remembering. It is a shame what Microsoft has done to itself these days.

A lot of the included sounds in 95 were really cool.

 

[Findecanor]

I didn't remember it. Had to look it up.

I have no nostalgia for it. I find sounds in the user interface annoying. They are the first thing I disable on every new MS-Windows install/account.
BTW. Not finding how to disable the startup chime is also a partial reason to why I sold the very first and only Mac I've owned within a couple weeks of buying it.

Windows 95 and Windows 2000 are the only two MS operating systems worth remembering. It is a shame what Microsoft has done to itself these days.

I too find Windows 95 to have provided a better user experience than Windows 10 and 11. On one side it has gone downhill in those things we care about (start menu, task bar, simple things such as resize-bars on windows). On the other side, we expect more of an OS these days (multiple network interfaces, multiple screens, mobility, etc) and for those the OS still has clunky interfaces.

 

[acadia11]

Windows 95 and Windows 2000 are the only two MS operating systems worth remembering. It is a shame what Microsoft has done to itself these days.

A lot of the included sounds in 95 were really cool.

Heresy, windows 7 was their best OS ever, finally put all of it together in that version. 2000 only for server edition … millennium was trash , while windows XP was excellent. Windows 10 and 11 are also solid … ad intrusion aside.

 

[RedBaron616]

This just shows the Library of Congress has lost its way. Unlike period music and recorded speeches, etc., in 50 years, no one will be searching for the Windows 95 sound. I would argue in 50 years, most Americans won't even remember or care about Windows 95. Yes, I enjoyed it when it was out, but it is impossible to truly go back unless you have an old computer with it still installed you use. I don't even read those articles which say "X number of years ago, this or that was introduced and was revolutionary for computing even now". Not trying to be negative, just think this save the W95 sound is a bit crazy. What's next, saving the sound of the first microwave oven?

 

[acadia11]

This just shows the Library of Congress has lost its way. Unlike period music and recorded speeches, etc., in 50 years, no one will be searching for the Windows 95 sound. I would argue in 50 years, most Americans won't even remember or care about Windows 95. Yes, I enjoyed it when it was out, but it is impossible to truly go back unless you have an old computer with it still installed you use. I don't even read those articles which say "X number of years ago, this or that was introduced and was revolutionary for computing even now". Not trying to be negative, just think this save the W95 sound is a bit crazy. What's next, saving the sound of the first microwave oven?

Think you are missing the point, 95 was the first ubiquitous modernized GUI and also the first where internet was coming alive making PCs common place. It’s not about 95 itself but what 95 meant to computing in the common household. So think of that start as the beginning of an era. Apple OS introduced UIs as whole …. Windows 3.1 solidified the experience … and 95 made it common to the masses. Easy enough for grams to play solitaire to her hearts delight … I mean Xerox invented the mouse and UI concept but it would take until 95 that pcs and the OS that drives them became common household appliances. That’s the point. iPhones aren’t the first phablets but they … but they did make it common conceptually along with idea of the app. Neither idea being theirs. It’s not the song the meaning of the song.