from the Chicago sun-times
Experts debate what broke Bill's Windows
April 23, 1998
BY HOWARD WOLINSKY BUSINESS REPORTER
What made Bill crash?
Computer experts said Wednesday that bugs in Windows 98, the ``next
evolution'' in computer operating systems, combined with a problem in
drawing power for an energy-greedy scanner probably led to the crash
heard round the computer world.
The system went down Monday while Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates
and his product manager were giving 4,000 techies a demonstration of
Windows 98 in the opening session of the Comdex/Spring computer trade
show at McCormick Place.
Gates' quick comeback was: ``That must be why we're not shipping
Windows 98 right now.''
Ryan James, a company spokesman, said the ``simple explanation'' for
the crash is that the software was not ready to be shipped. The
product is scheduled to be launched June 25.''
``We're still putting on the final tweaks,'' said James.
Computer engineers said that while there clearly was a ``software
issue,'' Chris Capossela, the Windows 98 program manager who ran the
demonstration while Gates watched, may have had a problem with power
incompatibility.
A major advantage claimed for Windows 98 is that it optimizes a
standard known as universal serial bus, or USB, which is supposed to
allow computer users to plug ``peripheral'' devices such as printers,
digital cameras, keyboards and scanners into the computer with no
muss, no fuss.
With USB, adding computer devices is supposed to be as simple as
plugging a lamp into a wall. Devices can be plugged into the computer
box, keyboards, monitors and special hubs, which are like
multiple-outlet extension cords.
To highlight the reliability of Windows 98, Caposella plugged a
scanner, a product that often causes problems when installed and one
that also draws a lot of power, into a USB outlet on a keyboard.
The system went down and Windows 98 flashed error messages. In effect,
Caposella blew a fuse.
``That's a bad way to do that,'' said Eric Chan, USB product manager
for Intel Corp., the computer chip giant that along with Microsoft has
been promoting USB.
``The scanner could need more power than is available from a
keyboard.'' He said he is certain Microsoft tested it before the
demonstration.
``It might work nine times and fail the 10th,'' he said.
Chan said a better approach would be to use a self-powered USB hub
that draws power from a wall outlet instead of from the computer's own
power supply.
Vance Bjorn, chief technologist for Digital Persona Inc., which makes
a USB device that uses a computer user's fingerprints for
identification, said, ``It is unfortunate that Gates' main message was
on reliability and the system crashed. USB is very, very reliable.''
James also said early testers have found Windows 98 to be ``very
stable.'' Some problems with USB were encountered with the earlier
Windows 95.
With renewed confidence in USB, Microsoft said 250 new USB products
will be available for the release of Windows 98. Another 100 are
expected in the next year.
Microsoft employees at the Comdex/Spring show said Gates typically
blows up at this sort of glitch. But, James said, Caposella ``still
has a job.''
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