Why Microsoft Jensen Harris Killed the Windows Startup Sound



It was me—I killed the Windows startup sound. From the earliest versions through Windows 7, logging into Windows played a sound. In 2010, I had it removed, never (so far) to return in any future version. Why did I do it?

Was it malice? Incompetence? Or was there more to the decision? Learn the history of computer startup sounds, and hear the story and the design thinking behind why I removed the sound from the Windows user interface. AND... there's a bit of a reveal at the finish, so stay tuned all the way to the end.

 
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