Why I 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. If you love stories at the intersection of design and technology, please consider subscribing to the channel. It would mean a lot to me! And if you have ideas for future videos—things in the areas of user experience, user interface design, software development, and technology, put them in the comments below—maybe I’ll do your idea next! 00:00​ Intro 00:30 Xerox PARC and the birth of the PC 02:00 The birth of the computer startup sound 03:26 The horror of the PC speaker 04:43 Early Windows startup sounds 06:42 Windows XP and beyond 07:55 Planning for Windows 8 and Surface 10:28 Regret and redemption: Trying to bring the sound back 14:11 One more thing ⸻ LINKS ⸻ If you want to experience the horror which was the sound design of Castlevania for MS-DOS played through the PC speaker, check this out: ⸻ CONNECT WITH ME ⸻