1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey there, history fans, we're taking the day off, but 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: don't worry, We've got plenty of classic shows to tide 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: you over. Please enjoy these flashback episodes from the TDI 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: HC Vault. Hello, and welcome to This Day in History Class, 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: a show that pays tribute to heroes of the past 6 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: by telling their stories. Today I'm Gabe Bluesiery, and today 7 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: we're reflecting on the appalling death of William Wallace, one 8 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: of the most venerated freedom fighters of the First War 9 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: of Scottish Independence. As a warning, today's episode includes a 10 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: graphic description of a public execution and may be disturbing 11 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: for some listeners. And the day was August twenty third, 12 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: thirteen oh five. Sir William Wallace was put to death 13 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: in London for alleged treason against King Edward the First 14 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: of England. Although he faced one of the grisliest executions 15 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: ever recorded, Scotland's national hero remained defiant till the end, 16 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: arguing that it was impossible for him to be a 17 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: traitor as he had never pledged loyalty to the British Crown. Nonetheless, 18 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: Wallace was sentenced to die in one of the worst 19 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: ways imaginable by being hung, drawn and quartered. His life 20 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: has since been romanticized in countless poems, stories, and movies, 21 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: and today he is still revered by many as a 22 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: symbol of Scottish independence. Wallace's excruciating death was brought about 23 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,479 Speaker 1: by the years he had spent leading the first organized 24 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: resistance against English rule in Scotland. Through much of the 25 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: thirteenth century, Scotland had been a peaceful nation under the 26 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: rule of Alexander the Third, but his death in twelve 27 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: eighty six kicked off a succession crisis, as the crown 28 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: was passed to three year old Margaret, the Maid of Norway, 29 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: only for her to die too just four years later. 30 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: Hoping to avoid a civil war, Scottish nobles asked Edward 31 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: the First of England to arbitrate their competing claims to 32 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: the throne. The English king agreed to help, but as 33 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: soon as John Balliol was chosen as the new monarch, 34 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: Edward began undermining his authority in an effort to impose 35 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: himself as ruler. Then, in twelve ninety six, Edward dropped 36 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: all the pretense and officially invaded Scotland. By that time, 37 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: William Wallace was in his late twenties to early thirties, 38 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: and likely already had military experience, possibly as an archer. Unfortunately, 39 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: little is known about his early life, and even his 40 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: parentage is open to debate. For a long time, historians 41 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: believed Wallace was born to a noble family in Elderslee, Renfrewshire, 42 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: but more recently evidence has come to light which suggests 43 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: he was actually born to Alan Wallace, a tenant farmer 44 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: in Ayrshire. Whatever the truth of his origins, Wallace first 45 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,799 Speaker 1: came to prominence in May of twelve ninety seven, when 46 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: he led an uprising in Lanark and killed the town sheriff, 47 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: who was loyal to England. According to a fifteenth century 48 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 1: poet named Blind Harry, Wallace's first major act of defiance 49 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: was in retaliation for the murder of his wife Mary 50 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: in Braidfeute. That may be true, but there's not much 51 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: evidence one way or the other outside of Harry's epic poem. 52 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: What we do know is that Wallace's action at Lanark 53 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: sparked a full blown rebellion among ordinary Scottish citizens. Hundreds 54 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: of men flocked to his side, and together they engaged 55 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: in numerous skirmishes against King Edward's invading army. They began 56 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: driving the English out of Fife and Perthshire, and by 57 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: that September they he had joined forces with other military leaders, 58 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: including a young squire named Andrew Murray. On September eleven, 59 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: Wallace and Murray co led the Scottish army to a 60 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: pivotal victory at the Battle of stirling Bridge. The Scots 61 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: were badly outnumbered, but they managed to force the English 62 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: to cross the bridge, thereby limiting the effectiveness of their 63 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: superior numbers. Having proven their competency on the battlefield, both 64 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: Wallace and Murray were subsequently knighted and given the title 65 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: Guardian of Scotland. This effectively made them the co heads 66 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: of state, as the new King of Scotland, John Balliol, 67 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: had been forced to abdicate the previous year. Unfortunately, that 68 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: partnership proved short lived, as Sir Andrew Murray soon died 69 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: from injury sustained on the battlefield. That left Wallace as 70 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,799 Speaker 1: the sole Guardian of Scotland, a position which he used 71 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: to organize further raids, not not only in his home country, 72 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: but in England as well. Those brazen campaigns enraged King 73 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: Edward the First and severely weakened his grip on Scotland. 74 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: But in July of twelve ninety eight, Edward's army struck 75 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: back at the Battle of Falkirk, overpowering the Scots and 76 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: delivering a crushing defeat. William Wallace escaped with his life 77 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: that day, but he was so ashamed by the loss 78 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: that he later resigned his guardianship, ceding the title to 79 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: John Coleman, the nephew of John Balliol, and to Robert 80 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: the Bruce, the future King of Scotland. Not much is 81 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: known about Wallace's movements during this time, but at some 82 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: point he traveled to France to seek support for the 83 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: Scottish cause. He returned in thirteen o three and was 84 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: dismayed to learn that in his absence, Robert the Bruce 85 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: had accepted a truce with Edward the First. The following year, 86 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: John Coleman did the same, but Wallace refused us to 87 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: come to terms. He continued the fight for Scottish independence 88 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:08,359 Speaker 1: until August fifth, thirteen o five, when he was betrayed 89 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: by a Scottish knight who had secretly sworn allegiance to England. 90 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: Wallace was captured near Glasgow, briefly held at Dumbarton Castle 91 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: and then transported to London later that month. On August 92 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: twenty third, he was taken to Westminster Hall, where he 93 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: was given a show trial, with no juris, lawyers or 94 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 1: even the chance to defend himself. Wallace's death was a 95 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: foregone conclusion, but Edward the First wanted to make an 96 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: example of him to send a message to the other 97 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 1: holdouts of the Scottish rebellion. After being found guilty of 98 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 1: treason and sentenced to die, Wallace reportedly spoke out against 99 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: the charge, but since the accounts of what he said 100 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: only appeared centuries later, they were more than likely fabrications. 101 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: That said, the common theme in all of the reports 102 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: rings true, namely that Wallace wasn't a traitor because he 103 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: had owed no allegiance to England in the first place. 104 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: Once the mock trial had ended, Wallace was taken to 105 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: Smithfield in central London to be executed that same day. 106 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: His death would not be a swift one, as once 107 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: again Edward the First wanted to send a message to 108 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: other would be rebels. To that end, Wallace was first 109 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: stripped naked and tied to a wooden post, which was 110 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: then dragged through the streets of London by horses for 111 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: about five miles. He was ridiculed and pelted with excrement 112 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: along the way, and when he returned to the Smithfield 113 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: Square that's when the real pain began. Wallace was hanged 114 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 1: and strangled, but taken down while still alive and semi conscious. Next, 115 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: his bones were pulled from their sockets by ropes attached 116 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: to his limbs. He was then disemboweled and castrated, and 117 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: several of the organs torn from his body were burned 118 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: before his eyes. Only then, after hours of torment, was 119 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: William Wallace allowed to die. He was beheaded and quartered, 120 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: and as a final insult, his head was dipped in 121 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: tar and stuck on a pike on London Bridge a 122 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: warning to other dissenters. His limbs were also divvied up 123 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: for public display at Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling and Perth. In 124 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: the end, the brutal death of William Wallace did send 125 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: a message to his countrymen, but not the one King 126 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 1: Edward had intended. The rest of Scotland was emboldened by 127 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: his sacrifice, and the following year Robert the Bruce assumed 128 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: the throne and mounted a new rebellion. The fighting continued 129 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: for more than a decade, but eventually Scotland secured its independence, 130 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: meaning that William Wallace did not die in vain. Today 131 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: there are monuments to his courage all over the country, 132 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: including a sixty seven meter tower on a hilltop over 133 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: looking Sterly, the sight of his most famous victory. Many 134 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: artists have paid tribute to Wallace over the years, but 135 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: these days the most well known account of his life 136 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: is the Academy Award winning film Braveheart, released in nineteen 137 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: ninety five. The movie was loosely based on the famous 138 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: poem by Blind Harry and stars Mel Gibson as Scotland's 139 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: legendary crusader. Although it certainly has its merits, Braveheart takes 140 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: more than a few liberties with the story and definitely 141 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: shouldn't be taken as an accurate account of Scottish history. 142 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 1: In fact, even the film's title is questionable, as Braveheart 143 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: is a moniker associated not with William Wallace but with 144 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: Robert the Bruce. After the King's death, Sir James Douglas 145 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: was tasked with taking Robert's severed heart on a tour 146 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: of the Holy Land, and during a battle, he supposedly 147 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: spoke to it saying, quote lead on Braveheart, I'll follow 148 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: thee to be fair. The epithet Braveheart does seem like 149 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: a fitting description of Sir William Wallace, but its misattribution 150 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: is still one of the many reasons why you shouldn't 151 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 1: get your history lessons from Mel Gibson. I'm Gabe Lucier 152 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: and hopefully you now know a little more about history 153 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 1: today than you did yesterday. You can learn even more 154 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: about history by following us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram 155 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: at TDI HC Show, and if you have any comments 156 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: or suggestions, you can always send them my way by 157 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 1: writing to This Day at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks to 158 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: Chandler Mays for producing the show, and thanks to you 159 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: for listening. I'll see you back here again tomorrow for 160 00:10:46,240 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 1: another Day in History Class. Hello, and welcome to This 161 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: Day in History Class, a show that believes there's no 162 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 1: time like the present to learn about the past. I'm 163 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 1: Gabe Lucier, and in this episode, we're looking at a 164 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: milestone in the history of personal computing, the day when 165 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: a tech company launched a new piece of software and 166 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: forever change the way we work and play on our computers. 167 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:40,559 Speaker 1: The day was August twenty fourth, nineteen ninety five, Microsoft 168 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: launched its revolutionary Windows ninety five operating system. The long delayed, 169 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 1: much anticipated release was marked by midnight launches at electronics 170 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 1: stores worldwide. It was a costly piece of computer software, 171 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: with each box of installation discs priced at two hundred 172 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: and ten dollars or just over four hundred dollars in 173 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: today's money, but the high cost of entry was no 174 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 1: deterrent to sales. Microsoft sold seven million copies of Windows 175 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: ninety five in the first five weeks alone, and went 176 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: on to sell forty million units by the end of 177 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: its first year. The products, swift and sweeping, embraced by 178 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: the public, secured its place as the most popular operating 179 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: system in the world. In the early nineteen nineties, Microsoft 180 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:32,439 Speaker 1: was at the top of the heap in the still 181 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: growing market of computer software. It had nearly eighteen thousand 182 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: employees and boasted roughly six billion dollars in sales in 183 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety Its Windows three point zero operating system had 184 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: introduced the world to a new graphical user interface, one 185 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: where applications were presented as clickable icons instead of as 186 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: a list of file names. Then, in nineteen ninety two, 187 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: the company released Windows three point one, which added new 188 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 1: personalization options as well as multi media staples such as screensavers. 189 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: It would take three years for Microsoft to release the 190 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: successor to Windows three point one, but the company pulled 191 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 1: out all the stops to make sure the weight was 192 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: worth it. Executives even went so far as to commission 193 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: music legend Brian Eno to create a short piece of 194 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 1: music to play when the operating system started up. The 195 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: result was a six second track known as the Windows Sound. 196 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 1: Take a Listen. Brian Eno took the assignment very seriously, 197 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:48,679 Speaker 1: producing eighty four pieces in total. Ironically, though, he composed 198 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: all of them on a Mac, later admitting quote, I've 199 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: never used a PC in my life. I don't like them. 200 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 1: Borrowing features from its competitors, including macintok, Windows ninety five 201 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: was designed to make computers more accessible to the everyday user. 202 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: One of its most notable additions in that regard was 203 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: the now famous Start menu, which was accessed through an 204 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: ever present button in the bottom left corner of the screen. 205 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 1: Clicking it would bring up a handy list of all 206 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: the various programs installed, and should you wish to run 207 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,359 Speaker 1: more than one of them simultaneously, there were new multitasking 208 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: features to make that easier than ever. These included the 209 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: now familiar minimize and maximize window buttons, as well as 210 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: a taskbar at the bottom of the screen so that 211 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: users could quickly switch between running programs. And since it 212 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: was a thirty two bit operating system, Windows ninety five 213 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: was also faster, smoother, and more responsive than its sixteen 214 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 1: bit predecessors. The increased memory capacity also allowed it to 215 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: support long file names up to two hundred and fifty characters, 216 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 1: and while that may not sound like a flashy feature today, 217 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: it was a massive upgrade from the eight point three 218 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: character limitation of Windows three point one. The operating system 219 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 1: also came bundled with the Microsoft Network or MSN, as 220 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: well as the Internet Explorer web Browser, two applications, which 221 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: served as many people's introduction to email and the Internet. 222 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: Another major selling point of Windows ninety five was the 223 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: inclusion of plug and play functionality. This allowed the computer 224 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: to automatically detect and install hardware such as a keyboard, mouse, 225 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: or monitor, instead of the user having to locate and 226 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: install the right driver for each device from a disc. 227 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: Features like that greatly streamlined the set up process for 228 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: personal computers, making them more user friendly than ever before. 229 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: As a result, Windows ninety five became the runaway leader 230 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: of the OS marketplace, overtaking rivals like IBM and Apple, 231 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: although the latter would return with a venge when it 232 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 1: released OSX a few years later. For the time being, though, 233 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: all eyes were on Microsoft, and the company's latest offering 234 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: was one of the most hotly anticipated products of the year. 235 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: Windows ninety five went on sale at midnight on August 236 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 1: twenty fourth, and tech geeks all over the world braved 237 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: long lines at their local stores to be among the 238 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 1: first to try it out. New Zealand was the first 239 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: country to reach the worldwide release date, and nineteen year 240 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: old Jonathan Prentiss of Auckland is believed to have been 241 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: the first person on earth to purchase the new software package. 242 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: Of course, the launch day celebration extended well after the 243 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: midnight release. Later that day, Microsoft chairman and co founder 244 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: Bill Gates gave a presentation at the company's headquarters in Redmond, Washington. 245 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: He was introduced in typically corny fashion by the then 246 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: host of the Tonight show Jay Leno and was then 247 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: joined on stage for a demonstration by the entire Windows 248 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: o's ninety five development team. The event, which included a 249 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 1: campus carnival, was attended by five hundred journalists, two thousand 250 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: industry guests, and nine thousand Microsoft employees, roughly half of 251 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: the company's sizeable workforce. The New York Times referred to 252 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 1: Windows ninety five's launch day hype as quote the splashiest, 253 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: most frenzied, most expensive introduction of a computer product in 254 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: the industry's history, and that was no exaggeration either. Microsoft 255 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: had spent three hundred million dollars on the marketing campaign, 256 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: which included such stunts as lighting up the Empire State 257 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 1: Building in the Windows color scheme red, green, blue, and yellow. 258 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 1: The company also touted the OS's new start button by 259 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 1: airing round the clock TV commercials featuring the rolling Stones 260 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:56,360 Speaker 1: start me up, which was not cheap to license. Windows 261 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: most infamous promotional tool, however, was a baffling hour long 262 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: instructional video that included a so called cyber sitcom starring 263 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry from the hit show Friends. 264 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: Copies of that VHS tape are a little hard to 265 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: come by today and command a disturbingly high price in 266 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: good condition. But thankfully the whole thing has been preserved 267 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: online in all its awkward, dated glory. Here's the taste. Oh, 268 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: this is where the magic happens. Hunt the ground zero 269 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: personal computing, the nerve center of the world's biggest software company. 270 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: I mean, the atmosphere resonates with anticipation of mythical achievement. 271 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:40,160 Speaker 1: Mythical achievement right now would be an unshewed number two pencil. 272 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 1: Honey lash soon. But if you want the job, spend 273 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: some time. Look at a Windows ninety five. What do 274 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: you know about the system? Well, I dabble with the 275 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 1: old Windows a little bit, can you? Oh, I'm still 276 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: a mastering palm m sweety. Why don't you sit in 277 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 1: at Bill's terminal way, So this is Bill Gates' computer, 278 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: I mean, Microsoft officially ended its support for Windows ninety 279 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:05,479 Speaker 1: five in late two thousand and one. By that point, 280 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 1: the company had already released a number of additional Windows iterations, 281 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: with plenty more still to come, but due to the 282 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: changing nature of the industry and the rise of Apple, 283 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,679 Speaker 1: none of those operating systems were introduced with nearly as 284 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: much pomp and circumstanced as Windows ninety five, the os 285 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: that made computing mainstream. I'm Gabe Lucier and hopefully you 286 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 1: now know a little more about history today than you 287 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: did yesterday. If you enjoyed today's show, consider keeping up 288 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can find 289 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: us at TDI HC Show. You can also rate and 290 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: review the show on Apple Podcasts, or you can get 291 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 1: in touch directly by writing to This Day at iHeartMedia 292 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,680 Speaker 1: dot com. Thanks to Chandler Mays for producing the show, 293 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. I'll see you back 294 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 1: here again some tomorrow for another day in History class.