In the mid-1990s, as Microsoft prepared to launch Windows 95, the company faced a significant challenge: ensuring the new operating system was compatible with the vast array of existing software. To address this, a Microsoft development manager took an unconventional approach. He drove to a local Egghead Software store and purchased one copy of every PC program available. This extensive collection was then laid out in the company's cafeteria, inviting Windows 95 team members to select and test the software. Each engineer who picked a program was responsible for testing its compatibility with Windows 95, reporting any issues, and, upon the operating system's release, they could keep the software. This initiative not only identified potential compatibility problems but also motivated the team through personal ownership of the process.
However, this mass purchase led to an unexpected issue unrelated to Windows 95 itself. The store's cash register system crashed when the total exceeded $10,000—a scenario it had never encountered before. This incident highlighted a limitation in the store's point-of-sale software, which couldn't handle transactions of such magnitude. To circumvent this, the purchase was divided into smaller transactions, each under the $10,000 threshold, allowing the acquisition to proceed without further issues.
This episode underscores the importance of robust software design that anticipates and gracefully handles edge cases, such as unusually large transactions. It also reflects the lengths to which Microsoft went to ensure Windows 95's compatibility, demonstrating a proactive approach to quality assurance that extended beyond their own products to the broader software ecosystem.
Source: theregister.com Windows 95 testing almost stalled from cash reg overflow
