Which came first, Windows 95's taskbar or NeXT's Dock? Neither

Last week marked the 31st anniversary of Windows 95 going on sale. More than three decades later, suggestions about the influences behind its interface can still rile some of the people who built it. The Reg FOSS desk prompted spirited responses from several former Microsoft employees after noting possible British influences on NeXTstep and Windows 95. The exchange began with a passing comment in an X thread started by former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer, who has spoken regularly to The Register since at least 2020. Former Microsoft executive Joe Belfiore responded: The NeXT dock did NOT lead to the taskbar. Two things did: 1) Cairo team had been designing an always visible, bottom-of-the-screen "tray" .. which was a drop target for...

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