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formatting dialog

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Jul 9, 2024 · Industry Insights

Why Windows’ 30‑Year‑Old Formatting Dialog Still Looks the Same

Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer recounts how a quick‑and‑dirty formatting dialog he built in 1994 using VC++ 2.0 became a 30‑year‑old UI staple, persisting unchanged into Windows 11 and even imposing the 32 GB FAT volume limit due to an early design shortcut.

Dave PlummerFAT32 limitUI design

0 likes · 4 min read

Why Windows’ 30‑Year‑Old Formatting Dialog Still Looks the Same

Open Source Linux

Apr 30, 2024 · Frontend Development

Why Windows’ Formatting Dialog Has Stayed Unchanged for 30 Years

Dave Plummer, a senior Microsoft engineer, explains how a quick‑made formatting dialog created in 1994 as a temporary fix ended up persisting for three decades, shaping Windows UI and even imposing lasting limits on FAT volumes.

UIformatting dialoglegacy

0 likes · 3 min read

Why Windows’ Formatting Dialog Has Stayed Unchanged for 30 Years