Twenty Thousand Hertz

Why Windows Got Rid of Startup Sounds


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Part 2 of our series on the Windows startup sounds picks up when Microsoft made the radical decision to kill the startup sound in Windows 8. In this episode, we explore the forces that led to that decision, unpack how Microsoft channeled the music of language into their new UI sounds, and reveal 2 secret startup sounds that were nearly lost to time. Featuring former Microsoft Lead UI Designer Jensen Harris and Sound Designer Matthew Bennett.


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To check out full sets of default Windows sounds, visit winsounds.com.

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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/windowslogonwav

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Twenty Thousand HertzBy Dallas Taylor

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