Raymond Chen

Windows 95 identified installer programs by checking their names against a list of 'magic words' like 'setup', 'install', and 'inst'. If a match was found, the OS performed cleanup checks for modified system files. This approach was due to limitations in detection methods during the 1990s.

Microsoft engineers historically optimized code efficiency, as seen in a Windows x86-32 emulator project where a compiler-generated loop unrolled 64 KB of memory initialization into 256 KB of code. The team replaced the inefficient code with a tighter loop, highlighting past emphasis on memory efficiency contrasted with modern practices.

Microsoft and IBM disagreed over the use of the Tab key in OS/2, with Microsoft preferring it for navigation and IBM opposing it. The issue was escalated through management levels until a VP at IBM demanded confirmation from Microsoft, which ended the discussion with a humorous reply. The Tab key stayed as the chosen navigation method.

The article explains the existence of both TMP and TEMP environment variables in Windows, clarifying their historical origins and intended use cases. It discusses how TMP is the preferred variable for modern applications, while TEMP is retained for backward compatibility.