Editing Microsoft Bob (section)

==Applications==
[[File:Microsoft-Bob-screenshot.png|thumb|right|A screenshot of the "family room" area of the Microsoft Bob software, including the "Assistant" character Rover]]

Microsoft Bob includes various office-suite programs such as a finance application and a [[word processor]]. The user interface was designed to simplify the navigational experience for novice computer users.

Similar to early graphical shells like [[Jane (software)|Jane]], the main interface is portrayed as the inside of a house, with different rooms corresponding to common real-world room styles such as a kitchen or family room. Each room contains decorations and furniture, as well as [[Icon (computing)|icons]] that represent applications. The user may also fully customize the entire house and has full control over each room's decoration. The user may add, remove or reposition all objects. The user can also add or remove rooms and change the destinations of each door. The program offers multiple themes for room designs and decorations, such as contemporary and [[postmodern]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/14/magazine/facing-the-future.html|title=Facing the Future|last=Manes|first=Stephen|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=1995-01-17|access-date=2021-09-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111004640/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/14/magazine/facing-the-future.html|archive-date=2014-11-11|url-status=live}}</ref>

The applications built into Microsoft Bob are represented by matching decorations. For example, clicking on a clock opens the calendar, while a pen and paper represent the word processor. The user can also add shortcuts to applications on the computer. These shortcuts display the icon inside various styles of decorations, such as boxes and picture frames.<ref name="Nathan Lineback">{{cite web | url=http://toastytech.com/guis/bob2.html | title=Microsoft Bob | work=Nathan's Toasty Technology | access-date=11 May 2012 | author=Nathan Lineback}}</ref>

Bob includes the ability to install new applications, but because of the failure of the product, only a single add-on application package, Microsoft Great Greetings, was released.

Released just as the Internet was beginning to become popular, Bob offered an email client with which a user could subscribe to [[MCI Mail]], a dial-up email account. The price was $5.00 per month to send up to 15 emails. Each email was limited to 5,000 characters, and each additional email after the limit was reached was an additional 45 cents. Customers were required to call a [[toll-free phone number]] to set up the account.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://technologizer.com/2010/03/29/a-guided-tour-of-microsoft-bob/6/ | title=A Guided Tour of Microsoft Bob | publisher=Technologizer, Inc | work=Technologizer | date=29 March 2010 | access-date=8 April 2011 | last=McCracken | first=Harry}}</ref>

Bob features "Assistants", cartoon characters intended to help the user navigate the virtual house or perform tasks in the main interface or within the built-in applications.