- By Malte Mansholt
- ~3 Mins
Gates' Obsession with Minesweeper Almost Led to an Addiction, Intervention Necessary to Break the Habit - Gates Daunted by Minesweepers Addiction: A Clever Trick Saved Him from Obsession
Dive deep into the world of Minesweeper, the simple yet captivating puzzle game that once had a powerful grip on Microsoft's dynamic CEO, Bill Gates.
Internal Sensation
Minesweeper, the logic puzzle where you uncover hidden mines on a field, was initially intended as a software experiment. Developed by Curt Johnson and Robert Donner, it was designed to test the computer mouse's capabilities. However, the game didn't stay hidden for long, spreading like wildfire throughout the company, captivating Bill Gates in the process.
"Initially, I received an email from Bill, boasting about solving the beginner level in ten seconds. Is that good?" recalled manager Bruce Ryan. He replied, impressing Gates with the internal records. "Our record is probably eight seconds." Little did he know that this exchange would spur the tech mogul's insatiable desire to beat the high score.
"Bill was addicted," said Charles Fitzgerald, another Microsoft manager, to author Kyle Orland in his book "Minesweeper". The obsession was so intense that Gates deleted the game from his computer, yet it didn't deter him from continued play.
Questionable Habits
One Sunday afternoon, Ryan received an email from Bill. "I set a new record in the office of Microsoft CEO Mike Hallman." Ryan, aware of the stipulation that records must be witnessed by a third party, finally saw the extent of Gates' addiction. Alongside a colleague, he confirmed the 5-second record that Sunday evening, realizing the time-consuming nature of Gates' pursuit.
"This incident made me aware of the time wasting potential of games," revealed Donner. The company leaders saw the problem as well. Melinda French, later known as Melinda Gates, requested Ryan to stop sharing new Minesweeper records with Bill, recognizing the unhealthy level of his involvement.
The Unconquerable Record
To free Gates from his record-breaking spree, Ryan devised a strategy: a record that was theoretically impossible to beat. Using a little helper program, Ryan created a Minesweeper field that would click in the same corner and restart until the winning window appeared. After four days, Ryan established the elusive 1-second record, sending a screenshot to Gates.
"Sorry, your 5-second record has been permanently beaten. I don't think you'll beat one second,” Ryan wrote. He never expected a response, but the next morning, a message appeared in his inbox. "In those days at Microsoft, there were few more terrifying things than an email from Bill," recalled Ryan.
Rather than reacting angrily, Gates accepted the defeat with humor. "My critical thinking was surpassed by a computer. This technology thing is getting out of hand,” he quipped. "If machines are faster than us, how can we preserve human dignity?" In the subject line, he humorously offered the program his job. "Chairman replaced," it simply read.
A New Era of Gaming
Although Gates' Minesweeper obsession may have been quelled, the game continued to impact Microsoft and the gaming world in significant ways. A few months later, Minesweeper was released as part of Windows 3.0, cementing its place in history as a pioneering game that made computers more accessible and encouraged logical thinking.
Source: "Minesweeper" - via Ars Technica
- Bill Gates
- Microsoft
Enrichment Data:Although the tale of Bill Gates' addiction to Minesweeper creates an intriguing image, it is unclear if his fascination directly impacted the game's development or the larger gaming market. Minesweeper did, however, play a crucial role in Microsoft's history and the broader games landscape:
- Accessibility and Education: The game's introduction alongside Windows helped users become familiar with using a mouse and understanding graphical user interfaces, making computers more user-friendly and approachable[1].
- Popularization: With millions playing Minesweeper on their PCs during the '90s, it cemented itself as a default pastime and paved the way for other puzzle games to flourish[1].
- Logic and Strategy: As the game's NP-complete nature posed a challenge to computer scientists, it offered a manageable yet engaging mental workout for typical players, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills[1].
- The legendary Minesweeper game captured the attention of Microsoft's CEO, Bill Gates, from its initial software experiment creation by Curt Johnson and Robert Donner.
- Melinda Gates, later known as Melinda French, found Bill's involvement in Minesweeper unhealthy and suggested that Bruce Ryan should stop sharing new records with him.
- According to Bruce Ryan, Bill Gates was probably the fastest player of Minesweeper at Microsoft, even setting a record of 5 seconds that was eventually beaten by Ryan with a record of 1 second using a special program.
