Packard Bell Navigator - A Retrospective and Demo

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As mentioned in one of my earlier videos, today we're taking a look at Packard Bell Navigator! This is an alternative shell for Windows 3.1 and 95 that was shown to the user on first boot. The user could decide if they wanted to use Navigator, or launch straight into the Windows environment. Navigator provides both a way to launch programs, and learn about your computer through the many tutorials and guides.
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#MichaelMJD #PackardBell #Windows95

[@mjdxp5688]

This feels like Microsoft Bob done right. Bob essentially tried to completely replace the standard Windows environment, but Navigator just makes it easier for new users. It's a lot less customizable, but it definitely looks nicer, and you don't have an annoying assistant, just a help button. Overall I'd much rather use this over Bob.

[@samismydog]

I’d rather not use any of these:)

[@AJ-po6up]

I never heard of this one, only Microsoft Bob, and I already can tell that they did this program dirty and buried it, probably out of jealousy since it was better than Microsoft Bob, it's like "Bob" but for adults and serious people, if this had been what Microsoft shipped back in the day, it would've fared a lot better than MSBOB did, I'm sure lots of people would've used it. No serious adult or business man wanted to be caught running Bob on their computers since it looked like it was for little kids.

[@bchristian85]

@@AJ-po6up really what Bob should have been. If MS wanted MS Bob to be a kids program, they should have included kid-oriented components and games with it instead of productivity tools.

[@CasioMaker]

I remember using this. A local retailer used to do "computer faires" showing all the latest software and hardware and once had a whole stand of PB computers running this to try on.

[@mjdxp5688]

I find alternative shells like this super fascinating. Thanks for the video!

[@gp1925]

Our first computer in our house the 3.5. I was maybe 5-6. I learned to use the computer pretty early. God I loved this look. I wish I could have this on my computer now. Idk why but I just loved the feel of navigating a home environment to access programs and stuff.

[@ShelltoonTV1]

I remember our first computer we owned was a Packard Bell with 3.1, and Navigator 1.0. This is a great nostalgia trip.

[@CEO100able]

I always thought Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Packard Bell were the same brand, but didn't realize they were separate brands until a while later. I never had this software back in the day either, but it looks interesting.

[@CEO100able]

@Bloxspire I know, that's why I mentioned that in my previous comment on this video.

[@mattjw16]

@CEO100able I always used to think this too when I was younger, but then I learned that Packard Bell was acquired by Acer in 2008, while Hewlett-Packard (HP) is still around.

[@clementpruvost8670]

The MJD family.

[@Tovvvija]

Hello everybody and welcome back to... another video.

[@AirknightTails]

1:34 Yes Please. This brings me back to my childhood in Elementary School

[@OzzFan1000]

I remember using Navigator 1.0 on a Packard Bell Legend 2000 486SX system. I still have the Disk Image program to create master disks of a handful of integrated applications. I could share it if you're interested.

[@drygnfyre]

I remember using AtEase on my grade school's Macintoshes. For years I had no idea there was a macOS at all, I figured "the Mac" and AtEase were one and the same.

[@MegAmi24]

This has to be the most video plugs I've seen in a single mjd video

[@1988thodoris]

Getting started seems like an old school PowerPoint presentation, if you look at the shapes and the buttons! Edit: The whole environment looks like a PowerPoint presentation. I think it IS

[@fredstewart703]

Wait, this is like a more popular version of MS Bob? EDIT: Had commented very early on in the vid and didn't know that that reference had been made

[@Huwitto]

I’m gonna guess, there will be a Windows 10 version?

[@mjdxp5688]

If he does, he should try setting it to the default shell as well. There's a registry key that determines the shell to open at startup: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell

[@MichaelMJD]

@@mjdxp5688 That's a great idea!

[@hexagonist23]

What? No. Windows is incredibly outdated and insecure.

[@ExperiencersInternational]

@@hexagonist23 lol

[@TobStonk]

@@hexagonist23 WTF

[@umop3plsdn]

what a trip down memory lane thank you! I had the first version for windows 3.1. I remember coding my own launcher when i started programming in vb3 and realized i could replace the explorer shell... also skifree was my jam. i remember getting those cd's with thousands of games and i would decompile all the visual basic ones and change them LOL

[@blainepalmerza]

Awesome video,Michael!

[@jgiese4115]

My first PC was a Packard Bell in 1995 just before Windows 95 was released. I remember the Navagator. Very interesting program. It had Windows 3.11and DOS 6.2 . And it also had DOSSHELL, Very close to Windows File Manager.

[@bchristian85]

DOSSHELL was basically Windows 1.0 without Reversi.

[@gregharn1]

I finally found it! From 1/2 a memory of my childhood!

[@danielzheleznov72]

Do At Ease and i love what you do hope you also i love what your doing continue it

[@stevenjlovelace]

Second for At Ease!

[@reedreinfeld3737]

Third!!! I remember setting up At Ease as a kid ... MEMORIES!!!

[@EmilyElizabethxox]

I’ve had this weird obsession with Microsoft Bob since discovering it so I was suuuper excited when I heard about the Navigator. I would love to have an alternative shell like this on my computer to navigate my interface, so fun/cozy with the retro graphics.

[@RodrigoBadin]

Hey Michael, do you know the software called PCem? Is a computer emulator, not a virtual machine. Which enables to emulate old processors like 8086, IBM PC, IBM PCjr, 286, 386, 486 up to Pentium MMX 233, with some emulated old graphics cards, like CGA, Hercules, Vodoo Graphics, etc. I think it would worth a try, since it could help to try older pieces of softwares (and operating systems) which are harder to run properly even on a virtual machine.

[@meligarcia]

The MJD family. Loved it.

[@therealbfazz]

PB Navigator on windows 10 Side Note: In 1997 Navigator was replaced by Navigator ASSISTANT where all the stuff was in a ribbon that was cluttered. To see it, watch LGR's PB Multimedia computer restoration vid

[@HardDriveGuruOfficial]

I've always been so curious about At Ease!

[@Woeringen]

I have the 3D Navigator in my iMedia 5800 from 2001. It reminds me childhood memories.

[@windowsfan95]

You should also make a video about HP Newwave and Norton Desktop which are two other shells for Windows

[@joshuasmith8119]

How about videos on Ark Kidspace and Ark Workspace? They're each like an alternate version of Navigator, but are part of Navigator.

[@airfixer9461]

I love to see some more on the Microsoft productivity pack for windows ;-)

[@mootpoint7053]

Oh the nostalgia! I really do miss this sort of quirky interactivity with old Win versions and the programs. Kinda wishing they still had a goofy version of modern Windows filled with this stuff!

[@mirelmoisa3918]

Great Video :)

[@MichaelMJD]

Thanks!

[@NaoPb]

I've seen an even earlier kind of Packard Bell system shell, it was running in DOS. I should have it somewhere on a pc in my attic, but I'm not sure where it might be or if I've given it to someone.

[@tstahlfsu]

PackardBell or PackedInHell as us technicians called it.

[@rhuwyn]

Only time I ever saw At Ease in use was in my middle school. Would love to see a full video on it.

[@itainelken]

Me too

[@imperfectxennial3008]

My first computer was a Packard Bell in 1996, it had Navigator 3.5, it had the virtual room

[@adamgasth]

Sure, the productivity pack video will be interesting

[@raygunpyle]

Start a CD/Tape collection. I laugh that vinyl is not listed too. However in 95, vinyl was probably at it's lowest popularity yet. Either way, there were still so many great albums released on vinyl in 95.

[@mattjw16]

5:10 I called the number and it seems that it’s a pizza restaurant now. I couldn't really understand the guy on the other end, but I’m not sure what pizza restaurant has a toll-free number. Anyway, I just thought that was interesting. Great video, Michael! 👍🏻

[@PressThatButton]

I also vote to see a deep dive for the System 7 alternative interface at 1:37.

[@KayvonJavid]

I used this ages ago on my old packard bell.

[@dodolurker]

That's pretty cool! Kinda reminds me of a program called "TabWorks" that I believe was developed by Xerox and I know Compaq used to distribute it with their PCs. My first PC was a Compaq and it had TabWorks on it. It's not nearly as elaborate as Navigator or Bob, but I remember getting used to it pretty quickly and it was kinda jarring after that PC had to be reformatted and there was plain Windows 3.1 on it afterwards 😄. Perhaps you could do a video on TabWorks someday? It's pretty easily found on the web and it works on any machine with Windows 3.1 (and I believe Windows 95) installed. It doesn't work with 3.11.

[@xXBlueSheepXx]

17:20 That reminds me of the "?" caption button on old Windows programs. Never seen anyone use it before though.

[@stevenjlovelace]

How about a video about Central Point Tools' shell for Windows 3.1? I think Norton had one too, but I never used that one.

[@Decentricity]

Great video! I'm curious, when the Windows button is locked in this shell by the Security settings, would users still be able to bypass the shell and go to Windows by pressing Alt-F4? Or was the shell persistent enough to keep itself on after a kill?

[@THE-id1by]

No you could go back and forth at will.

[@mikaelsoderstrom2434]

I would love to see videos with Microsoft Works and Money! :-) I haven't seen those in years.

[@JonathanAGarrett]

My first computer was a Packard Bell in late 1994, but somehow I totally missed out on Navigator!

[@controllerspixelsplayers9202]

i wish i could use this today

[@lost_nostariel]

I am definitely more familiar with version 1.0 as we had it on our Packard Bell PC that we had in the early 90s, it came originally with a 5.25 floppy drive that we switch to a CD-ROM drive later, it had Windows 3.1 which got upgraded to 3.11, why I have no idea, spent countless hours playing Myst on it! I can remember it having a video card that had 24bit colour capability, I may be wrong on that though, we only had it in the 90s, so until I was about 10 or 11 or so, anyways yah that was my first computer.

[@DavidWonn]

At a glance, it looks like you can fix some of the missing PIF shortcuts, such as MSD.PIF, merely by opening MSD from within Program Manager or File Manager so that it generates a new one for you. Overall, the Windows 3.1 version looks like a decent shell replacement for new users of the era, without the bloat / fluff of later failures like Bob.

[@meligarcia]

Run it on Windows 10. It's tradition!

[@CGGaT]

how did you get the VM in 256+ colors because i'm trying to do the same i love your videos and i'm a youtuber myself and i get my inspiration from you

[@Rickyivesofficial]

The hey should bring this back in VR walk around the house interacting with the software etc would be brilliant

[@eyesonyou6352]

bump top was the next thing after this. I had this when i was a kid

[@Leahi84]

I remember there being kids room environments in Navigator, like a sci-fi theme, jungle theme etc, or am I thinking of a different program?

[@THE-id1by]

Nope, it was called kidspace

[@owenbonneville5835]

Wednesday, September 2 1:06PM US Central 0 Dislikes I could of done a better comment, but im all out of coffee.

[@moelester9902]

Now you're gonna try it on Windows 10, as always.

[@cookievideomaker4042]

Try running it in Windows 10?

[@azaharia10]

Ha! the MJD Family, that's funny

[@hblaub]

I only had a Packard Bell monitor. The computer was some offbrand thing even cheaper. But it had 512 MB or something like that ... Simpler times.

[@athe52]

Navigator on Windows 10?

[@chrisdigitalartist]

So PB Navigator 1 is almost like Windows 8 with those tiles or even Windows 10 with the pinned tiles!

[@thomasvaron5823]

But, can it run on windows 10?

[@bake1215]

holy gigabytes im not that early

[@CGGaT]

Try this one windows 10

[@MyHowHowHow]

Good times

[@CrazyGmod21]

Packard Bell Navigator on Windows 10 64bit

[@stephen7185]

Really wish the running man had Arnold's face and as the icon.

[@MrRiceKrispyNotTaken]

But that can run on windows 10?

[@ekt8750]

They went after OEMs that made UIs like this only to come out with a UI like this a year later 🤔

[@omari285]

When I saw packers bell navigator I thought it was a web browser.

[@smileydude0]

The 818-886-1111 number now is owned by a pizza and pasta joint

[@eriksiers]

My mother bought a new PC my senior year of high school. It included Navigator. I didn't really like it, preferring the standard Program Manager instead.

[@glddesk]

Those days MS.. and their influence...

[@user-lt2rw5nr9s]

18:00 It's all right here at your fingert*ts!

[@suadaujkanovic2848]

Install Packard Bell navigator in windows 10

[@davinp]

Back in the days of Windows 3.1/3.11, there were many developers that offered a graphic shell to replace Windows's graphic shell. But after Windows 95, that stopped. Of course, Windows 95 is much easier to use, so this type of user shell is not necessary and as you said Microsoft didn't like that

[@davinp]

Similar to Microsoft Bob

[@aldwinpanny10]

Windows ME 2009 Edition

[@homeoobe2938]

:)

[@emirvmendoza]

I'm surprised the Navigator is Y2K-compliant.

[@mattjw16]

It’s not. It’s just showing the last two-digits of the year. It thinks that it’s 1920. See the video where he runs it on Windows 10.

[@masterpootisman3500]

My thought is: it's like Wii No ma in 1990....

[@artinell]

Jobby

[@pryblox5888]

C