Show Stopper

Describesthefive-year，150milliondollarprojectMicrosoftundertooktodevelopanadvancedPCoperatingsystem，ThephenomenalsuccessofBillGatesandhisMicrosoftCorporationhinges，aboveall，onanabilitytolooktothefuture.Notcontentwithholdingabulgingshareofthemarketforsoftwareapplications，norwithdominatingthecrucialoperatingsystemsbusinessbyvirtueofitsDOSandWindowsprograms，Microsoftisalwayslookingtothefuture.AndthefutureforMicrosoftnowgoesbythenameofWindowsNT.Asoftwareinnovationofthefirstorder，NTcouldredefinethestandardsforcomputingthroughouttheworld，intothenextcentury.NTendowsinexpensivepersonalcomputerswiththecapabilitiesofgiantmainframes--yetwithoutsacrificingtheinherentflexibilityandappealofPCs.Showstopper!istheinsidestoryofthisstunningbreakthroughincomputertechnology.Strippingawaymythaftermyth，thisunprecedentedtalelaysbarethemessy，wrenchingrealityofwinninginnovations.Todate，Americahasdominatedtheglobalsoftwareindustrythroughcreatingcutting-edgecodeandbydependingonboththeingenuityofafewvisionariesandthecoordinationofhuge，costlyteamsofprogrammersandtesters.Gates--amanagerialgeniusaswellasatechnicalvisionary--promotesanatmosphereofcontrolledchaosatMicrosoft，andthestoryofWindowsNTperfectlyreflectsthisethos.Thebrain-childofDavidCutler，alegendaryprogrammerrecruitedbyGatesin1988，NTtookfiveyearsand$150milliontocomplete.Formuchofthattime，themassiveprogramdemandedtheobsessiveattentionofmorethan200testers，writersandtechnicians.FocusingonCutler'smercurialabilitytoinspireandlashhisteam，Showstopper!brilliantlyportraysthehumandramaofthismammothundertakingexposingthepressures，disappointmentsandultimatetriumphthatemergefromacauldronofconstantdeadlines，competitionwithpeersandaperpetualwaragainsttheinevitableandubiquitousbugsintheprogram--amongthemthepotentiallylethal"showstopper."Grippingvividandaccessible，Showstopper!revealstheoutsizepersonalitiesthatstandbehindgreatadvances：themavericks，theorganizers，thefixers，themotivators.Evenastheywrestlewithforcesthatthreatentotearthemapart，Cutlerandhisteamfeverishlyhuntfor