Bill Gates attempts to install Windows Movie Maker, sparking online discussion

Bill Gates, co‑founder of Microsoft, was reported to have attempted to install the discontinued Windows Movie Maker on a contemporary computer, according to a post on TecheMails. The article details the steps Gates took to run the legacy installer, the compatibility errors that arose, and the workarounds he tried, such as enabling legacy components in the operating system and using virtual machines. The piece notes that the software, originally bundled with Windows XP and later removed, no longer receives updates, leading to frequent crashes and missing codec support on modern platforms.

The story attracted significant attention on Hacker News, where the submission earned 93 points and generated 59 comments. Discussion centered on the challenges of preserving older applications, the nostalgia associated with early‑era multimedia tools, and the broader implications for users who rely on legacy software for personal projects. Commenters also highlighted Gates’ continued interest in personal computing tasks, underscoring how even high‑profile technologists encounter the same technical hurdles as everyday users.