The Mind Behind Windows: Dave Cutler

Dave Cutler is a seminal figure in computer science, renowned for his contributions to operating systems. Born in 1942, he played pivotal roles in the development of several OSes, most notably VMS for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and Windows NT for Microsoft. Cutler's design principles emphasize performance, reliability, and scalability. His work on Windows NT laid the foundation for many subsequent Windows versions, solidifying its place in enterprise and personal computing. A stickler for detail and a rigorous engineer, Cutler's influence is evident in modern OS design and architecture. He's a recipient of the Computer History Museum's Fellow Award for his unparalleled contributions.

If someone wants to add chapter markers, please post them in the comments and I'll add them to the video!

[crashdumpsegfaultovich]

81y.o. and still fully sane and capable of intellectual work. I wish everyone such good health, thanks for the interview.

[blackrifle]

*At a seminar decades ago, Mark Russinovich commented that Dave Cutler is last man in the world to have an entire OS (WinNT) in his head. After hearing this conversation I am inclined to believe it. Respect!*

[Nexlingz]

Please have Dave Cutler back for another round or bring on more industry veterans to share parts of their life, this is some of the best content I've listened to!

[David_Best]

Dave Cutler is a remarkable individual. I feel privileged to be his friend, and worked with him during the heyday at DEC in the 1970’s. I was on the product management side of the RSX-11M and VMS, VAX-11/750 era, tried to recruit him to Intel (48:52), and later offered him VC financing (58:34). Dave is the most productive and dedicated individual in the technology field I have ever encountered. His set of accomplishments tells that story, and IMO he deserves more recognition. I am so thankful this history is being recorded.

[apefu]

What really shocks me to my core is not how much Dave Cutler has done and been a part of. No. What shocks me is that he was a boss that actually knew something.
It must have been heavenly to have a boss like that.

[jasonevans]

Dave Cutler’s recall of his past experiences, the amount of detail he goes into when telling his stories, is so impressive. He is one of my role models, and I am so grateful to Dave Plummer for making this interview happen.

[mattj]

Oh my, it's three hours long. Exactly what I'd hoped for...

[AaronMcHale]

Dave C is proof that if you keep your brain active, even at over 80 years old you can still be just as capable as someone in their 20s, but with way more life experience!

[JoeBurnett]

This is such a historical interview and I hope it is saved and available for future generations to watch for decades to come! Thank you!

[kazi]

I grew up in a Central-East European small country, and my career has been based mostly on Microsoft's products from the early days of MS-DOS 3.x, Windows 3.x, NT4, 2k, 2k3 etc to Azure nowadays. I read about Dave Cutler sometime in the 90s, and I knew, he is the genius behind the scenes, and he is one of the people affecting and driving my career the most. Watching his interview is a very special experience, for which I am very thankful. If it was 10-20 hours long, I would still watch it. :)

[llamatar]

Timestamps of clips of this interview posted on Dave's Garage
(some clips have stuff cut out and the order changed)
0:56 - 5:38 The time Microsoft sent coffins to competitors
5:38 - 14:23 I Could Have Been a COBOL Programmer!
26:15 - 31:01 Software with ZERO bugs
53:44 - 1:01:59 Microsoft's "Pathetic" Operating Systems - Steve Ballmer and Breakfast at Denny's
1:01:59 - 1:10:33 Linux-Xenix-Unix vs OS/2 and Windows
1:37:39 - 1:42:20 Windows Tukwila 3.99 and Windows Cairo
1:51:01 - 1:59:52 Windows Longhorn and the Worst Code I've Ever Seen
2:18:59 - 2:21:11 What Successful Programmers Do That Others Don't

[ayush]

He is still coding!? I thought he would have retired by now. Seriously, what a legend!

[amendegw]

How cool! I hired on to DuPont as a Chemical Engineer in 1968 and programmed on two of the machines that Dave Cutler mentions... Univac 1108 (I think he went from Bunker Ramo to DEC without mentioning that the 1107/8 were Univac computers) and the PDP-10 at the Ex Station. I never met Dave (but wish I had) as my programming was exclusively batch.

[pjakobs]

As someone, who spent most of his career on "the other side" of Microsoft (first Novell, then the Linux world) and who would never consider working for Microsoft for some of the tricks the company pulled on products like DR DOS (an ex colleague of mine was a witness in the trial resulting from that) - I must still say: Dave Cutler has always been a name we all said with a great level of respect.
In general, it seems that the engineering side of Microsoft was much better than what the product marketing teams made of it.
On Dave's remarks on PowerPC and IBM making sure they don't create internal competition to AIX: I was at IBM in the 2000s and worked on the introduction of Power Linux systems - and went through the same pains then.
Great to see this discussion! Thank you both for sharing.

[BitwiseMobile]

It's awesome to hear an octogenarian is still coding! I'm in my 50s and I am refusing to leave the technical aspect. Most of my colleagues have gone on to pure management positions. I have chosen to stay in the technical realm and I'm still actively coding. I am a senior architect. I do have direct reports, but I'm still heavily entrenched in tech and I want to stay there. Programming is like solving puzzles, and they say the best way to keep your brain healthy - especially as you get older - is to solve puzzles. I owe everything I know to DOS Debug - so whomever wrote that you are a god :D. I taught myself assembler with DOS Debug when I was 13 and that paved the road for my life goals.

[brandonupchurch]

It's interesting to see that his whole career started on essentially doing a job that he lacked the applicable formal education and experience to do, with the way it is now, he'd likely have never been given the opportunity to even start where he did at DuPont on the Scott Paper project, nowadays every HR department would look and go, "no relevant experience, " "no relevant formal education, " and promptly file your application into the rejected bin and wouldn't allow such a position change to occur.

[macaw]

Dave P you are a tremendous interviewer. Lots of space for the person to answer and knowledgable about the subject. I do hope you continue this as a series.

[turdwarbler]

brilliant interview, I have watched the clips and now watching the whole thing. amazing. I have programmed PDP-8, PDP-11, VAX, CP/M, DOS, Xenix, OS/2, Windows, and Linux and although 15 years shy of Dave Cutlers age I am still programming. So all this history really resonates with me.

[drewk]

Fabulous and fascinating history! Thank you, Dave P for thinking of doing this and making it happen. You did a great job interviewing Dave C. Dave C’s departure from DEC, where I worked at the time, felt like an earthquake. He was, and is, one of the best.

[dr.strangelove]

I don't care whether it is the year of Linux or not, or if Windows wins the 'OS battle' or if 'MacOS remains superior'. I just have so much respect for legends like Cutler, Tevanian, Torvalds, Thompson... those folks who built that Apollo Guidance Computer... (ah yes you too Dave! Coding in ASM during winters is fun), that being alive at a time when I can watch interviews of these legends is a pleasure, is inspiring and makes me grateful for the foundation that has been laid down by these giants.
Thanks Dave for interviewing Cutler and uploading it here on YouTube. The fact that this is 3 hrs long shows how your passion won't be subject to viewership statistics (a few months back CHM interviewed Ken Thompson and it was about his chess machines... no doubt an interesting interview... But I wished that it was as extensive as the one they did for Donald Knuth which was in two parts and each part being 3+ hrs long).

Once again, thanks Dave!