The main difference was it wasn't web development, so the whole process was much more contained. There was usually a smaller foot print of "just your app", so things like configuration or debugging was much easier. The tools weren't as good, and machines were much slower so that made things more painful. Debugging involved knowing assembler more often. Planning was more waterfall based, but really for a developer, i'm not sure that mattered all that much. Teams tended to be much more regional, with much less remote work, or global teams. As i recall work life balance was better, and compensation was better back then.