Many users of personal computers began their Windows journey in 1990 when Microsoft released version 3.0 of its operating system. However, Bill Gates’ company had been discussing this software seven years prior and officially launched it in November 1985.
Here are 20 significant milestones in the creation and development of the Windows operating system (a software that has had a major impact on the world for the past two decades) in celebration of the 20th anniversary of version 1.0:
1. Bill Gates wanted to name version 1.0 Interface Manager, but marketing director Rowland Hanson convinced him that Windows sounded much more impressive.
2. Microsoft began developing Interface Manager in 1981, even though at that time it lacked a graphical user interface (GUI) and many features that would later appear in Windows.
3. The early Interface Manager models featured menus designed at the bottom of the screen, aligning with the user interface of Word and several other popular programs in DOS.
4. Microsoft introduced a “draft” of Windows 1.0 in November 1983, exactly two years before the official completion of the operating system.
5. In 1983, Microsoft touted Windows as a promising GUI for Atari’s ST computer system. However, Atari was not very interested and lacked the patience to wait for the program’s release, opting instead to sign a deal with Digital Research’s GEM.
6. Although Windows was seen as a copy of the Mac (or Lisa) operating system, some documents indicate that the true inspiration for developing Windows was the VisiOn desktop environment, which was showcased at the 1982 Comdex exhibition. Bill Gates was impressed by the system’s demo and, along with other experts, studied VisiOn.
7. The requirements for a system to run Windows 1.0 included 256 KB of RAM, DOS 2.0, and two floppy disks.
8. After reviewing the 1983 prototype, Byte Magazine declared Windows to be an “open, flexible, highly configurable system requiring modest hardware and the lowest prices.”
9. Windows 1.0 utilized the MS-DOS Executive file manager. The later version of this program (which had few changes from the original) still operates in Windows XP.
10. Windows 1.0 introduced multitasking capabilities, but it did not allow overlapping windows.
11. Microsoft integrated a calculator, clock, calendar, notepad, and several other small applications, including the game Reversi, into Windows 1.0.
12. Despite the limited number of applications, the initial advertisements for the operating system claimed that “Windows is a collection of extremely useful applications” for the system.
13. Not only did Microsoft fail to attract other companies to develop applications for Windows 1.0, but they were also slow to incorporate their own programs into Windows. Excel and Word were available on Macs from 1985, but it wasn’t until around mid-1987 to 1989 that they were installed on Microsoft’s operating system.
14. Among the first Windows applications announced was a session running on a terminal, used to gather stock information, including data from IBM, Compaq, and Apple. Microsoft was not included simply because they did not go public until 1986.
15. In 1984, PC World magazine noted that Windows had “a low-cost user interface that is both effective and simple.” This alone was enough for Microsoft to garner widespread customer support and turn the product into an unofficial standard in the personal computer market.
16. Upon its official release, PC Magazine remarked about Windows 1.0: “If you have just complained about DOS and desire a more proficient, higher-performing program, Windows will meet that need. It makes interacting with DOS instantaneous along with a host of new capabilities. Unless you are a DOS expert, you will wonder what to do without Windows.”
17. Windows launched (November 20, 1983) just about two weeks before Microsoft began building version 1.01 to patch a few vulnerabilities, marking the start of service packs and bug fixes that continue to this day.
18. The advertisement for Windows 1.0 (shown) features Bill Gates leaning on a computer screen. Behind him are several other PC systems, including IBM PC and Mac.
19. From the beginning, Windows had the capability to display color if installed on a color monitor, while the Mac was still limited to black and white. This feature led PC Mag to believe that “even the most devoted Mac users might consider switching.”
20. The retail price of Windows 1.0 was $100, equivalent to $177 in today’s currency. This price is also comparable to the amount required to purchase a full retail version of Windows XP Home.
Released Versions of Windows
| 1985: Windows 1.0 |
|
| 1987: Windows 2.0 |
|
| 1990: Windows 3.0 |  |
| 1993: Windows NT 3.1 |  |
| 1993: Windows for Workgroups 3.11 |  |
| 1994: Windows NT Workstation 3.5 |  |
| 1995: Windows 95 |  |
| 1996: Windows NT Workstation 4.0 |  |
| 1998: Windows 98 |  |
| 1999: Windows 98 Second Edition |  |
| 2000: Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me) |  |
| 2000: Windows 2000 Professional |  |
| 2001: Windows XP |  |
| 2001: Windows XP Professional |  |
| 2001: Windows XP Home |  |
| 2001: Windows XP 64-bit |  |
| 2002: Windows XP Media Center |  |
| 2002: Windows XP Tablet PC |  |
Hải Nguyên
