What do i need to know about the evolution of windows
The history of Windows: How the OS has changed over time
When you think about the history of Windows, what comes to mind? Iconic logos? Changing Start menus? The introduction of Live Tiles? The history of Microsoft’s flagship operating system (OS) includes all of that and so much more. Over the past 35 years, the Windows operating system has been through many reinventions. There have been many versions of Windows over the years — in this guide, we’ll be taking a closer look at 14 different versions, as they all represent major milestones in Windows’ development.
Before we jump into the history of Windows, let’s take a look at what the state of computing was like before Windows.
MS-DOS and what came before
Windows might seem like it’s been around forever, but it hasn’t. Windows was not Microsoft’s first OS. In fact, before Windows ever came along, PCs were run by another OS known as MS-DOS. Unlike even the first version of Windows, navigating your PC with MS-DOS was time-consuming, required the manual input of text commands to get anything done, and didn’t allow for multitasking (the ability to run multiple programs at once).
Windows, at least in 1985, wasn’t so much a brand new OS as it was a solution to the complications that an OS like MS-DOS presented. Windows 1.0 was created to be a graphical user interface (GUI) to be placed on top of MS-DOS, which made PCs that ran MS-DOS easier to navigate — it’s easier to look at a screen and click an icon to open a program than it is to type several commands just to complete the same task.
Windows wasn’t the first GUI created to solve issues like having to navigate via text commands, though. Two other companies got there first: Apple and Xerox. According to Wired, Apple released “the first commercial computer with a graphical user interface” in 1983. It was known as the Lisa. While the Lisa was the first commercial computer with a GUI, it still wasn’t the first computer ever with a GUI. The first one ever was introduced by Xerox in 1981, and it was known as the Star.
While Microsoft was late to the GUI party by about three or four years, it was able to sell its first version of Windows at a much more affordable price than its competitors, giving it a significant advantage.
The evolution of Windows
Windows 1.0
Don’t let the bare-bones aesthetic of Windows 1.0 fool you — as The Verge notes, Windows 1.0 also came with a number of programs, including Windows Write, Windows Paint, a clock, a calendar, a notepad, a file manager, a cardfile, a terminal application, and even a game called Reversi.
Windows 2.0
It wasn’t long before Microsoft released a successor to its first GUI-enhanced OS. Just two years later, in 1987, the technology company released Windows 2.0. This version of Windows included such notable features as overlapping windows, resizable windows, keyboard shortcuts, and support for VGA graphics. The first Windows versions of Word and Excel also made their debut with Windows 2.0.
Windows 3.0
Microsoft’s next major milestone came with its release of Windows 3.0. This version of Windows is widely considered to be the start of Windows’ worldwide popularity as a desktop OS. Windows 3.0 came out in 1990 and offered 256 color support. More importantly, as PCMag notes, it featured “multitasking DOS programs,” which may have contributed to Windows’ surge in popularity. Another notable feature of Windows 3.0 is that it’s the version that saw the first appearance of the classic desktop game Solitaire.
Windows 3.1
A mere two years later, another OS update appeared, upgrading Windows to one of its most iconic versions, 3.1. The decimal in its name may make it sound like it was just a minor update to 3.0, but it wasn’t. Instead, in 1992, Windows 3.1 delivered quite a few new and essential features, such as support for TrueType fonts, the ability to drag and drop icons, and support for OLE compound documents (documents that combine elements from different programs). Also, according to The Guardian, it’s also the first version of Windows to have been distributed via CD-ROM.
Windows 95
When you think of the most iconic version of Windows, you’re probably thinking of Windows 95. That’s because it was such a huge departure from previous versions of Windows and aesthetically-speaking, and it set the tone for what we’ve come to expect from the Windows OS. As its name suggests, Windows 95 came out in 1995. It was the first 32-bit version of Windows (previous versions had been 16-bit), and it brought quite a few new features that ended up becoming historic additions. These include the taskbar, the Start menu, long file names, and plug-and-play capabilities (in which peripheral devices only needed to be connected to a PC in order to work properly). Windows 95 also saw the introduction of Microsoft’s web browser, Internet Explorer.
Another significant feature? Though Windows 95 still worked in conjunction with MS-DOS, as PCMag notes, unlike its predecessor, Windows 95 didn’t have to have to wait for the PC to boot into DOS first. This version marked the first time Windows was allowed to boot directly.
Windows 98
This is yet another version of Windows with a name that indicates the year it was released. If Windows 95 (eventually) brought us Internet Explorer, then Windows 98 strengthened the web browser’s grip on Microsoft’s OS. Indeed, this version of Windows not only brought us Internet Explorer 4.01, but it also delivered a slew of other internet-based programs and tools, such as Outlook Express, Microsoft Chat, and the Web Publishing Wizard.
Windows 98 also came with increased support for USB devices and Macromedia players (Shockwave and Flash).
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 had a real focus on accessibility and introduced a laundry list of features to the OS, including StickyKeys, a high-contrast theme, Microsoft Magnifier, an on-screen keyboard, and a screen reader known as Microsoft Narrator.
Windows 2000 also delivered the Multilingual User Interface, which allowed users to choose the language in which their display would be viewed. Windows 2000 users could choose from a variety of languages, including Arabic, Japanese, and Greek.
Windows ME
The “ME” in Windows ME stands for “Millennium Edition.” It was also known by another, less flattering moniker: The Mistake Edition. According to PC World, Windows ME earned that nickname when it launched in 2000 because “users reported problems installing it, getting it to run, getting it to work with other hardware or software, and getting it to stop running.”
Despite its rocky start, it still managed to give us a useful tool: System Restore, a recovery feature that, in the event your computer starts having problems due to a poorly executed installation of a program or update, could remove those updates and restore your computer back to how it was before the offending update messed with your computer. In true Mistake Edition fashion, though, System Restore had its own issues to grapple with before it became truly great. For example, it sometimes bungled the restoration process by restoring things like malware that had already been removed.
Windows XP
Windows XP was released in 2001 and is widely considered to be among the great versions of Windows that Microsoft had to offer. There were two main versions of the OS: Home and Professional. Home was for personal use, and Professional was geared toward being used in work settings. As TechRadar notes, part of XP’s success can be attributed to the fact that XP launched right around the same time that there was a sudden increase in PC sales, and so for many new users, “Windows XP was just what came on their first computer.”
Some of XP’s popularity can be traced to the OS itself. After all, something had to be pleasing about its design if it ran for 13 years until Microsoft finally ended support for it in 2014. Some of its commercial success is because it is truly designed to be consumer-friendly. Its warm and inviting aesthetic is well-known: Bright colors, a happy green Start button, and customizable themes finally came standard with this version of Windows. It also came with new features, like native CD burning software, desktop search, remote desktop, and (eventually) improved security.
Windows Vista
Vista was, unfortunately, another widely panned version of Windows. Vista was released in 2007, and one of the biggest sticking points was that its newly designed interface (known as Aero Glass) didn’t necessarily mesh well with older hardware or certain graphics drivers in newer PCs. Other criticisms of Vista included slow performance, overpriced, system resource consumption was too high, and, while the User Account Control feature kept you secure, the constant dialog boxes it generated were annoying.
Vista tried to accomplish too much too fast and got burned for it. It did introduce some helpful features, though, like Windows Defender, DirectX 10 (for PC gaming), speech recognition, and Windows DVD Maker.
Windows 7
Two years later, Microsoft came back with a new version of Windows, known as Windows 7. Microsoft had to make up for Vista’s failures and was able to do just that with Windows 7. Compared to Vista, Windows 7 is a bit more streamlined, and it actually removed many features from previous versions of Windows, including Vista. In fact, there were at least four Vista programs — Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Calendar, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Mail — that Microsoft did not include in Windows 7.
Windows 7 did, however, come with things like handwriting recognition, faster overall performance, interactive thumbnail previews for minimized app windows, a desktop slideshow feature, Internet Explorer 9, and Windows Media Player 12.
Windows 8
Visually-speaking, Windows 8 was radically different from its predecessors. It’s time to talk about that tile-filled Start screen. The Start screen featured tiles known as Live Tiles that acted as animated app shortcuts, which allowed you to open your apps and also displayed mini-updates about your apps (such as the number of unread messages). The Start screen was supposed to take over the role of the Start menu. In this setup, the traditional Windows desktop still exists in Windows 8, and it’s still where apps are run.
While not everyone was thrilled by the tablet-focused overhaul of Windows 8, it did offer a few other features, such as the ability to log in with a Microsoft account, support for USB 3.0, an actual lock screen (visually similar to a smartphone lock screen), and Xbox Live integration.
Windows 8.1
That jarring Windows 8 Start screen and removal of the Start menu wasn’t particularly well-received by consumers. In response, Windows 8.1 was released as a free upgrade to help address the concerns customers had about its predecessor.
Some of the corrections Microsoft made in Windows 8.1 included having an actual Start button on the taskbar again and letting users see the desktop first after logging in (instead of being greeted by the dreaded Start screen). It didn’t take long for Microsoft to issue this corrective version of Windows: Windows 8 was released in 2012, and Windows 8.1 was released in 2013.
Windows 10
Windows 10 came out in 2015 and is Microsoft’s current iteration of its Windows OS. When it debuted, it was apparent that Microsoft wanted to refine its use of Live Tiles rather than get rid of them altogether. In Windows 10, it compromised: It got rid of the unloved Start screen from Windows 8 and replaced it with a larger Start menu that features the use of Live Tiles, among other kinds of app icons. It worked.
Other features that came with the 2015 version of Windows 10 included the introduction of Cortana, a native digital personal assistant; the ability to switch between tablet and desktop mode; and a new web browser (Microsoft Edge), as per the Verge.
Windows 10 has also received fairly frequent updates since its launch in 2015. They’re called Feature updates, and they happen every six months. They’re always free and available within Windows Update. In fact, the next feature isn’t that far away: Windows 10 20H1 is slated to be released some time in spring 2020, possibly May 2020. This update is expected to include changes such as an overhauled Cortana experience and a new ability to reinstall Windows “by choosing the option to Cloud download Windows, without having to create installation media.”
The future of Windows
We won’t say that Windows 11 will never happen, but it has been five years since Windows 10 first debuted, and Microsoft seems content with just rolling out new feature updates every six months for the latest version of its OS. Plus, it’s not like those feature updates leave Windows users starved for new features and design tweaks to Windows 10. They happen twice a year and often come with a laundry list of bug fixes, new tools, and cosmetic changes to its aesthetic — even if they do have the odd problem of their own.
Just because Windows 11 may not happen, though, that doesn’t mean Windows’ long tradition of reinvention and innovation has to come to an end. Windows, especially in recent years, has become more than just a desktop OS. Take, for instance, Windows Core OS. The future of the Windows OS brand may lie with Core OS, which is expected to be an OS in its own right (not just an upgrade to Windows 10). Core OS is likely to become the flagship OS for more lightweight devices like phones, tablets, and Chromebook-like laptops, with different versions of Core OS for each type of device. It’s possible that the future of Windows may just mean developing different (but still connected) operating systems to accommodate the needs of a more mobile world.
From Windows 1 to Windows 10: 29 years of Windows evolution
Microsoft’s Windows operating system was first introduced in 1985. Over 29 years later a lot has changed, but what things have stayed the same?
Windows has changed drastically over the years, but somethings stay the same, through the rough and the smooth. Photograph: Gene Blevins/LA DailyNews/Corbis
Windows has changed drastically over the years, but somethings stay the same, through the rough and the smooth. Photograph: Gene Blevins/LA DailyNews/Corbis
Last modified on Tue 21 Feb 2017 18.27 GMT
Microsoft Windows has seen nine major versions since its first release in 1985. Over 29 years later, Windows looks very different but somehow familiar with elements that have survived the test of time, increases in computing power and – most recently – a shift from the keyboard and mouse to the touchscreen.
Here’s a brief look at the history of Windows, from its birth at the hands of Bill Gates with Windows 1 to the latest arrival under new Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella.
Windows 1
The first version of Windows. Photograph: Wikipedia
This is where it all started for Windows. The original Windows 1 was released in November 1985 and was Microsoft’s first true attempt at a graphical user interface in 16-bit.
Development was spearheaded by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and ran on top of MS-DOS, which relied on command-line input.
It was notable because it relied heavily on use of a mouse before the mouse was a common computer input device. To help users become familiar with this odd input system, Microsoft included a game, Reversi (visible in the screenshot) that relied on mouse control, not the keyboard, to get people used to moving the mouse around and clicking onscreen elements.
Windows 2
Windows 2 with overlapping windows. Photograph: Wikipedia
Two years after the release of Windows 1, Microsoft’s Windows 2 replaced it in December 1987. The big innovation for Windows 2 was that windows could overlap each other, and it also introduced the ability to minimise or maximise windows instead of “iconising” or “zooming”.
The control panel, where various system settings and configuration options were collected together in one place, was introduced in Windows 2 and survives to this day.
Microsoft Word and Excel also made their first appearances running on Windows 2.
Windows 3
Windows 3.0 got colourful.
The first Windows that required a hard drive launched in 1990. Windows 3 was the first version to see more widespread success and be considered a challenger to Apple’s Macintosh and the Commodore Amiga graphical user interfaces, coming pre-installed on computers from PC-compatible manufacturers including Zenith Data Systems.
Windows 3 introduced the ability to run MS-DOS programmes in windows, which brought multitasking to legacy programmes, and supported 256 colours bringing a more modern, colourful look to the interface.
Windows 3.1
Windows 3.1 with Minesweeper. Photograph: Wikipedia
Windows 1 and 2 both had point release updates, but Windows 3.1 released in 1992 is notable because it introduced TrueType fonts making Windows a viable publishing platform for the first time.
Minesweeper also made its first appearance. Windows 3.1 required 1MB of RAM to run and allowed supported MS-DOS programs to be controlled with a mouse for the first time. Windows 3.1 was also the first Windows to be distributed on a CD-ROM, although once installed on a hard drive it only took up 10 to 15MB (a CD can typically store up to 700MB).
Windows 95
Windows 95: oh hello Start menu.
As the name implies, Windows 95 arrived in August 1995 and with it brought the first ever Start button and Start menu (launched with a gigantic advertising campaign that used the Rolling Stones’ Start Me Up, and a couple of months later Friends stars Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry. Could it be any more up-to-date?)
It also introduced the concept of “plug and play” – connect a peripheral and the operating system finds the appropriate drivers for it and makes it work. That was the idea; it didn’t always work in practice.
Windows 95 also introduced a 32-bit environment, the task bar and focused on multitasking. MS-DOS still played an important role for Windows 95, which required it to run some programmes and elements.
Internet Explorer also made its debut on Windows 95, but was not installed by default requiring the Windows 95 Plus! pack. Later revisions of Windows 95 included IE by default, as Netscape Navigator and NCSA Mosaic were popular at the time.
Windows 98
Windows 98, the last great DOS-based Windows. Photograph: Wikipedia
Released in June 1998, Windows 98 built on Windows 95 and brought with it IE 4, Outlook Express, Windows Address Book, Microsoft Chat and NetShow Player, which was replaced by Windows Media Player 6.2 in Windows 98 Second Edition in 1999.
Windows 98 introduced the back and forward navigation buttons and the address bar in Windows Explorer, among other things. One of the biggest changes was the introduction of the Windows Driver Model for computer components and accessories – one driver to support all future versions of Windows.
USB support was much improved in Windows 98 and led to its widespread adoption, including USB hubs and USB mice.
Windows ME
Windows ME was one to skip. Photograph: Wikipedia
Considered a low point in the Windows series by many – at least, until they saw Windows Vista – Windows Millennium Edition was the last Windows to be based on MS-DOS, and the last in the Windows 9x line.
Released in September 2000, it was the consumer-aimed operating system twined with Windows 2000 aimed at the enterprise market. It introduced some important concepts to consumers, including more automated system recovery tools.
IE 5.5, Windows Media Player 7 and Windows Movie Maker all made their appearance for the first time. Autocomplete also appeared in Windows Explorer, but the operating system was notorious for being buggy, failing to install properly and being generally poor.
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 was ME’s enterprise twin. Photograph: Wikipedia
The enterprise twin of ME, Windows 2000 was released in February 2000 and was based on Microsoft’s business-orientated system Windows NT and later became the basis for Windows XP.
Microsoft’s automatic updating played an important role in Windows 2000 and became the first Windows to support hibernation.
Windows XP
Windows XP still survives to this day. Photograph: Schrift-Architekt/flickr
Arguably one of the best Windows versions, Windows XP was released in October 2001 and brought Microsoft’s enterprise line and consumer line of operating systems under one roof.
It was based on Windows NT like Windows 2000, but brought the consumer-friendly elements from Windows ME. The Start menu and task bar got a visual overhaul, bringing the familiar green Start button, blue task bar and vista wallpaper, along with various shadow and other visual effects.
ClearType, which was designed to make text easier to read on LCD screens, was introduced, as were built-in CD burning, autoplay from CDs and other media, plus various automated update and recovery tools, that unlike Windows ME actually worked.
Windows XP was the longest running Microsoft operating system, seeing three major updates and support up until April 2014 – 13 years from its original release date. Windows XP was still used on an estimated 430m PCs when it was discontinued.
Windows Vista
Windows Vista, arguably worse than Windows ME. Photograph: Microsoft
Windows XP stayed the course for close to six years before being replaced by Windows Vista in January 2007. Vista updated the look and feel of Windows with more focus on transparent elements, search and security. Its development, under the codename “Longhorn”, was troubled, with ambitious elements abandoned in order to get it into production.
PC gamers saw a boost from Vista’s inclusion of Microsoft’s DirectX 10 technology.
Windows Media Player 11 and IE 7 debuted, along with Windows Defender an anti-spyware programme. Vista also included speech recognition, Windows DVD Maker and Photo Gallery, as well as being the first Windows to be distributed on DVD. Later a version of Windows Vista without Windows Media Player was created in response to anti-trust investigations.
Windows 7
Windows 7 was everything Windows Vista should have been. Photograph: Wikipedia
Considered by many as what Windows Vista should have been, Windows 7 was first released in October 2009. It was intended to fix all the problems and criticism faced by Vista, with slight tweaks to its appearance and a concentration on user-friendly features and less “dialogue box overload”.
It was faster, more stable and easier to use, becoming the operating system most users and business would upgrade to from Windows XP, forgoing Vista entirely.
Handwriting recognition debuted in 7, as did the ability to “snap” windows to the tops or sides of the screen, allowing faster more automatic window resizing.
Windows 7 saw Microsoft hit in Europe with antitrust investigations over the pre-installing of IE, which led to a browser ballot screen being shown to new users allowing them to choose, which browser to install on first boot.
Windows 8
Windows 8 focused more on touch than a keyboard and mouse.
Released in October 2012, Windows 8 was Microsoft’s most radical overhaul of the Windows interface, ditching the Start button and Start menu in favour of a more touch-friendly Start screen.
The new tiled interface saw programme icons and live tiles, which displayed at-a-glance information normally associated with “widgets”, replace the lists of programmes and icons. A desktop was still included, which resembled Windows 7.
Windows 8 was faster than previous versions of Windows and included support for the new, much faster USB 3.0 devices. The Windows Store, which offers universal Windows apps that run in a full-screen mode only, was introduced. Programs could still be installed from third-parties like other iterations of Windows, but they could only access the traditional desktop interface of Windows.
Windows RT, which runs on ARM-based processors traditionally found in smartphones and non-PC tablets, was introduced at the same time as Windows 8 with the Microsoft Surface tablet. It looked and felt like Windows 8, but could not run traditional Windows applications, instead solely relying on the Windows Store for third-party apps.
Windows 8.1
Windows 8.1 and the great reappearance of the Start button.
A free point release to Windows 8 introduced in October 2013, Windows 8.1 marked a shift towards yearly software updates from Microsoft and included the first step in Microsoft’s U-turn around its new visual interface.
Windows 8.1 re-introduced the Start button, which brought up the Start screen from the desktop view of Windows 8.1. Users could also choose to boot directly into the desktop of Windows 8.1, which was more suitable for those using a desktop computer with a mouse and keyboard than the touch-focused Start screen.
Windows 10
Windows 10 brings back the Start menu
Announced on 30 September 2014, Windows 10 has only been released as a test version for keen users to try. The “technical preview” is very much still a work in progress.
Windows 10 represents another step in Microsoft’s U-turn, bringing back the Start menu and more balance to traditional desktop computer users.
Some interesting features include the ability to switch between a keyboard and mouse mode and a tablet mode, for those computers like the Surface Pro 3 with a detachable keyboard.
Windows 10 – despite being the ninth version of Windows – is designed to unify all Windows platforms across multiple devices, including Windows Phone and tablets, with universal apps that can be downloaded from the Windows Store and run on all Windows devices.
It won’t be available until 2015, likely after Microsoft’s Build developer conference in April, so for now Windows 8.1 is the latest version of Windows.