History of Windows

[tony-inpo]

Nice work man, although I would suggest just updating the first post when you revise the document, it will make it far easer to follow :p

[PL_ Veteran]

Nice work man, although I would suggest just updating the first post when you revise the document, it will make it far easer to follow :p

Done (Y)

[no-sweat]

Man, if I had to do a report on the history of Windows I would be set!

[Eric Veteran]

Windows 98 was like Verson 4.6

Windows ME was 5.0

and XP was 5.1

Vista is 6.0

Win 95 all versions - 4.0

98/98SE - 4.1

ME - 4.9

Everything 5 and above was NT kernel...

"CE" doesnt stand for anything at all? weird.

Actually, the CE stood for Consumer Electronics...

NT was also not originally intended to run on x86 hardware, it was originally designed for the i860, which had the codename N-10, or NT, with NT being retrospectively redesignated as 'New Technology' - which explains the strange "Designed for NT Technology" message in 2000 (New Technology Technology doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?)

This is also a bit off... The reason the W2K boot screen says "NT Technology" is the same reason 2000 switched from NT5 to 2000 early in the beta: Northern Telecom. They already had a trademark on NT, and the Windows 2000 phrasing was to avoid legal confusion.

EDIT: I just noticed the Wikipedia entry for 2000 is wrong, too. It says it was the first Windows released that didn't have a code name... W2K's code name was Cairo...

[Andrew Lyle Global Moderator]

pretty nice.. i cant wait to see the next version of windows... i hope it's all 3D, that would be insane :D

[PL_ Veteran]

EDIT: I just noticed the Wikipedia entry for 2000 is wrong, too. It says it was the first Windows released that didn't have a code name... W2K's code name was Cairo...

Wrong, Cairo is the equivalent of Apple's Copland project. Over-ambitious, with some parts still not appearing (WinFS etc...)

[PL_ Veteran]

REVISION 7

Done a lot of improvements, after all this Vienna talk and Home Server...it's now up to date :)

I also added a section on Windows Visual Styles, but I'm starting to wonder wether it's a redundant section. I've kept it in, just to see if people actually like it, but I'm thinking about dropping sections not directly related to Windows (mostly thinking about Xbox). Then again, I have lots of ideas for new sections (build numbers, version comparisons, hardware requirements...)

Feedback on this one is greatly appeciated.

After a system wipe, though, and with Vista being picky about PDF makers, this release comes in DOCX format... :pinch: If that really bothers anyone, I will try and make the effort to convert it :)

MEGAUPLOAD

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UH8TQXNL

[Matt]

Aero is not included in Home Basic, Business, Enterprise and Starter. Aero?s colour can be changed to any colour desired.

I'm pretty sure that's a typo.

[PL_ Veteran]

I'm pretty sure that's a typo.

Yeah, it's meant to say Aero Glass is not etc...

[pdmcmahon]

Just a thought, maybe PDF the file to:

1. Make it smaller

2. Make it read only and protect your interests

3. Make it a more open standard, *.docx is IMHO a ****ty format since it basically locks you in to an Office 2007 format.

[MrCobra]

Windows 98 was like Verson 4.6

Windows ME was 5.0

and XP was 5.1

Vista is 6.0

Uhm, 98 & ME were 4.x. Windows 2000 was 5.0.

I remember the good old buggy days of Windows 1.0. Funny not much has changed in the last 23 years.

OT a bit: Does anyone know why MS stopped the developement and sale of their Xenix OS?

[primexx]

Just a thought, maybe PDF the file to:

1. Make it smaller

2. Make it read only and protect your interests

3. Make it a more open standard, *.docx is IMHO a ****ty format since it basically locks you in to an Office 2007 format.

uhm....docx IS an open standard, whereas pdf ISNT. Get your facts straight.

[ZonoBurk]

Very nice PureLegend. :p

[pdmcmahon]

uhm....docx IS an open standard, whereas pdf ISNT. Get your facts straight.

Somebody **** in your Wheaties this morning?

[PL_ Veteran]

Thanks for all the comments guys. By the way, DOCX and PDF are both open formats :)

Wait, and I think you'll find OpenOffice doing DOCX. It's not a very complex file format, a glorified ZIP file really.

OT a bit: Does anyone know why MS stopped the developement and sale of their Xenix OS?

I'm guessing it's why they stopped a lot of projects: The surprise success of Windows.

[russellc]

uhm....docx IS an open standard, whereas pdf ISNT. Get your facts straight.

PDF is an open file format, smartass

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

I thought it was an interesting read :)

You say: "Royale was designed for inclusion in Windows XP Media Center Edition, but it also leaked on the internet for other XP users. A black version was designed and leaked, but was never completed."

I?m sure Royal was also officially released as a download for Windows XP Home and Pro a few months after Media Centre 2005 was released.

There was Also a Zune theme released last year which you have missed out, I think the black version of Royal you mention was an early version of the Zune theme (and a lot nicer if you ask me)

Keep updating it!

[schaggo]

Thanks for the document, I appreciate it alot! Its great...

But, being an annoying person in general: why dont just upload to www.box.net? U get plenty of space, can organize ur stuff in folders/hierarchies and duh, make it publically available. No hard to remember rapidsharemegaupload links...

And for some of u folks: there is even a Facebook app available ;)

[Rigby]

Nice work.

[sundayx Veteran]

Please update the first post for revision releases rather than having to search through the last page trying to find the specific post thanks.

[RaisinCain]

Microsoft has never said that CE is an initialism Click. Vista Enterprise does have Areo Glass- i'm running it at home (courtesy of the college I work at).

[Angel Blue01]

Uhm, 98 & ME were 4.x. Windows 2000 was 5.0.

Win 95/A/B (OSR2)/B USB (OSR2.1)/C was 4.0.0.095

Win98 was 4.10.1998.6

Win98 SE was Windows 4.10.2222

WinME was Windows 4.90.3000 I think

[Angel Blue01]

Wrong, Cairo is the equivalent of Apple's Copland project. Over-ambitious, with some parts still not appearing (WinFS etc...)

I remember the very earliest builds of WinNT 5.0 called Cairo. It never had an official codename, although Cairo stuck around in the media.

Its interesting that NT stood for "N-Ten", the codename for Intel's new technology that the OS was designed for, not "New Technology" as is commonly said in the media (see http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp)

[null_]

Yeah, it's meant to say Aero Glass is not etc...

Aero Glass is in Business and Enterprise though. Aero Standard is for Home Basic, and from what I remember, Windows Vista Starter only has the Windows Vista Basic (non-DWM) theme.

[Rigby]

What about Windows 1.01, 1.02, 1.03 and 1.04? :)

Windows 1.0 had a serious bug and it was withdrawn quickly, if it was ever released at all. I can never find any solid information on it. There was also Windows 2.03 and Windows 3.11 (not workgroups). Also Windows 3.2 but it was just the Chinese version of 3.1, no other changes I'm aware of.

Edited June 26, 2007 by TRC