Earlier this week, Microsoft gave the world its first comprehensive look at Windows 10, its latest operating system.
Windows 10 aims to provide users a unified experience across various devices be it a PC, tablet or a smartphone.
So how did we get here? The story began three decades back -- in 1985. Here's how Windows has evolved over the past thirty years.
Windows 10 aims to provide users a unified experience across various devices be it a PC, tablet or a smartphone.
So how did we get here? The story began three decades back -- in 1985. Here's how Windows has evolved over the past thirty years.
1. Windows 1.0: 1985
January 23, 2015 |
The
first version of Windows was basically a simple layer on top of MS-DOS,
the character based operating system that ran most PCs then. It was not
widely used.
2. Windows 2.0: 1987
January 23, 2015 |
This
was the first operating system to run Microsoft Word and Excel. It also
caused Apple to file a "look and feel" lawsuit against Microsoft for
ripping off some elements of the Macintosh and Lisa. Apple did not win
that case.
3. Windows 3.0: 1990
January 23, 2015 |
Windows
3.0 did a lot more to hide the underlying MS-DOS guts with graphical
icons like the Program Manager. Not surprisingly, it became the first
really popular version of Win.
4. Windows 3.1: 1991
January 23, 2015 |
This
is the version of Windows that really made it the standard on most
IBM-compatible PCs back in the early 1990s. It's also the last version
that kind of looked like MS-DOS.
5. Windows 95: 1995
January 23, 2015 |
Windows
95 was a big break with the past, emphasizing the desktop and
introducing icons for almost everything. Internet Explorer, the Recycle
Bin, and the Start button were all introduced here. The basic design for
Windows hardly changed from this up until Windows 8, which came out in
2012.
6. Windows 95 was a huge deal at the time
January 23, 2015 |
It's
hard to understate how big Windows 95 was. Jay Leno joined Bill Gates
on stage at the launch event. The Rolling Stones song "Start Me Up" was
used in ads. People lined up to buy it — like they do with the iPhone
today.
7. Windows 98: 1998
January 23, 2015 |
If
it ain't broke, don't fix it. This update looked and worked just like
Windows 95, but was more stable and had a few extra features.
8. Windows ME ("Millennium Edition"): 2000
January 23, 2015 |
This
was basically Windows 98 with a few new consumer features. It didn't
sell very well. Most people waited for XP, which was known to be coming
soon.
9. Windows for Pocket PC: 2000
January 23, 2015 |
Around
the same time, Microsoft began putting out its first versions of
Windows for mobile devices. It was based on a completely different
underlying technology called Windows CE. Microsoft tried to keep a lot
of Windows branding front and center, like the Windows logo and the
Start button.
10. Windows XP: 2001
January 23, 2015 |
In
2001, we got Windows XP. It was the first big update since Windows 95,
and the first consumer version of Windows to break completely from
MS-DOS and use the same underlying technology as Windows NT — the more
stable and powerful version of Windows that had been used on servers and
"workstation" PCs.
11. Windows Mobile 5: 2005
January 23, 2015 |
Meanwhile,
Microsoft was still putting out new versions of Windows Mobile, trying
to compete with the BlackBerry and Nokia phones, which were dominant at
the time. It had no idea the iPhone was about to come along and change
everything.
12. Windows Vista: 2006
January 23, 2015 |
Windows
Vista took Microsoft five years to build, and there were a lot of
missteps and resets along the way. It was not a hit, and former CEO
Steve Ballmer has said that the time and effort the company spent on
Vista — instead of pursuing new opportunities in mobile — was one of his
biggest regrets.
13. Windows Mobile 6: 2007
January 23, 2015 |
This
is where things really started to go south. Windows Mobile 6 was a
continuation of Microsoft's five-year-old mobile platform, and came out
in February 2007 — right after the first iPhone was announced.
It was still built for use with a stylus and keyboard, not finger touch, and it looked ridiculously rudimentary next to the iPhone. But Microsoft in public downplayed the threat, with Steve Ballmer doubting anybody would ever pay $500 for a smartphone.
It was still built for use with a stylus and keyboard, not finger touch, and it looked ridiculously rudimentary next to the iPhone. But Microsoft in public downplayed the threat, with Steve Ballmer doubting anybody would ever pay $500 for a smartphone.
14. Windows 7: 2009
January 23, 2015 |
Fortunately
for Microsoft, it was able to recover from the Vista debacle on the
desktop. Windows 7, which came out in 2009, was basically a polish-up of
Vista, but much more stable.
It's still very popular in businesses. In fact, one of the big challenges with Windows 10 will be getting enterprises to upgrade from Windows 7.
It's still very popular in businesses. In fact, one of the big challenges with Windows 10 will be getting enterprises to upgrade from Windows 7.
15. Windows Phone: 2010
January 23, 2015 |
At
the same time, Microsoft knew it needed an answer to the iPhone. In
2010, it released the first version of Windows Phone. It was a clean
break with Windows Mobile, with a totally new finger-friendly design and
a bunch of new features.
But the iPhone and Android were already growing by leaps and bounds, and the new platform did not take off.
But the iPhone and Android were already growing by leaps and bounds, and the new platform did not take off.
16. Windows 8: 2012
January 23, 2015 |
The
iPad came out in 2010, and its early success spooked Microsoft into
another misstep. Instead of continuing to adapt on 30 years of of
desktop success, Microsoft took a lot of the concepts from the
unsuccessful Windows Phone operating system and brought them over to the
main version of Windows.
The goal was to make an operating system that functioned equally well on touch-screen tablets, to compete against the iPad and regular PCs. The main interface had no start button, huge colorful boxes instead of icons, and changed how basic tasks were done.
The goal was to make an operating system that functioned equally well on touch-screen tablets, to compete against the iPad and regular PCs. The main interface had no start button, huge colorful boxes instead of icons, and changed how basic tasks were done.
17. Windows 8 still had the desktop...
January 23, 2015 |
...but it was buried under the new interface.
As a result, a lot of traditional Windows users were confused or put off, and Windows 8 never took off. Instead of coming up with an operating system that was great on both PCs and tablets, Microsoft had built one that was great on neither. PC sales have plunged more than 12% in the two years after Windows 8 was released, although this can't be blamed entirely on Windows 8 — people have more choices now, and the overall economy has been weak.
As a result, a lot of traditional Windows users were confused or put off, and Windows 8 never took off. Instead of coming up with an operating system that was great on both PCs and tablets, Microsoft had built one that was great on neither. PC sales have plunged more than 12% in the two years after Windows 8 was released, although this can't be blamed entirely on Windows 8 — people have more choices now, and the overall economy has been weak.
18. Windows Phone 8: 2012
January 23, 2015 |
Microsoft
also updated its mobile platform at the same time as it released
Windows 8. It looked the same on top, but there was a lot of new work
under the covers: basically, Windows Phone was now based on the same
underlying technology (Windows NT) as Microsoft's PC and server
operating systems.
19. Windows and Windows Phone 8.1: 2014
January 23, 2015 |
Windows 10 is expected to continue in this vein, bringing the PC, tablet, and phone platforms even closer together and making the traditional Windows desktop more easily available if you're using a keyboard and mouse.
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