Microsoft Windows is the most popular operating system in the world, with over 1.5 billion active users. It has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1985. In this article, we will take a look at the evolution of Windows from 1.0 to 11 2022 Update.
Windows 1.0 (1985)
The first version of Windows was released on November 20, 1985. It was a graphical user interface (GUI) for the MS-DOS operating system. Windows 1.0 was not very successful, as it was slow and unstable.
Windows 2.0 (1987)
Windows 2.0 was released on December 9, 1987. It was a significant improvement over Windows 1.0, with a new user interface and improved performance.
Windows 3.0 (1990)
Windows 3.0 was released on May 22, 1990. It was a major turning point for Windows, as it was the first version to achieve mainstream success. Windows 3.0 introduced a new graphical user interface that was more user-friendly than previous versions.
Windows 3.1 (1992)
Windows 3.1 was released on April 2, 1992. It was a minor update to Windows 3.0, but it included several new features, such as TrueType fonts and support for color monitors.
Windows 95 (1995)
Windows 95 was released on August 24, 1995. It was a major release that introduced several new features, such as the Start menu, the taskbar, and the ability to run multiple applications at the same time.
Windows 98 (1998)
Windows 98 was released on June 25, 1998. It was a minor update to Windows 95, but it included several new features, such as support for USB devices and the ability to connect to the internet.
Windows 2000 (2000)
Windows 2000 was released on February 17, 2000. It was a business-oriented operating system that was designed to replace Windows NT.
Windows XP (2001)
Windows XP was released on October 25, 2001. It was a major release that was designed to be both user-friendly and powerful. Windows XP was a commercial success, with over 400 million copies sold.
Windows Vista (2007)
Windows Vista was released on January 30, 2007. It was a major release that introduced several new features, such as a new graphical user interface and improved security. However, Windows Vista was criticized for being slow and unstable.
Windows 7 (2009)
Windows 7 was released on October 22, 2009. It was a minor update to Windows Vista that addressed many of the criticisms of Windows Vista. Windows 7 was a commercial success, with over 900 million copies sold.
Windows 8 (2012)
Windows 8 was released on October 26, 2012. It was a major release that introduced a new user interface that was designed for touch-screen devices. Windows 8 was criticized for being too different from previous versions of Windows.
Windows 8.1 (2013)
Windows 8.1 was released on October 17, 2013. It was a minor update to Windows 8 that addressed some of the criticisms of Windows 8.
Windows 10 (2015)
Windows 10 was released on July 29, 2015. It was a major release that was designed to be a single operating system that could be used on a variety of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Windows 10 was a commercial success, with over 1.5 billion active users.
Windows 11 (2021)
Windows 11 was released on October 5, 2021. It is the latest version of Windows and introduces several new features, such as a new user interface, support for Android apps, and improved performance.
Conclusion
Microsoft Windows has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1985