Windows Version History

[kudmus 0]

I just thought others will be interested to know the genealogy of Vista which looks like this:

As you know Windows 1.0 was their first: November 1985.

Windows 2.0 : end of 1987.

Windows 3.0 : May 1990.

Windows 3.1 : April 1992.

Windows for Workgroups 3.1 : October 1992.

Windows NT 3.1 Workstation : July 1993.(there only had a workstation version)

Windows for Workgroups 3.11 : August 1993.

Windows NT 3.5 Workstation and Server : September 1994.

Windows NT 3.51 Workstation and Server : May 1995.

Windows 95 : August 1995.

Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Server, Server Enterprise Edition, Terminal Server, and Embedded : July 1996.

Windows 98 : June 1998.

Windows 98SE : May 1999.

Windows 2000 Professional, Server, Advanced Server, and Datacenter Server : February 2000.

Windows Me : September 2000.

Windows XP Home, Professional, Media Center, and Tablet PC : October 2001 everything changed.

Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate, and of lesser importance, Starter, Home Basic N, and Business N : November 2006 (January 2007 for consumers)

I wonder what we are going to be adding to that list but I'm sure it will not be 'Windows 7'. They may call it something else coz 'Windows 7' is still a code name.

[xpress 0]

Good details. Many people hate Microsoft and Windows. But everyone knows windows is great success. Windows 95 is the Operating system which changed the world and great success for Microsoft. Windows 98 is a failure, as users found nothing great in Windows 98 than Windows 95 except the addition of Internet Explorer. But Windows 98 Second Edition is success for Windows. After these, windows got this much success with Windows XP.I am also waiting what will be the next Windows Version of Microsoft. Yes, Windows 7 is the working name of their next Windows version. It was formerly codenamed Blackcomb and Vienaa. Whatever its name may be, many sources telling that Windows 7 will be designed to use less system resources than Vista. They are saying that it will use less RAM. Hope it is true.

[innosia 1]

Good details. Many people hate Microsoft and Windows. But everyone knows windows is great success.
Windows 95 is the Operating system which changed the world and great success for Microsoft.
Windows 98 is a failure, as users found nothing great in Windows 98 than Windows 95 except the addition of Internet Explorer. But Windows 98 Second Edition is success for Windows. After these, windows got this much success with
Windows XP.

I am also waiting what will be the next Windows Version of Microsoft. Yes, Windows 7 is the working name of their next Windows version. It was formerly codenamed Blackcomb and Vienaa. Whatever its name may be, many sources telling that Windows 7 will be designed to use less system resources than Vista. They are saying that it will use less RAM. Hope it is true.

I have used windows 3.1, 95, 98 (for quite long), XP then vista. I think the best for my current job is XP,
windows 95 is so lame, always blue screen whatever you do with it, while 98 sometimes blue screen, then XP also has blue screen but a different one and quite rare

The success of windows is from Apple, if you view the history you will know how bill gates acquire apple's OS and modify it

[Saint_Michael 3]

Its funny because right now their is a battle going on which version Windows 7 actually is because some are saying 8, some are saying 7, of course Microsoft is making it worse by saying Windows 7 version is actuall Windows 6.1. So not only is Microsoft fighting the browser wars they are having an internal war with operating system version now.

[iPhoneHelper 0]

I wonder what we are going to be adding to that list but I'm sure it will not be 'Windows 7'. They may call it something else coz 'Windows 7' is still a code name.

I have found out by searching the web and being a friend with a worker at Microsoft, that Windows 7 is not a code name, it's its name! I hope it runs a lot better then Vista I had to downgrade pre-installed Vista-XP.

[Evolix 1]

Good detailed history of the 'Windows' family. I've used Windows 95, Windows 2000, Windows XP (Home Edition and Professional) and finally, Windows Vista (home basic, premium and ultimate). I think Windows XP is the best operating system Microsoft have made, I don't really like Vista because many programs are not yet compatible with it. And thanks for this version history, I found it quite useful as I didn't know some of the operating systems you have put on there, or the dates.

[kudmus 0]

some are saying 7, of course Microsoft is making it worse by saying Windows 7 version is actuall Windows 6.1.

I have heard about this too. They are saying if Windows 7 comes as version 6.1.7 it may solve compatibility problems because packages made for Vista will be looking for version 6.x.x and version 7.x.x will be something else. On the other hand making it version 6.x.x will make it look like a Vista update not a major release like what Balmer says here.