The first Windows versions were not very appealing. But talented developers, good marketing and skilful behavior by Microsoft changed that.

(Image: Albert Hulm)

Microsoft Windows through the ages: From ugly duckling to high-flyer From DOS to 1 From two to 286 Gone into the network Explorer lands In court and … Failures Article in c’t 27 / 2020 read As the author of this article 1990 to c ‘ t, Microsoft was preparing for the market launch of Windows version 3. Before that, two versions of Windows had become known in this country: Windows 1. 02 and 2. 11 were the middle of the 80 s one of several attempts to give personal computers a graphical interface. Also at the start: Visi On, TopView, DESQview and GEM. Nobody talks about these software packages anymore, but even the two early Windows versions had little role in the fact that almost everyone knows Windows today.

In May 1986 came Windows 1. 02 in Germany, cost several hundred marks and was only considered as an auxiliary program to be able to carry out selected applications. The common operating system on PCs was DOS 3. Even back then it was advisable to set up Windows on the hard drive. It became like a DOS program by entering win started. On top of the DOS operating system, which accepted commands in text mode, was a graphical surface that could be operated with a mouse connected to the serial port.

From DOS to 1 In c’t 8 / 1986 Eckart Steffens discussed Windows 1 and its applications: Notepad and calculator are still on board today. The card file, which had long since disappeared, functioned as a card index box, e.g. for addresses, and at that time could dial illegally stored phone numbers via modem. Steffens praised “Cut and Paste” as a simple pleasure to insert graphics into texts – a real innovation for the PC at the time. Also that you could see different fonts on the screen and print them out on a printer was delightful at the time.

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Sign in and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + Microsoft Windows through the ages: From ugly duckling to high-flyer From DOS to 1 From two to 286 Gone into the network Explorer lands In court and … Failures Article in c’t 27 / 2020 read