AUGUST 1981
MS-DOS
Microsoft releases a new
operating system for IBM
called “MS-DOS,” which
stands for “Microsoft Disk
Operating System.”
1981
NOVEMBER 1985
WINDOWS 1.0-2.0
Features introduced: Mouse
point-and-click interface,
Microsoft Paint, Windows
Writer, Notepad, Calculator,
Calendar, Clock, and Games
(only one game: Reversi).
1985
DECEMBER 1987
WINDOWS 2.0
Features introduced: Desktop
icons, overlapping windows,
customizable screen layout,
keyboard shortcuts, and the
Control Panel.
1987
1988
1989
MAY 1988
WINDOWS 2.10
MAY 1990
WINDOWS 3.0
Features introduced:
Program Manager, File
Manager, Print Manager,
better performance,
advanced graphics with 16
colors, and improved icons.
1990
SEPTEMBER
1986
The Oprah Winfrey
Show first airs.
APRIL 1987
The Simpsons first airs
as a part of The Tracey
Ullman Show.
MARCH 1989
WINDOWS 2.11
NOVEMBER
1989
The Berlin Wall falls
as the Cold War
begins to thaw.
FEBRUARY 1990
Nelson Mandela is
released from prison after
27 years.
1991
The number of computers
on the Internet reaches 1M
as the net is made
available to unrestricted
commercial use.
DECEMBER 1990
Mikhail Gorbachev
receives the Nobel Peace
Prize for his efforts to
lessen Cold War tensions
and national reform.
JULY 1985
Back to the Future
comes out and Marty
McFly is sent back to
1955—which happens
to be when Bill Gates
was born!
Windows
A LOOK BACK THROUGH
1980
1992
APRIL 1992
WINDOWS 3.1
JULY 1993
WINDOWS NT 3.1
1993
NOVEMBER 1993
WINDOWS FOR
WORKGROUPS 3.11
1993
1993
NOVEMBER 1993
WINDOWS 3.2
SEPTEMBER 1994
WINDOWS NT 3.5
1994
AUGUST 1995
WINDOWS 95
Windows 95 is the most
publicized launch of
Microsoft yet, with a
commercial that features
the Rolling Stones singing
“Start Me Up” to highlight
the new Start Button.
Features introduced: Start
button, built-in Internet
support, dial-up
networking, plug-and-play
capabilities for software
installation, 32-bit operating
system, integrated
networking, taskbar,
minimize/maximize/close
buttons on each window,
first version of Internet
Explorer, and Microsoft
Flight Simulator is now
available for Windows.
1995
JUNE 1998
WINDOWS 98
Features introduced: Support
for reading DVDs and USB
devices, Quick Launch bar,
and a faster ability to open
and close windows.
1998
FEBRUARY 2000
WINDOWS 2000
Originally marketed as “the
most secure Windows
version ever,” it is the target
of several high-profile virus
attacks including Code Red
and Nimda.
2000
SEPTEMBER 2000
WINDOWS ME
Originally intended to work
with the Windows NT
kernel, it is instead rushed
to market—and often was
criticized for being buggy,
slow, and unstable. It is
shortly replaced by
Windows XP the next year.
2000
OCTOBER 2001
WINDOWS XP HOME
Features introduced:
Network Setup Wizard,
Windows Media Player,
Windows Movie Maker,
and enhanced digital
photo capabilities.
2001
APRIL 2005
WINDOWS XP
PROFESSIONAL X64
Windows XP Professional
focused on enhanced
reliability, security, and
performance.
Features introduced:
Remote desktop support,
encrypting file system,
system restore, advanced
networking features,
wireless 802.1x networking
support for mobile,
Windows Messenger, and
Remote Assistance.
2005
JANUARY 2007
WINDOWS VISTA
Security features are greatly
enhanced, and design is one
of Microsoft’s priorities as
well, featuring a new look for
the taskbar, borders around
windows, and a redesigned
Start button.
Features introduced: User
Account Control, BitLocker
Drive Encryption,
enhancements for Windows
Media Player to integrate
television viewing, photo
sharing, and video editing.
2007
OCTOBER 2009
WINDOWS 7
Features introduced:
Windows Touch (allows
touchscreen users to
browse the web, open files
and folders, and casually flip
through folders), multitouch
support, and HomeGroup
file sharing.
2009
OCTOBER 2012
WINDOWS 8
Designed to work with both
touchscreens and
mouse/keyboard, Windows
8 is completely reimagined,
from the chipset to the UX.
Features introduced:
Completely reimagined
operating system with a
new interface, Start screen
with tiles, and Windows
Store for app purchases.
2012
JULY 2015
WINDOWS 10
Windows 10 releases
with new features &
improvements.
2015
OCTOBER 2013
WINDOWS 8.1
2013
1994
Netscape Navigator is
the leading web browser.
1993
Intel introduces the Pentium
microprocessor, which will
power Windows computers
for the next 20 years.
SEPTEMBER 1994
The first episode of
Friends airs.
SEPTEMBER
1995
eBay is founded.
NOVEMBER
1995
Lynda.com is founded.
DECEMBER 1999
The impending Y2K bug
creates concerns that
computer systems
throughout the world will
fail. Very few problems
actually occur when the
clock strikes midnight on
12/31/1999.
JANUARY 2001
Wikipedia launches.
SEPTEMBER
1998
Google is founded, later
becoming one of the
biggest tech companies
in the world.
g
SEPTEMBER 2001
Terrorists attack the World
Trade Center towers and
the Pentagon.
JULY 2006
Twitter launches.
NOVEMBER 2008
Barack Obama becomes
the first African American to
be elected President of the
United States.
JUNE 2007
First iPhone releases.
MAY 2010
The US stock market
experiences a
trillion-dollar crash over
the course of
approximately 36 minutes.
DECEMBER 2012
Expected “End of the
World” according to the
Mayan Calendar
MARCH 2014
Ellen DeGeneres' "Oscar
selfie" becomes the most
retweeted photo of all
time, at 2.5 million shares.
SOURCE: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/history
SEE HOW FAR WINDOWS 10 HAS COME SINCE 1981.
www.lynda.com/windows10
2000
Thousands of dotcoms go
bust as the dotcom
bubble bursts.
WWW.