Windows 1.01 was launched 40 years ago, but it didn’t start well — Microsoft’s graphical OS adventures were uncompetitive at launch

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Windows 1.01 was launched 40 years ago, but it didn't start well — Microsoft's graphical OS adventures were uncompetitive at launch

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Paint before Copilot (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The 'Executive' launcher / task switcher and Notepad (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The boot screen was animated! (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Perhaps some of the most interesting aspects of Windows 1.01 that we have yet to mention are the familiarities and contrasts with Windows today. Even version 1.01 came with familiar apps like Notepad, Paint , Clock, and Calculator . There’s even a game included, Reversi. However, the way the windows tile, rather than overlap, and the task switching, seems alien to someone who has used Windows frequently since the v3.11 days.

If you want to play around with Microsoft Windows 1.01, probably the quickest way to do so is by visiting the PCjs Explorer site in your browser. Opening this page , you will be greeted by an embedded IBM PC XT (Model 5160) with the luxury of 640KB of RAM, a 10MB hard disk, and an EGA Display.

U.S. customers could purchase Microsoft’s Windows 1.01 for $99 (~$300 in today’s money) from Wednesday, November 20, 1985. It was released in Europe (1.02) in May 1986.

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Related posts:

  1. Windows 1.01 was launched 40 years ago, but it didn’t start well — Microsoft’s graphical OS adventures were uncompetitive at launch
  2. Windows 1.01 was launched 40 years ago, but it didn’t start well — Microsoft’s graphical OS adventures were uncompetitive at launch
  3. Windows 1.01 was launched 40 years ago, but it didn’t start well — Microsoft’s graphical OS adventures were uncompetitive at launch
  4. Windows 1.01 was launched 40 years ago, but it didn’t start well — Microsoft’s graphical OS adventures were uncompetitive at launch

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