Microsoft’s Windows operating system celebrates its 30th birthday

Today is a big day for Microsoft’s Windows operating system. For those who do not remember, November 10th, 1983, was the day that a young Bill Gates introduced Windows 1.0 to the world as an operating system that would help start the PC revolution and change the way we use computers to this day. Today, we celebrate the 30th birthday of Windows.

“Microsoft works on the first version of a new operating system. Interface Manager is the code name and is considered as the final name, but Windows prevails because it best describes the boxes or computing “windows” that are fundamental to the new system.Windows is announced in 1983, but it takes a while to develop,” Microsoft explains on the Windows history website. Apparently, haters believed this new “Windows” would become “vaporware.”

Two years after the initial announcement, Microsoft shipped Windows 1.0 on November 20 of 1985. This marked a radical change from typing DOS commands to simply moving a mouse to point and clicking your way though “windows.” Bill Gates, at the time, described this as a “unique software designed for the serious PC user.”

For those who remember, Windows 1.0 only required a minimum of 256 kilobytes (KB), two double-sided floppy disk drives, and a graphics adapter card. A hard disk and 512 KB memory is recommended for running multiple programs or when using DOS 3.0 or higher.

Eventually, the “Program Manager” shell in Windows was evolved into the “Windows Explorer” desktop shell which made its debut in Windows 95. Enhancements were made to the shell as the years went on and ultimately was set aside for the new Modern user interface and Start Screen in Windows 8.

Windows now commands over 90% of the operating system market share, surpassing competitors such as Apple OSX and Linux.

We’ve embedded two videos for you below to relive the old memories in celebration of Windows’ birthday. In the first video, we can see a young Steve Ballmer promoting the first version of Windows. In the second video, we can listen to all the default startup sounds of Windows through the ages. Enjoy and lets wish Windows a happy birthday!