November 21, 2006

Happy birthday Windows !! Microsoft Windows is 21 year old today !!

Website Connected Internet has a great article on today’s birthday for Microsoft Windows - celebrating 21 years. Microsoft Windows 1.0 was released on November 20th, 1985.

They have some interesting trivia questions (21 to be exact) on Microsoft Windows over the years such as how Bill Gates originally wanted to name Windows something else: “Interface Manager”. I agree that I’m glad they chose Windows :-)

I can’t say I’ve been using Windows since day 1 unfortunately but have been using it since the days of Windows 3.1 and have enjoyed seeing Windows progress into what we have today - Windows Vista, an ultimate product. I certainly can’t wait to see what Microsoft has up their sleeve for improvements to Vista as well as their goals for the next version of Windows. There is a high level of excitement regarding future development of Windows. Microsoft has new management coming in to lead the next version (Jim Allchin is due to retire once Vista ships) who need to figure out what the next steps for Windows will be. With the next version be a point release like XP was from Windows 2000 (XP was Version 5.1, Windows 2000 was Version 5). Or will the next release be a full version release - Windows Version 7.0?

But let’s look at Windows Vista in the “here and now” - Vista is a operating system developed and designed so that Microsoft can continue to improve the user experience over time through Windows Update and Ultimate Extras. Windows Vista RTM’d earlier this month but Microsoft still has some surprises for consumers when it hits the market in late January.