Windows history - full graphics from 1.0 to windows 8

I thought that it would be interesting for everyone to see as a whole, Windows graphic evolution from the first developer release (1984) to Windows 8.
Oddly, and in spite of all my thorough research through the hundreds, if not thousands, of pages related to the subject, I haven't find any similar graphics gathered together! Of course, there's are "beta collectors", "Microsoft collectors", but no exhaustive "graphics collectors"...

This do not include MS-DOS evolution alone, as it does not offer any graphic evolution/interface and as it wasn't a Microsoft creation, back in 1981.
Although I added some beta versions, I haven't fully expanded all of these beta, as it would needed hundreds of pages to be the more detailed possible. I would be interesting however to work on this, and this will be maybe the subject of another release!

Of course, I'm open to any suggest, criticism or comments. After each chapter, a Divshare link will be given for the original graphic to be donwloaded. The original single files are also available; but please note that the ratio could not be conserved, as there are different format sizes

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Summary:

1- "Pre-release" versions - 16-bits MS-DOS kernel-based - from "developer release 5" to "1.00 premiere edition"
2- 16-bits MS-DOS kernel-based - from "Windows" 1.0 to "Windows 3.2"
3- 16/32-bits architecture and GUI-based 9xx - from "Windows Chicago build 58S" to "Windows Me"
4- 32 bits architecture and NT-based - from "Windows NT 3.1" to "Windows Neptune" 1st part "Windows NT" and "Windows 2000"
5- 32/64 bits architecture and NT-based - from "Windows Whistler" to "Windows 8" 2nd part "Wndows XP, Vista, Seven and 8"
6- Sources and references

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1- "Pre-release" versions - 16-bits MS-DOS kernel-based - from "developer release 5" to "1.00 premiere edition"



Link to the original file

2- 16-bits MS-DOS kernel-based - from "Windows" 1.0 to "Windows 3.2"







Link to the original file

Pretty sure that doesn't show all the way to windows 8 not even windows 95 lol, could you please post all the pics?

awwww.. memories ....


thx for sharing

3- 16/32-bits architecture and GUI-based 9xx - from "Windows Chicago build 58S" to "Windows Me"






Link to the original file

4- 32 bits architecture and NT-based - from "Windows NT 3.1" to "Windows Neptune" 1st part "Windows NT" and "Windows 2000"







Link to the original file

Ahhh... i remember Windows 3.1

5- 32/64 bits architecture and NT-based - from "Windows Whistler" to "Windows 8" 2nd part "Wndows XP, Vista, Seven and 8"





Link to the original file

Eeekk.. given that I reconise them it really makes me feel really old... which just triggered a memmory.. my first portable comp... An Amstrad PPC640 running on I think 8 D size batteries and able to run MsDos 3 for about 30 mins

6- Sources and references

- Windows history: "Starsi PC"
- GUIs Windows history: "Toastytech"
- Windows history: "Compu-Seite"
- Windows history: "PC Museum"
- Windows history: "WinHistory"
- Windows history: "OS-history" - All the betas

- Wikipage

- Leaks of Windows 8: "Seer Press"

- Empty desktop screenshoots: "Guidebook gallery"
- WIN32 screenshoots: "Sourceforge"

- Beta Collector: "Beta Archives"

- Complete versions of Windows: "Microsoft Windows Collection Book: the collection"
- Complete version of Windows: "Microsoft Windows Collection Book: Rob Jansen's blog"

Haha, It is surprising to notice that Microsoft managed to keep the same UI (user interface) Of the taskbar and start button for a while. It is nice to see the progression of the Microsoft OS's though being a Linux user, but Microsoft has always been my first.

My favorite was windows 2000. It was lean and fast for gaming.

Ah brings back memories indeed

My first version of windows was the '286' version back in '89 and I still have the bundle of genuine MS floppies it was distributed on (probably unreadable by now) along with a very early version of Word. I've been PC'ing since before there was any Microsoft at all (think 8080s, CP/M was a new thing and what the hell was a floppy disk let alone a HDD)

Ahh the memories....

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7aa7a1301d5f.jpg[/atsimg]

We've put up with a lot - God bless you Bill Gates, I don't care what they all say about you

Haha...Windows was into the tribal thing before the tribal thing was cool.

AMIGA OS

all you windows phreaks can go to |-|3LL (:

Great thread! This brings back memories of high school, college, and post-college life. Nice change of pace from all the gloom and doom in the news nowadays.

ME was a complete joke but it's still an important part of the Windows family as it was a bridge build between 98 and Xp. It was also the first Windows OS to have Restore, if memory serves me correctly.

When I bought my first desktop, everything was still horribly expensive and computers really didn't do much compared to today. I bought ME for my machine because it was cheaper than 2000 and I thought it would be better than 98. I drank the Microsoft marketing Kool-Aid on that one and got burned.

Yes. Ahhh...the memories....

Ahh, the memories.

This was the first start-up screen I used:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/ebec912d127a.gif[/atsimg]

The C-64.