On November 20, 1985, the technological world changed forever. On that memorable day, Microsoft released Windows 1.0 - software that laid the first stone in the foundation of the operating system that dominates the personal computer landscape today. To run this miracle of early computer thought, an 8088 processor, a modest 256 KB of RAM and two disk drives were required. Windows 1.0 was not a full-fledged operating system, but rather a graphical shell on top of the crude MS-DOS, which introduced the first window tiles, drop-down menus and, most importantly, mouse control. A single floppy disk contained the beginning of the era in which we live.
The platform demonstrated a remarkable speed of development. Just two years later, Windows 2.0 (December 1987) introduced the revolutionary concept of overlapping and resizable windows, shaping the visual logic of the desktop that we still know. At that time, the first releases of the office applications Word and Excel also appeared, setting the cornerstone of office software. In the early 90s, Windows 3.0 and 3.1 brought a fresh look to the interface, with the introduction of the program manager, full-fledged icons and TrueType fonts. Windows 3.11 for Workgroups made a real breakthrough, allowing ordinary users to connect their machines in peer-to-peer networks - a practical step towards a connected world.
August 1995 brought the gold standard. Windows 95 introduced the iconic Start menu, Explorer, the taskbar, and long-awaited support for 32-bit programs. The system finally added support for long file names and Plug and Play technology, which dramatically simplified hardware connections. Subsequent versions, Windows 98 and Windows Me, improved USB support and power management. Windows 2000 marked a major watershed, introducing the stable 32-bit NT kernel with full multitasking and automatic system updates. This stability culminated in Windows XP (2001), which combined the best of the consumer and business segments, earning itself 13 years of official support. After the brief but severe disappointment caused by Windows Vista (due to its high requirements and instability), Windows 7 (2009) brought everything to perfection, becoming the benchmark for the ideal operating system for millions.
In its later releases, the emphasis shifted sharply towards unifying experiences. Windows 8 tried to embrace the tablet world with the new Metro Start screen, using full-screen tiles instead of the classic “Start” menu. This cutting transition was softened by 8.1, which made it easier to access the familiar desktop. In 2015, Windows 10 restored the hybrid “Start” menu with “live tiles” and moved to the “Windows as a Service” distribution model, making DirectX 12 the main API for modern gaming.
Today’s flagship, Windows 11 (October 2021), retains the powerful NT kernel, but introduces radical changes to the user interface and significantly increases hardware requirements. Most importantly, however, is the deep penetration of artificial intelligence. Microsoft clearly outlines the path to an agent-based operating system, where intelligent software will replace humans in performing most routine tasks. From a single floppy disk and 256 KB of RAM four decades ago, Windows has made an impressive journey to a futuristic platform powered by AI.