Do you remember Windows 95? It was a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of operating systems. It was released on August 24, 1995, and it was a huge leap forward from Windows 3.1, which came out three years earlier.
Some of the highlights of Windows 95 were:
The Start menu and taskbar, which were iconic features that made it easy to launch and manage applications on the desktop.
The plug-and-play system, which simplified the installation and configuration of hardware devices and drivers.
The 32-bit architecture, which improved the performance and stability of the system and allowed for more memory and multitasking.
The Internet Explorer browser, which was bundled with Windows 95 for the first time and enabled web browsing and online services.
The Windows Explorer file manager, which replaced the File Manager from Windows 3.1 and introduced features such as long file names, drag-and-drop, and context menus.
The Recycle Bin, which was a convenient way to restore deleted files and folders.
The games, such as Minesweeper, Solitaire, Hearts, and FreeCell, which were fun and addictive distractions for many users.
Windows 95 was also the first version of Windows to boot directly into a graphical interface instead of MS-DOS. However, it still had an MS-DOS kernel underneath, which meant that it could run most MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 applications without problems. It also faced competition from other operating systems, such as OS/2 and Mac OS.
Windows 95 was a massive success for Microsoft. It sold over seven million copies in the first five weeks of its release, and it made Windows the dominant operating system for personal computers. It also sparked a wave of innovation and creativity in the software industry, as developers created new applications and games for Windows 95.
Windows 95 is now considered obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. However, it still has a nostalgic appeal for many people who experienced it in their childhood or early days of computing. You can still run Windows 95 on modern machines using emulators or virtual machines, or you can visit websites that simulate the Windows 95 experience in your browser.
Windows 95 was a milestone in the history of personal computing. It made Windows mainstream for millions of users around the world. It also set the stage for the future development of Windows as we know it today.
Do you have any fond memories of Windows 95?