When we think of Microsoft Windows, we often associate it with the iconic logo and user-friendly interface that has become a staple in today’s digital world. However, did you know that the original name of Windows was not Windows at all, but rather Interface Manager?
Developed by Microsoft, Interface Manager was designed to be a graphical user interface (GUI) for the operating system MS-DOS. It was initially announced by Microsoft founder Bill Gates on November 10, 1983, but it wasn’t until November 20, 1985, that it was formally launched with the name Windows.
So why the name change? Microsoft wanted a name that would better convey the multitasking capabilities and graphical interface that Interface Manager offered. Thus, Windows was chosen as it represented the idea of multiple overlapping windows on the screen, which was a key feature of the new operating system.
Windows 1.0 was introduced as a graphical shell extension for MS-DOS, meaning it ran on top of the existing operating system. While Windows 1.0 was visually impressive for its time, featuring a tiled windowing system, drop-down menus, and dialog boxes, it was not an instant success. Users found it to be sluggish, and it faced competition from other GUI-based environments.
However, Microsoft didn’t give up and continued to refine and improve upon their operating system. With each subsequent version, Windows gained more popularity and functionality, eventually becoming the dominant operating system in the consumer market.
As Windows evolved, so did its name. Starting with Windows 3.0 in 1990, each new release carried the prefix “Windows” followed by a version number. Today, we have Windows 10, the latest iteration of Microsoft’s operating system.
In conclusion, while the original name of Windows was Interface Manager, it was later changed to Windows to better represent its multitasking capabilities and graphical user interface. Despite its initial struggles, Windows has grown to become one of the most widely used operating systems worldwide.
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