The Windows 3.x series of OSes saw many changes throughout the life time of the series. In my opinion this is the most fun series of windows operating systems to mess with. Windows 3.x is the first series of operating systems to include the “print manager, program manager, and file manager.” (Ward, 2019) All the Images on this page are from HongKait.
Windows 3.0 (May 22, 2019)
The third Major release in the Windows line of OS’s “This is the third major released of Microsoft Windows with an improved set of Windows icons and applications like File Manager, Program Manager that is still being used in today’s Windows. This 22 May 1990 released operating system is then replaced by Windows 3.1 two years later.” (Lim, 2017) Also according to the article From Windows 1 to Windows 10: 29 years of Windows evolution on The Guardian web page “The first Windows that required a hard drive launched in 1990. Windows 3 was the first version to see more widespread success and be considered a challenger to Apple’s Macintosh and the Commodore Amiga graphical user interfaces, coming pre-installed on computers from PC-compatible manufacturers including Zenith Data Systems. Windows 3 introduced the ability to run MS-DOS programmes in windows, which brought multitasking to legacy programmes, and supported 256 colours bringing a more modern, colourful look to the interface. More important – at least to the sum total of human time wasted – it introduced the card-moving timesink (and mouse use trainer) Solitaire.” (Gibbs, 2014)
Windows 3.01 (April 1992)
“Windows 1 and 2 both had point release updates, but Windows 3.1 released in 1992 is notable because it introduced TrueType fonts making Windows a viable publishing platform for the first time. Minesweeper also made its first appearance. Windows 3.1 required 1MB of RAM to run and allowed supported MS-DOS programs to be controlled with a mouse for the first time. Windows 3.1 was also the first Windows to be distributed on a CD-ROM, although once installed on a hard drive it only took up 10 to 15MB (a CD can typically store up to 700MB).” (Gibbs, 2014)
Windows NT 3.1
Windows NT 3.1 was released on July 27th 1993 and was the start to the NT series. According to the Wikipedia article, NT means “”NT” formerly expanded to “New Technology”” (Wikipedia, 2019) and the NT series was discontinued with Windows 2000. Windows NT had more security features that Windows 3.1.
Windows 3.11 (December, 31 1993)
Windows 3.11, the version of the 3.x series of Operating systems that should have been released first, in my opinion. Windows 3.11 was released on November 8th 1993 and had numerous changes to the 3.x series. According to The Guardian “A superset of Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11 added peer-to-peer workgroup and domain networking support. For the first time, Windows-based PCs were network-aware and became an integral part of the emerging client/server computing evolution.” (Gibbs, 2014) The OS is still 16 bit at this point.
Windows through the Ages 