With the imminent 20th Anniversary of Microsoft Windows, I thought it would be good to go back to the beginnings, to that first typewriter powered version known as Windows 59. Bill Gates was kinda young in those days, but it didn't stop him and his friend Paul Allen from deciding there was a vision for the future.
The next stop was Windows 1.0. This created a colourful version of the same typewriter, but with the added benefit that you could draw squiggly lines using $2500 of computer equipment instead of a pencil and paper. The original paintbrush application was supported by the equally formidible 'calculator' application, which did addition, subtraction, multiplication and even long division.
Bill knew there was still a way to go in those days, and in addition to his office using the PC, he kept an Apple Mac in the corner for other aspects of his work and play.
Later, as Bill became rich, he moved to a rather nice home on the shores of the lakes around Seattle, and some say the views from his own windows started to influence his further thoughts about his operating system.
And this (minus a few release levels and security patches) brings us right up to date. The spotlight is moving to forthcoming Vista which Microsoft is building with quartz precision. The core image of the new product may still be on safari in the long grass at the moment, but we look forward to wishing it 'Bonjour' during 2006.
Tag: windows, microsoft, vista
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