Games - Windows 1.0

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	Games - Windows 1.0

Windows 1.0, released on November 20 1985, was Microsoft's first attempt to implement a multi-tasking graphical user interface-based operating environment on the PC platform.

Features

Unlike later versions, Windows 1.0 offered limited multitasking of existing MS-DOS programs and concentrated on creating an interaction paradigm, an execution model and a stable API for native programs for the future. Due to Microsoft's extensive support for backward compatibility, it's not only possible to execute Windows 1.0 binary programs on current versions of Windows to a large extent, but also to recompile their source code into an equally functional "modern" application, with just limited modifications.

Windows 1.0 was often mistakenly regarded as a "front-end to the MS-DOS operating system", a description which was also applied to subsequent versions of Windows. Indeed, Windows 1.0 was started from MS-DOS, Windows 1.0 programs could call MS-DOS functions, and GUI programs were run from .exe files just like MS-DOS programs. However, Windows .exe files had their own "new executable" (NE) file format, which only Windows could process and which for example allowed demand-loading of code and data. Applications were supposed to handle memory only through Windows' own memory management system, which implemented a software-based virtual memory scheme allowing for applications larger than available RAM.

The treatment of Windows 1.0 as a "DOS front-end" fails to take into consideration that it was designed to be just a graphics environment used by applications, rather than a full-fledged operating system. Windows 1.0 included original device drivers for video cards, mice, keyboards, printers and serial communications. Applications were supposed to only invoke APIs built upon these drivers. Given that contemporary graphics support in MS-DOS was extremely limited and given the limited usefulness of the other services, MS-DOS applications had to go to the bare hardware (or sometimes just to the BIOS) to get work done. Therefore, rather than being a front-end to MS-DOS, Windows 1.0 complemented and partially replaced it. The level of replacement would increase in subsequent versions.

Version history

The first release version was actually numbered 1.01. However, it is rumored that version 1.00 was actually released but quickly pulled due to a severe flaw. There were also experimental versions that got out, such as the 0.9 beta.

Version 1.02, released in May 1986 was international and had editions in several European languages.

Version 1.03, released in August 1986, was US-only, with enhancements making it consistent with the international release. It included drivers for European keyboards and additional screen and printer drivers.

Version 1.04, released in April 1987, added support for the VGA graphics adapters of the new IBM PS/2 computers. At the same time Microsoft and IBM announced the introduction of OS/2 and its graphical OS/2 Presentation Manager, which were supposed to ultimately replace both MS-DOS and Windows.

Windows 1.0x was superseded in November 1987, with the release of Windows 2.0.

Details

The system requirements for Windows 1.0 constituted MS-DOS 2.0, 256 KB RAM, and 2 double-sided disk drives or a hard drive.

This first version of Windows ran a shell program known as MS-DOS Executive. Other supplied programs were Calculator, Calendar, Cardfile, Clipboard viewer, Clock, Control Panel, Notepad, Paint, Reversi, Terminal, Write, and the command prompt.

One of the interesting aspects of the system were the non-overlapping windows, which were instead tiled. Only dialog boxes could appear over other windows.

Windows 1.0 executables, while having the same .exe extension and initial file header as MS-DOS programs, did not yet contain the so-called MS-DOS stub which prints the "This program requires Microsoft Windows" message and exits when the program is run outside of Windows. Instead, the file header was formatted in such a way as to make DOS reject the executable with a "program too large to fit in memory" error message.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Windows 1.0 ]

Games - Windows 1.0

Features

Version history

Details

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