News Ex-Microsoft exec unearths first-ever copy of Windows 95, in pristine condition and hidden from view since its release

[Admin]

The very first copy of Windows 95 was uncovered by one of Microsoft's ex-VPs, Brad Silverberg.

Ex-Microsoft exec unearths first-ever copy of Windows 95, in pristine condition and hidden from view since its release : Read more

 

[mitch074]

The first version of Windows 95 didn't support USB (nor AGP, for that matter), you had to install a patch or upgrade to OSR 2.x. Windows 95 brought hardware auto detection and peripherals Plug'n'Play.
The task bar/start menu was pretty much lifted from the GEM graphical interface. It also brought "real" 32-bit user space support to the masses.

 

[SSGBryan]

OS/2 would like a word......

 

[NedSmelly]

It’s crazy to reflect on how much hype surrounded the Win95 release. People queueing up at night for an operating system. An OS. I even recall people buying it and not knowing what it was for.

 

[USAFRet]

It’s crazy to reflect on how much hype surrounded the Win95 release. People queueing up at night for an operating system. An OS. I even recall people buying it and not knowing what it was for.

The same thing happened with Win 10, just online.

Day 0, Hour 0 of the initial Tech Preview, there were people doing the peepee dance, trying to make their download start sooner, or go faster.

 

[DSzymborski]

They really had a marketing blitz for Windows 95. And it was an important OS, too, because it was a proto-modern OS that was a big leap up for the masses. You can, of course, find OSs that implemented some of the big upgrades first, but none that had the same effect in usage among the general public. Back in the early 1990s, PCs were still described as "IBM compatible" and Windows was just another OS. Windows 95 is what basically blew much of the rest of the OS market out of the OS market.

 

[Rokinamerica]

Giddyup:

View: https://youtu.be/7CMv607U5w8?si=fscWwEpHmCs1LzSd

 

[adamboy64]

Giddyup:

View: https://youtu.be/7CMv607U5w8?si=fscWwEpHmCs1LzSd

Thanks for sharing this.
Amazing relic from the time where computers were more like our friends.

 

[ghdavid]

I have worked at Microsoft since February 1989. On the shelf behind me is the box of Windows 3.0 that Bill Gates carried on stage at the launch event in New York on May 22, 1990.

Box of Windows 3 autographed by Bill Gates

 

[jabliese]

They missed the most important feature of Win 95, it had a very good chance of running all day without needing a reboot.

 

[TheyCallMeContra]

The first version of Windows 95 didn't support USB (nor AGP, for that matter), you had to install a patch or upgrade to OSR 2.x. Windows 95 brought hardware auto detection and peripherals Plug'n'Play.
The task bar/start menu was pretty much lifted from the GEM graphical interface. It also brought "real" 32-bit user space support to the masses.

I specifically said W95 didn't have USB support...why are you restating this as if I said otherwise? Apologies if I'm misunderstanding the intent here.

 

[TerryLaze]

It’s crazy to reflect on how much hype surrounded the Win95 release. People queueing up at night for an operating system. An OS. I even recall people buying it and not knowing what it was for.

Try using your PC with only this for a day and you will completely understand why people went crazy.

 

[mitch074]

I specifically said W95 didn't have USB support...why are you restating this as if I said otherwise? Apologies if I'm misunderstanding the intent here.

Either I misread, or the article was edited - I dunno. At the time, AGP support was more contentious than USB, because the 3D leader was 3dfx and they didn't support it natively, while Ati and Nvidia (and Matrox, and some others) did get support rather quickly.

 

[TheyCallMeContra]

Either I misread, or the article was edited - I dunno. At the time, AGP support was more contentious than USB, because the 3D leader was 3dfx and they didn't support it natively, while Ati and Nvidia (and Matrox, and some others) did get support rather quickly.

You indeed misread, that paragraph was present in my original draft. I was directly comparing USB support to W98, though to your credit I didn't really mention AGP at all.

 

[husker]

My biggest complaint about Win95 was that the first thing you did to shutdown was hit "Start".

 

[Wolfshadw]

Try using your PC with only this for a day and you will completely understand why people went crazy.

Not complaining about Windows (too much), but I had no problem with this.
C:\DOOM\DOOM.EXE...

-Wolf sends