#dailywindowsfact — Public Fediverse posts

The Windows wordmark font has changed many times. The original used Goudy. Windows 3 (1990) changed it to Times New Roman. NT 3.5 (1994) introduced Baskerville Old Face. Franklin Gothic was used from 95 (1995) to XP (2001). Since Vista (2006), variants of Segoe UI have been used. #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Logo #Wordmark

Windows 8 (2012) shipped with 2 versions of Internet Explorer: the regular "desktop" variant, plus a new, touch-friendly, full screen "Metro" variant. In the latter, most of the window chrome is hidden & must be accessed using touch gestures (e.g. swiping ⬇️ to view/manage tabs). #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows8 #Windows81 #InternetExplorer #Metro

Mars was a Windows component that powered the so-called Activity Centres - an experimental, task-centred UI tested in early builds of Windows ME (2000) & Codename Neptune (cancelled). Whilst the Activity Centres were scrapped, Mars lived on to power ME’s Help & Support app. ;-) #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsMillenniumEdition #WindowsME #WindowsCodenameNaptune #WindowsNeptune #ActivityCenters #ActivityCentres

Live Tiles, introduced in Windows Phone 7 (2010), are UI elements acting both as app shortcuts & dynamic information feeds. Part of Microsoft’s Metro UI, they were later added to desktop Windows in Windows 8 (2012). Kept in Windows 10, they were deprecated in Windows 11 (2021). #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsPhone7 #Windows8 #Windows81 #Windows10 #Windows11 #LiveTiles #Metro

Live Tiles, introduced in Windows Phone 7 (2010), are UI elements acting both as app shortcuts & dynamic information feeds. Part of Microsoft’s Metro UI, they were later added to desktop Windows in Windows 8 (2012). Kept in Windows 10, they were deprecated in Windows 11 (2021). #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsPhone7 #Windows8 #Windows81 #Windows10 #Windows11 #LiveTiles #Metro

Live Tiles, introduced in Windows Phone 7 (2010), are UI elements acting both as app shortcuts & dynamic information feeds. Part of Microsoft’s Metro UI, they were later added to desktop Windows in Windows 8 (2012). Kept in Windows 10, they were deprecated in Windows 11 (2021). #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsPhone7 #Windows8 #Windows81 #Windows10 #Windows11 #LiveTiles #Metro

Live Tiles, introduced in Windows Phone 7 (2010), are UI elements acting both as app shortcuts & dynamic information feeds. Part of Microsoft’s Metro UI, they were later added to desktop Windows in Windows 8 (2012). Kept in Windows 10, they were deprecated in Windows 11 (2021). #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsPhone7 #Windows8 #Windows81 #Windows10 #Windows11 #LiveTiles #Metro

Live Tiles, introduced in Windows Phone 7 (2010), are UI elements acting both as app shortcuts & dynamic information feeds. Part of Microsoft’s Metro UI, they were later added to desktop Windows in Windows 8 (2012). Kept in Windows 10, they were deprecated in Windows 11 (2021). #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsPhone7 #Windows8 #Windows81 #Windows10 #Windows11 #LiveTiles #Metro

The original release of Windows 10 (2015) had a hidden surprise for fans of Windows 8’s (2012) Start screen. With seemingly no-one on the Windows 10 dev team tasked with removing the underlying code, a simple hack allowed it to be reactivated in (almost) all its former glory. 😎 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows8 #Windows81 #Windows10

Windows 8 (2012) introduced accent colours - colour schemes that could be applied to its new, touch-optimised UI, such as the Start screen. Accent colours would return in Windows 10 (2015), where they were applied to the desktop. This remains the case in Windows 11 (2021). 🎨🖌️ #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows8 #Windows81 #Windows10 #Windows11

If Windows ever had an identity crisis, it was Windows NT 3.1 build 196. Compiled in September 1991, the CD for this build featured 3 different logos, & the build itself identifies in various places as either NT 1, NT 32-bit Windows, NT-386, NT Windows or Windows NT Version 3. 😵‍💫 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsNT #WindowsNT31

When support for a Windows version ends, users don’t necessarily stop using it. There are many reasons, e.g. hardware/software compatibility, better performance or personal preference. Now Windows 8.1 (2013) is unsupported, where’s it still used? More @ https://youtu.be/F79lr4ULmjM! #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows8 #Windows81

Windows 8 (2012) was the 1st version of Windows since Windows NT 3.51 (1995) to not have a Start button. The 1st build in which the Start button is removable is build 7899 from December 2010. Famously, it would be restored in Windows 8.1 (2013) after a backlash from users. 🚫👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows8 #WindowsNT351 #Windows81

Windows RT 8.1, released on 17th October 2013, was an edition of Windows 8.1 designed for 32-bit ARM PCs. As RT was not upgradable to Windows 10 (2015), Microsoft released an update to add a Start menu to the OS. This makes RT the only edition of Windows 8/8.1 with a Start menu. #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsRT #Windows8 #Windows 81

Windows 8.1 (2013) aimed to improve the Windows 8 (2012) UX, especially for mouse/keyboard users. This famously included the return of the Start button (though not the menu). Microsoft will end support for Windows 8.1 on 10th January 2023. More @ https://youtu.be/YHhssiMo4KE! 🎱🪦👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows8 #Windows81

Microsoft spent $250m marketing Windows XP (2001), including launch events in 63 cities across the world. The UK launch took place at the Royal Festival Hall, London. It was hosted by Microsoft’s then-CEO @[email protected], who prophesised that XP would be “the Windows to beat”. #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsXP #SteveBallmer #StevenBallmer

On New Year’s Eve 1999, PC users anticipated the Millennium Bug: an issue where some OSes couldn’t recognise dates after 31/12/99, causing app/system malfunctions. Microsoft’s latest version of Windows, Windows 98 SE, was deemed “millennium compliant” & suffered no major issues. #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows98 #Windows98SE #MillenniumBug #Y2KProblem #Y2K #Millennium #NewYearsEve

The Windows 1 BYTE build is the 1st EVER known build of Windows. It was shown in December 1983’s BYTE Magazine, after Microsoft announced Windows that November. The UI is centred around a command bar at the bottom of the screen, called the “session-control layer”. #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows1

Windows 1, released on 20th November 1985, was the longest-supported version of Windows. It was declared unsupported by Microsoft as of 31st December 2001, meaning that it was eligible for support for over 16 years. 🤯 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows1

Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a Blue Screen Of Death - its correct name is a Ctrl-Alt-Del Screen. Introduced in Windows 3.1 (1992), it was shown if a user pressed Ctrl+Alt+Del with no unresponsive apps to kill. It was coded by Raymond Chen, with text by Steve Ballmer. #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #RaymondChen #SteveBallmer #StevenBallmer #BSOD #BlueScreen #BlueScreenOfDeath #Windows31

In 1988, Microsoft General Manager of Western US Sales, Dave Jaworski, explained the company’s stance on Windows: “[Windows] is a short-term product. [...] OS/2 is built for the 286 [processor] platform & beyond, & it really is the operating system & a platform for the future.” #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows2 #OS2 #IBM

Windows originally shipped on 5.25” floppy disks. Windows 1 came on 5 disks, with users having to remove & insert each disk, one by one, to complete setup. Later, higher capacity 3.5” floppies would be used, followed eventually by CDs & DVDs. More @ https://youtu.be/gwftLHz9H7Y! 💾💿 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows1 #FloppyDisks #Floppies

Windows 3.1 (1992) introduced screensavers to Windows. These full-screen, animated images &/or text aimed to prevent so-called “burn-in” on CRT monitors. Screensavers such as Flying Windows & 3D Maze became popular with users over time. Learn more @ https://youtu.be/0kE6fBA0jhg! 🖥️👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Screensavers #Windows31 #FlyingWindows #3DMaze

Windows 3.1 (1992) introduced screensavers to Windows. These full-screen, animated images &/or text aimed to prevent so-called “burn-in” on CRT monitors. Screensavers such as Flying Windows & 3D Maze became popular with users over time. Learn more @ https://youtu.be/0kE6fBA0jhg! 🖥️👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Screensavers #Windows31 #FlyingWindows #3DMaze

Windows 3.1 (1992) introduced screensavers to Windows. These full-screen, animated images &/or text aimed to prevent so-called “burn-in” on CRT monitors. Screensavers such as Flying Windows & 3D Maze became popular with users over time. Learn more @ https://youtu.be/0kE6fBA0jhg! 🖥️👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Screensavers #Windows31 #FlyingWindows #3DMaze

Windows 3.1 (1992) introduced screensavers to Windows. These full-screen, animated images &/or text aimed to prevent so-called “burn-in” on CRT monitors. Screensavers such as Flying Windows & 3D Maze became popular with users over time. Learn more @ https://youtu.be/0kE6fBA0jhg! 🖥️👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Screensavers #Windows31 #FlyingWindows #3DMaze

Windows 3.1 (1992) introduced screensavers to Windows. These full-screen, animated images &/or text aimed to prevent so-called “burn-in” on CRT monitors. Screensavers such as Flying Windows & 3D Maze became popular with users over time. Learn more @ https://youtu.be/0kE6fBA0jhg! 🖥️👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Screensavers #Windows31 #FlyingWindows #3DMaze

1991’s Multimedia Extensions for Windows 3 (1990) introduced a startup sound to Windows. Since then, many sounds - of varying genres & by a variety of composers, incl. @brianeno - have accompanied the startup of different Windows versions. Learn more @ https://youtu.be/1RjIiN40bkI! 🔊 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows3 #StartupSound #BrianEno #TheMicrosoftSound

For the development of Windows 1 (1985), Microsoft had to decide between 2 so-called “windowing systems”: tiled or overlapping. The name “Windows” was chosen in reference to these windowing systems. But which one did the Windows team choose, & why? More @ https://youtu.be/-pWxKrfxMZc! #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows1 #RowlandHanson #ScottMcGregor #BillGates #TandyTrower

The Start Page was a full-screen UI tested in various builds of Windows ME, Codename Neptune (scrapped) & XP in 1999-2000. Designed to overlay the desktop, it was ultimately scrapped. A similar idea appeared in Windows 8 (2012) as the Start screen. More @ https://youtu.be/3W14s-4-hJ4! #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows8 #StartScreen #WindowsME #WindowsNeptune #WindowsXP

User account pictures are images that represent users around Windows. They 1st appeared in Windows Codename Neptune - a cancelled Windows version that Microsoft worked on in the late 90s. Their official debut came in Windows XP (2001). Learn more @ https://youtu.be/ICqEit4Rv_8! 📸👱🏻‍♂️👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsNeptune #WindowsXP #WindowsVista #Windows7 #Windows8 #Windows10 #Windows11 #UserAccountPictures

Recycle Bin stores deleted files in Windows. Existing as Trash in early builds of Windows 1 (1985) before being scrapped, it appeared as Wastebasket in Windows Codename Cairo (later cancelled), before its eventual debut in Windows 95 (1995). More @ https://youtu.be/RGGADnDGhHA! ♻️🗑️👀 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #RecycleBin #Windows1 #WindowsCodenameCairo #Windows95

Calculator is a Windows app for maths operations. Introduced in Windows 1 (1985), it was initially basic, but gained features over the years such as: a scientific mode (Windows 3, 1990), operations history (Windows 7, 2009) & currency conversion (Windows 10 FC Update, 2017). 🧮 #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Calculator #Windows1 #Windows3 #Windows7 #Windows10

Release Candidates (RCs) were post-beta development builds of Windows. As their name suggests, devs were confident in the stability of these “candidates for release”. During testing, any last-minute issues would be fixed, leading to the final Release To Manufacturing (RTM) build. #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #Windows3 #WindowsXP #WindowsVista #WindowsServer2012

In 2011, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer & Nokia CEO Stephen Elop announced a partnership that would see Nokia - the largest phone manufacturer at the time - adopt the Windows Phone OS on its devices. The venture was unsuccessful: Nokia fell from #1 to #10 in phone sales by 2013. #DailyWindowsFact #Microsoft #Windows #WindowsPhone #Nokia #SteveBallmer #StevenBallmer #StephenElop