TAG | Goodbye Windows 3.x, fondly remembered, not missed |
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| by Alex Zaharov-Reutt | |
| Friday, 07 November 2008 | |
  
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Although support for the OS was offered until the end of 2001 and discontinued by most long before that, embedded systems in planes, cash registers and ticketing systems continued using the OS, and some still do. The BBC took us down memory lane, reminding us of Windows 3.x’s system requirements: an 8086/8088 processor, 640KB of RAM, 7MB of hard disk space and a CGA, EGA or VGA graphics card. Windows 3.0 was the first version of Windows I took seriously – Windows 1.0 and 2.0 just weren’t compelling enough for me to move from DOS at the time. Indeed, I remember using Quarterdesk software to do semi-multitasking in DOS, although the sessions weren’t concurrent. Still, those were the days when I actually enjoyed using the command line and had completely mastered it. These days delving into the command line is rare – unless I’m trying to make something work in Linux. Sorry Linux guys but you know it’s true! Windows 3.x includes Windows 3.0, 3.1 and 3.11, and the departure of 3.x opens up room for more Linux embedded systems, although Linux embedded has been a trend for a long time and it’s doubtful too many people were waiting for November 1, 2008 to come along to make a switch. Embedded systems also make use of Microsoft’s Windows CE platform, and can be seen in GPS systems, although Tom Tom uses Linux embedded there. Bits of Windows 3.0 seem to live on in Windows Vista today – things like the add font control panel, Paint and Notepad amongst others – in looks at least, if not also in underlying code. However Windows 7 finally updates some of these things with the Ribbon UI interface, delivering new capabilities, although Notepad is still notepad after all these years. So, goodbye Windows 3.x. You’re very fondly remembered, but in an age of Windows 7 and Linux distros like Ubuntu 8.10, you’re definitely not missed. |
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