MICROSOFT Windows is one of the most used software in the world, but where does its name come from?
It dates back nearly four decades, but its origins remain a mystery to many.
First, it’s important to remember that early computers were very different from today’s machines.
At that time, you only saw very basic readings on the screens.
The most used command interfaces where you would simply enter and receive lines of text.
But as computers got more powerful, it became clear that the world needed graphics.
This is why graphical user interfaces have started to appear – Xerox being an early pioneer – that are more like modern computers.
This led to the creation of the WIMP system: Windows, Icons, Menu and Pointer.
By using a WIMP graphics system, you can navigate the computer’s virtual innards much more easily.
And that’s where Microsoft gets its Windows name from.
Those pop-ups on computers that we now take for granted weren’t always there.
And because the Windows operating system relied so heavily on Windows, this seemed like the perfect fit.
But when Microsoft started developing the Windows program in 1981, it had a very different name.
It was first known as Interface Manager.
However, Microsoft eventually chose to announce it as Windows in November 1983, before officially releasing Windows 1.0 in 1985.
It didn’t achieve mass popularity initially, facing fierce competition from Apple and others.
But now Windows is now a global brand.
Over 1.4 billion monthly active devices are running Windows 10 or Windows 11.
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And that doesn’t count all devices using older versions, either.
Would it have had the same success if it had launched under the name of Interface Manager? Bill Gates is probably very happy with his choice.
