Windows 1.01 November RC disk 5 (Write 0.92)

[Overdoze]

This has been available online for years now, and some of you probably already knew about it, but for those who didn't: you can get disk 5 of a Windows 1.01 release candidate build from early November 1985 with Microsoft Windows Write 0.92 on it here. Notice that the file name contains the date 1985-11-04 which could mean this particular build was from 4th November 1985, but unfortunately this can't be confirmed without the other disks.

That's all there is to it, no traces of the other disks. The disk contains two files, PRACTICE.DOC dated 9th September 1985 (it's identical to the one from 1.01 RTM, save for the filedate obviously), and WRITE.EXE dated 1st November 1985, which is significantly different from the final version, but it appears to be mostly under the hood changes, as my quick look didn't reveal any obvious visual differences. The about dialog identifies it as version 0.92 (RTM Write is version 1.00 in Windows 1.01).


(yes, it runs in 1.01 RTM just fine)

Still, this does tell us that even two weeks before the RTM build was made (14/15th November 1985), they were still making not-so-minor changes to it. Hopefully the rest of the build will be recovered some day.

[whistler2250]

If only we had the full disk set...

[Overdoze]

Here's how the disk looked like:



So this label pretty much confirms this build is from 4th November 1985. It's also got a pretty interesting name and version.

[xelloss]

Here's how the disk looked like:



So this label pretty much confirms this build is from 4th November 1985. It's also got a pretty interesting name and version.

Interestingly, this disk claims to be for Windows 1.00(.09) and not 1.01.

[Overdoze]

That's just how they versioned it for some reason, it's still basically an RC build of 1.01.

[DiskingRound]

maybe 1.00.09 was the precursor to 1.01? (1.00.10 = 1.01)? and also, that October RC? what is it? 1.00.08? 1.00.07? a premiere alternative?
it appears the more we see the less we know in this case.

[xelloss]

That's just how they versioned it for some reason, it's still basically an RC build of 1.01.

It sure is, but I'm trying to understand Microsoft's versioning policy at the time.
We have growing evidence that the choice of using the version number 1.01 was just marketing:
- Windows 1.01 identifies itself to programs as 1.00
- no pre-release of Windows 1.01 is known to use that version number, and although in most cases there is no version number at all, this late "release candidate" floppy has a label marked "1.00".

[Overdoze]

I think code samples from the Premiere Edition SDK already have version 1.01. They were posted by Ray Ozzie but since removed, there was one other site with photos of code sample from the manual, still trying to find it. And RubyTuesday said the applications from the 28th October 1985 RC (originally trueyanksfan's overwritten PE disks) are version 1.01.

EDIT: Found it here. While it's not 100% confirmed anywhere that the sample C code and the resource script are from the same manual, it's possible. Which would mean that version 1.01 was already considered around the time Premiere Edition was released.