Windows 1.0/COMDEX 1983: Difference between revisions

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These are early demonstrations of Microsoft Windows from between November 1983 and January 1984, with one shot showing a date of November 10th, 1983, at around 09:24.
[[File:windowscomdex16.png|thumb|Microsoft Windows COMDEX 1983 demonstration shown with applications running side-by-side]]
This early pre-release version of [[Microsoft]] [[Windows]] was demonstrated at the COMDEX 1983 trade show.


==Applications shown running==
== User Interface ==
*Text (Images 1, 2, and 4)
The user interface has changed significantly since the previous version shown in the BYTE Magazine December 1983 issue.
*Microsoft Word (Image 3)
*Calendar (Images 1 and 4)
*Paint (Image 1)
*Plan (Image 3)
*Chart (Image 3)
*MS-DOS session (Image 4)


The session-control layer has since been removed and various other parts of the user interface have been restructured. Controls for each application are now shown in separate windows rather than a fixed area of the screen, making general usability far more convenient for users.


<Gallery>
Other changes since the previous version include the use of window alerts at the top of the screen. These can display information pertaining to a particular program that is currently running; for example, selecting the "Time and Date" option in the Clock program menu will display the date and time at the top of the screen.
File:WindowsDR1.1.jpg|Text, Calendar, Paint
 
File:WindowsDR1.2.jpg|Text
Since the removal of the session-control layer, minimized applications can also reside as icons in the bottom of the screen area. This allows for easier switching between currently running tasks.
File:Win1983p9.jpg|Microsoft Word, Plan, Chart
 
File:1044029 491509960927440 1911246501 n.jpg|MS-DOS session, Text, Calendar
== Windows applications ==
</Gallery>
One major change since the previous version is the introduction of Windows applications for use on a daily basis. These include a graphics viewer, the "Text" editor for opening text files, and early versions of Clock and Calendar.
 
== MS-DOS application support ==
The MS-DOS command interpreter (COMMAND.COM) and all other MS-DOS-based applications can be accessed from the "MS-DOS 2.0 Window". Note that Windows allows for co-operative multitasking of both MS-DOS and Windows-based applications. Much like with PC-DOS and MS-DOS, file management was done from the same "MS-DOS 2.0 Window" which acted as a replacement for COMMAND.COM in Microsoft Windows.
 
== System files ==
Shown on drive A: are the following files (listed in alphabetical order):
- A01.PIC: Sample graphics file
- AUTOEXEC.BAT: MS-DOS AUTOEXEC.BAT file
- LIFE.EXE: LIFE demo for Microsoft Mouse
- MOUSE.COM: Microsoft Mouse system file
- MOUSE.LIB: Microsoft Mouse system file
- MOUSE.SYS: Microsoft Mouse system file
- MSWIN.EXE: Executable file used to load Microsoft Windows
- NOTEPAD.COM: Notepad program for Microsoft Mouse
- NP.BAT: Batch file for launching Notepad
- NP.COD: Notepad system file
- NP.HLP: Help file for Notepad
- PIANO.BAS: PIANO demo for Microsoft Mouse (BASIC/BASICA)
- PIANO.EXE: PIANO demo for Microsoft Mouse (binary executable format)
 
== Support for different computer models ==
This pre-release version also featured support for WANG machines in addition to the IBM Personal Computer and compatibles.


==Higher resolution recreation==
==Other demonstrations==
[[Windows 1.0/BYTE|BYTE magazine demonstration]] and [[Windows 1.0/PC Magazine|"PC Magazine" demonstration]]


== Gallery ==
<Gallery>
<Gallery>
DR1_HQ_Recreate.png|Recreation of "Text" editor application shown running in the COMDEX 1983 demo
windowscomdex1.png
windowscomdex2.png
windowscomdex3.png
windowscomdex4.png
windowscomdex5.png
windowscomdex6.png
windowscomdex7.png
windowscomdex8.png
windowscomdex9.png
windowscomdex10.png
windowscomdex11.png
windowscomdex12.png
windowscomdex13.png
windowscomdex14.png
windowscomdex15.png
windowscomdex16.png
windowscomdex17.png
windowscomdex18.png
windowscomdex19.png
windowscomdex20.png
windowscomdex21.png
windowscomdex22.png
windowscomdex31.png
windowscomdex32.png
</Gallery>
</Gallery>
== External links ==
* [http://toastytech.com/guis/wincdx.html Microsoft Windows at Fall Comdex 1983]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=uy8EAAAAMBAJ "Now Microsoft Does Windows" (InfoWorld) (November 21st, 1983)]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=jC4EAAAAMBAJ "Microsoft gives preview of Windows, due out in May" (InfoWorld) (April 9th, 1984)]

Revision as of 08:21, 16 July 2020

Microsoft Windows COMDEX 1983 demonstration shown with applications running side-by-side

This early pre-release version of Microsoft Windows was demonstrated at the COMDEX 1983 trade show.

User Interface

The user interface has changed significantly since the previous version shown in the BYTE Magazine December 1983 issue.

The session-control layer has since been removed and various other parts of the user interface have been restructured. Controls for each application are now shown in separate windows rather than a fixed area of the screen, making general usability far more convenient for users.

Other changes since the previous version include the use of window alerts at the top of the screen. These can display information pertaining to a particular program that is currently running; for example, selecting the "Time and Date" option in the Clock program menu will display the date and time at the top of the screen.

Since the removal of the session-control layer, minimized applications can also reside as icons in the bottom of the screen area. This allows for easier switching between currently running tasks.

Windows applications

One major change since the previous version is the introduction of Windows applications for use on a daily basis. These include a graphics viewer, the "Text" editor for opening text files, and early versions of Clock and Calendar.

MS-DOS application support

The MS-DOS command interpreter (COMMAND.COM) and all other MS-DOS-based applications can be accessed from the "MS-DOS 2.0 Window". Note that Windows allows for co-operative multitasking of both MS-DOS and Windows-based applications. Much like with PC-DOS and MS-DOS, file management was done from the same "MS-DOS 2.0 Window" which acted as a replacement for COMMAND.COM in Microsoft Windows.

System files

Shown on drive A: are the following files (listed in alphabetical order):

- A01.PIC: Sample graphics file
- AUTOEXEC.BAT: MS-DOS AUTOEXEC.BAT file
- LIFE.EXE: LIFE demo for Microsoft Mouse
- MOUSE.COM: Microsoft Mouse system file
- MOUSE.LIB: Microsoft Mouse system file
- MOUSE.SYS: Microsoft Mouse system file
- MSWIN.EXE: Executable file used to load Microsoft Windows
- NOTEPAD.COM: Notepad program for Microsoft Mouse
- NP.BAT: Batch file for launching Notepad
- NP.COD: Notepad system file
- NP.HLP: Help file for Notepad
- PIANO.BAS: PIANO demo for Microsoft Mouse (BASIC/BASICA)
- PIANO.EXE: PIANO demo for Microsoft Mouse (binary executable format)

Support for different computer models

This pre-release version also featured support for WANG machines in addition to the IBM Personal Computer and compatibles.

Other demonstrations

BYTE magazine demonstration and "PC Magazine" demonstration

Gallery

External links