Windows 1.0/COMDEX 1983

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

This early pre-release version of Windows was shipped to testers in November 1983, and was also 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.

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
- PIANO.BAS: PIANO demo for Microsoft Mouse (BASIC/BASICA)
- PIANO.EXE: PIANO demo for Microsoft Mouse (binary executable format)
- MP.BAT:
- MP.COD:
- MP.HLP:

Support for different computer models

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

Gallery

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• Windowscomdex23.png
• 
• 
• Windowscomdex26.png
• 
• 
• Windowscomdex29.png
• 
• 
• 

References

Microsoft Windows at Fall Comdex 1983

"Microsoft Does Windows" (InfoWorld) (November 21st, 1983)

"Microsoft gives preview of Windows, due out in May" (InfoWorld) (April 9th, 1984)