Windows 3.1 and windows 3.11: history of classic operating systems

The most veteran will know Windows 3.1 and 3.11, two operating systems that would be the start of a new world. We tell you his story.

Some of you will have read the title of the article in a nostalgic way, and that is not for less. With these two versions, Windows began to take off in a context in which computing only served a few. From Professional Review, we have made a small flashback to remember the beginnings of Windows.

Index of contents

Pretext: Windows 3.0 is released on May 22, 1990

Although the first version of Windows would be released on November 10, 1983, this time we have focused on Windows 3.1 and Windows 3.11. So, we have to go back to the beginning of the 90s with the exit of Windows 3.0.

In an age where research was setting tempos, Windows 3.0 taught an improved interface with remarkable power. Companies outside Microsoft started to develop their own applications for 3.0 with great force. Thanks to this development, more than 10 million copies of Windows were sold, being the best-selling GUI in the history of computers.

It was an enhancement to multitasking, the introduction of virtual memory, and a redesign of the interface that directly competed with the Macintosh.

The most notable changes were the following:

• Support of more than 16 colors. Network support. File manager and program manager. No " Runtime " versions available. More memory support. Improved interface.

There were two versions:

• Full version, whose price was $ 149.95 at the time. Upgrade version, priced at $ 79.95.

Windows 3.1, the beginning of a golden age

This operating system was released in April 1992. It brought significant improvements compared to Windows 3.0. With just 2 months on the market, it managed to sell approximately 3 million copies, including updates from Windows 3.0.

One of the companies that used this operating system the most was IBM on their computers. We could see that this was a response to Macintosh because the interface was quite similar, which prompted Apple to sue Microsoft for copyright infringement. Eventually Apple lost the litigation.

It marked the birth of the “multimedia PC” because it added multimedia extensions to support sound cards, MIDI, audio CDs and the Super VGA port for monitors with this technology. In addition, the modem speed was also improved , increasing it to 9600 bps. It also reduced the OLE concept (Objetct Linking and embedding), which would be a shortcut that is widely used today: cut and paste.

We would like to mention Windows for Workgroups 3.1, an extension that allowed its users to share research. Obviously, it was an extension designed for companies. This extension was launched in October 1992.

We lived in a time marked by a fierce rivalry between Microsoft and Apple with their operating systems.

Finally, say that nearly 10 million copies of Windows 3.1 were sold, making it the best-selling operating system in history.

Windows 3.11 group work

We are in a 1993 marked by the releases of Windows 3.11 and Windows NT 3.1, whose release took place on July 27, 1993. Windows 3.11 was released on December 31, 1993, Windows 3.11 was an update to Windows 3.1.

It was the solution to many bugs that existed in Windows 3.1, achieving fame thanks to those fixes that allowed it to consolidate and, subsequently, increase its popularity as an operating system. Although it was not a full version, it achieved great recognition.

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In this sense, Microsoft decided to replace all retail versions of WIndows 3.1 with Windows 3.11 so that new users who acquired the operating system did so with the fixed bugs. In fact, those users who had Windows 3.1 received a free upgrade to Windows 3.11.

Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was also released, which would hit the market on August 11, 1993. It supported 32 bit file access or VCACHE.386, among other improvements.

Meanwhile, Apple was focused on its PowerBook range , some laptops with a resolution of 640 x 400 pixels. At the moment, Microsoft was better positioned in terms of operating system, so it was not a fierce fight. The nice fight Microsot vs Apple would have to wait until Windows 95, which would be released on August 24, 1995.

Why were Windows 3.1 and Windows 3.11 so important?

Mainly, for the first major improvements in operating systems: the interface. Fonts improved , OLE concept redesigned , file manager included, etc.

However, Windows 3.1 would not have had such a draft without a later 3.11 that corrected all the failures of the main OS. Thanks to the second, the user experience was greatly improved.

It was a breakthrough in the computing sector, which moved to sales. It is true that Windows 95 was a brutal advance, as would Windows 98, later on.

We recommend reading our guides and tucos about Windows 10

Microsoft knew how to stay on top of the mountain, one of the most complex things in corporations of such magnitude. Did you have any of these versions? What memories do you keep?