Windows 7 has been released to public but many people are so much confused about its name. People are talking about why did Microsoft use the name Windows 7?
In this topic, we'll try to explain the reason behind it!
Mike Nash @ "The Windows Blog" posted why Microsoft decided to name it Windows 7:
The decision to use the name Windows 7 is about simplicity. Over the years, we have taken different approaches to naming Windows. We've used version numbers like Windows 3.1, or dates like Windows 98, or "aspirational" monikers like Windows XP or Windows Vista. And since we do not ship new versions of Windows every year, using a date did not make sense. Likewise, coming up with an all-new "aspirational" name does not do justice to what we are trying to achieve, which is to stay firmly rooted in our aspirations for Windows Vista, while evolving and refining the substantial investments in platform technology in Windows Vista into the next generation of Windows.
Simply put, this is the seventh release of Windows, so therefore "Windows 7" just makes sense.
And if you are confused why Windows 7 is the 7th release of Windows, here is another simple explanation:
First Windows version was Windows 1.0. Second was Windows 2.0 and third was Windows 3.0. When Windows NT was released, it was code versioned as Windows 3.1. Windows 95, 98, 98 SE and ME (Millennium Edition) were code versioned as Windows 4.0 as all were using Non-NT kernel or 9x kernel.
Windows 2000 was code versioned as Windows 5.0 and Windows XP as Windows 5.1. Next version was Windows Vista which was code versioned as Windows 6.0. Since Windows 7 is the next Windows version, Microsoft decided to call it Windows 7 for easy and better understanding.
Complete list of AskVG articles1.0: Windows 1.0
2.0: Windows 2.0
3.0: Windows 3.0
3.1: Windows NT
4.0: Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME
5.0: Windows 2000
5.1: Windows XP
6.0: Windows Vista
7.0: Windows 7
This article was posted in Windows 7.
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amon
Thank you for this complete explanation of windows 7
@ Beowülf
I think XP means Experience
veggiedude
How can Vista be version 6 and Windows 7 be a full version ahead? We all know it is Vista, reworked with the bugs taken out. Underneath the hood, it is still Vista.
Leomate
I thinks a windows 7 name base from code windows 6.1
6 + 1 = 7
Ardit
Windows 7 is not Windows 7.0
Windows 7 is Windows 6.1
Osama
great explanation,thanks for sharing
RameshK
Windows 7 Version is 6.1
Doc
@S@nt@n@: NT 4.0 was the NT kernel, based on Windows NT 3.5 and OS/2; Windows 9x (95, 98, ME) used the "home" Windows 4.0 kernel. Not wrong, just different products. Windows ME was released around the same time as Windows 2000 (NT 5.0 kernel), and both were replaced by XP (5.1 kernel): ME by XP Home, 2000 by XP Pro...end of the line for the 4.0/9x kernel.
SCBright
Somebody forgot the Windows 3.11 for Workgroups.
FaRReR
FYI Vishal Windows 7 is version 6.1: http://fav.me/d2b5u5z
Jim
If they called it Version 6.1, It would follow the pattern. The new pattern, I guess, will be Windows 7,8,9...