:Windows 2.1
{{short description|Major release of Microsoft Windows}}
{{good article}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox OS
| version of = Microsoft Windows
| name = Windows 2.1
| logo = Windows logo and wordmark - (1985-1989).svg
| logo_alt = Logo of Microsoft Windows 2.1x versions
| logo_size = 200px
| screenshot = Windows 2.1.png
| caption = Screenshot of Windows 2.1
| developer = Microsoft
| family = Microsoft Windows
| source_model = Closed source
| first release date = {{start date and age|1988|05|27}}
| latest release date = {{start date and age|1989|03|13}}
| latest release version = 2.11
| license = Commercial software
| preceded by = Windows 2.0 (1987)
| succeeded by = Windows 3.0 (1990)
| support_status = Unsupported as of December 31, 2001
}}
Windows 2.1 is a release of Microsoft Windows. It was released to manufacturing on May 27, 1988, as a successor to Windows 2.0.
It was released with two different variants with differing CPU compatibility, also known as Windows/286 and Windows/386, so the versions are considered to be similar to its predecessor. In comparison, the Windows/386 variant is considered to be better than Windows/286, since it provides support for EMS emulation and is designed to use both conventional and extended memory. Changes to the user interface did not occur in this version, and rather, its performance was increased and enhanced memory management was added. The version is also noted to be the first one to require a hard disk drive. A minor update version, Windows 2.11, was released in March 1989.
Enhancements that were introduced were considered to have improved the operating environment, while the Windows/386 variant was noted to have a good level of functionality. It was considered to be one of the most popular 80386-based systems. The sales of Microsoft Windows continued to go up after its release, and in May 1990, it was succeeded by Windows 3.0, which is considered to be the first Windows version to perform well both critically and commercially. Microsoft ended its support on December 31, 2001.
Release versions
= Windows 2.1 =
Like its predecessor, Windows 2.0, the operating environment was released with two different variants with differing CPU compatibility. However, the cosmetic naming convention was changed to "Windows/286" and "Windows/386".{{Cite news |date=September 27, 1988 |title=High-Impact Graphics |volume=7 |pages=38 |work=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |issue=16 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UenCawr7OowC |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0888-8507 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112502/https://books.google.com/books?id=UenCawr7OowC |url-status=live }} It was released on May 27, 1988, and it was the first version of Windows to require a hard disk drive.{{Cite book |last=Purcaru |first=Bogdan Ion |title=Games vs. Hardware. The History of PC video games: The 80's |year=2014 |pages=415}}{{Cite news |last=Sexton |first=Michael Justin Allen |date=November 12, 2016 |title=History of Microsoft Windows |work=Tom's Hardware |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/picturestory/739-history-of-microsoft-windows.html |access-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922142904/https://www.tomshardware.com/picturestory/739-history-of-microsoft-windows.html |url-status=live }}
Despite its name, Windows/286 did not require a 80286 processor and was fully operational on an 8088 or 8086 processor, although it would not use the high memory area since it did not exist on an 8086 processor.{{Cite news |date=September 27, 1988 |title=High-Impact Graphics |volume=7 |pages=38 |work=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |issue=16 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UenCawr7OowC |url-status=live |access-date=April 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112502/https://books.google.com/books?id=UenCawr7OowC |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |issn=0888-8507}}{{Cite news |last1=Patton |first1=Carole |last2=Mace |first2=Scott |date=July 4, 1988 |title=Windows Gets More Memory With Upgrade |volume=10 |pages=1 |work=Info World |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4z4EAAAAMBAJ |access-date=July 9, 2022 |issn=0199-6649 |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922142905/https://books.google.com/books?id=4z4EAAAAMBAJ |url-status=live }} It is a rehash of its predecessor, Windows 2.03. The variant uses an additional 64KB of the extended 286 KB memory in real mode. To access the additional memory, HIMEM.SYS is needed.{{Cite news |date=September 27, 1988 |title=High-Impact Graphics |volume=7 |pages=38 |work=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UenCawr7OowC |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0888-8507 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112502/https://books.google.com/books?id=UenCawr7OowC |url-status=live }} A few PC vendors shipped Windows/286 with Intel 8086 hardware; one such example was IBM's PS/2 Model 25, which included Windows/286, resulting in some customer confusion.{{Cite book |title=IBM Personal System 2 and IBM Personal Computer Product Reference |publisher=IBM |year=1988 |series=4 |location=New York |pages=78}}{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Michael |date=August 17, 1987 |title=First Look |volume=9 |pages=44 |work=Info World |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2jsEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=July 9, 2022 |issn=0199-6649 |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408145524/https://books.google.com/books?id=2jsEAAAAMBAJ |url-status=live }}
The other variant, Windows/386, is more advanced since it had introduced a protected mode kernel, and it allows several MS-DOS programs to run in parallel in the virtual 8086 mode of the 80386 processor, rather than suspending background applications.{{Cite news |date=September 12, 1989 |title=Graphical: The Better Interface |volume=8 |pages=115 |work=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hEaMhncO06EC |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0888-8507 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112952/https://books.google.com/books?id=hEaMhncO06EC |url-status=live }} It has also provided support for EMS emulation, to use RAM beyond the 640 KB limit.{{Cite news |date=May 15, 1990 |title=PC labs tests 24 VGA monitors |volume=9 |pages=240 |work=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GNYH0lLwKgAC |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0888-8507 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112952/https://books.google.com/books?id=GNYH0lLwKgAC |url-status=live }} It has spruced-up rendering of the 80386 version, and its setup program is considered to be better than the Windows/286 one. Windows/386 is designed to use both conventional and extended memory, although it ignores expanded memory.{{Cite news |date=February 28, 1989 |title=The Software Side of the 386 Equation: PC Labs Test Five 386-based Multitasking Solutions |volume=8 |pages=121–131 |work=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9wwQdu9dei0C |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0888-8507 |archive-date=November 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116232519/https://books.google.com/books?id=9wwQdu9dei0C |url-status=live }}{{rp|page=121}} The facilities for converting extended memory into expanded memory are built into Windows/386, although, any EMS that is separately controlled would not be available on Windows/386.{{rp|page=329}} To customize Windows/386, users would have to manually change the CONFIG.SYS file.{{rp|page=336}} Microsoft ended its support for Windows 2.1 on December 31, 2001.{{cite web |date=July 25, 2011 |title=Obsolete Products |url=http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeobsoleteproducts |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050814234847/http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeobsoleteproducts |archive-date=August 14, 2005 |work=Support |publisher=Microsoft}}{{Cite book |last=Cowart |first=Robert |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56647752 |title=Special edition using Microsoft Windows XP home |date=2005 |publisher=Que |others=Brian Knittel |isbn=978-0-7897-3279-8 |edition=3 |location=Indianapolis, Ind. |pages=92 |oclc=56647752 |access-date=April 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604163856/https://www.worldcat.org/title/special-edition-using-microsoft-windows-xp-home/oclc/56647752 |archive-date=June 4, 2022 |url-status=live}}
A Korean version of Windows 2.1 was published by Microsoft in May 1990.{{cite web |title=주요 한글 제품 발표 |trans-title=Major Korean Product Announcements |url=http://www.microsoft.com/korea/info/product/default.htm |access-date=23 May 2024 |website=Microsoft |language=Korean |archive-date=May 8, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990508211652/http://www.microsoft.com/korea/info/product/default.htm |url-status=bot: unknown }}{{Cite web |date=January 1, 2022 |title=한글 윈도우 2.1의 존재 |trans-title=The existence of Korean Windows 2.1 |url=https://virtualwindows.tistory.com/327 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419005732/https://virtualwindows.tistory.com/327 |archive-date=April 19, 2022 |access-date=August 24, 2024 |website=Virtual Windows |language=ko}} It was re-released in September 1990 as Windows 2.12.
= Windows 2.11 =
Windows 2.11 was released on March 13, 1989.{{Cite book |last=Schreuder |first=Duco A. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/898160678 |title=Vision and visual perception: the conscious base of seeing |date=2014 |publisher=Archway Publishing |isbn=978-1-4808-1294-9 |location=Bloomington, IN |pages=428 |oclc=898160678 |access-date=April 18, 2022 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112955/https://www.worldcat.org/title/vision-and-visual-perception-the-conscious-base-of-seeing/oclc/898160678 |url-status=live }} As the successor of Windows 2.1, it was also released in Windows/286 and Windows/386 editions, with some minor changes in memory management and updates regarding printing options.{{Cite news |last1=Timacheff |first1=Serge |last2=Miller |first2=Michael |date=June 4, 1990 |title=Microsoft Windows 3.0: The Graphics Interface Grows up |volume=12 |pages=113 |work=Info World |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RTsEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=July 9, 2022 |issn=0199-6649 |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922142905/https://books.google.com/books?id=RTsEAAAAMBAJ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Brownstein |first=Mark |date=May 28, 1990 |title=Windows Drivers For Printers |volume=12 |pages=33 |work=Info World |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nzsEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=July 9, 2022 |issn=0199-6649 |archive-date=August 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814062230/https://books.google.com/books?id=nzsEAAAAMBAJ |url-status=live }} It was noted that costs for organizations that ran Windows 2.11 were lower.{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Stuart |date=September 17, 1990 |title=Hidden Windows Costs Worthwhile |volume=12 |pages=13 |work=InfoWorld |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LDwEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0199-6649 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112953/https://books.google.com/books?id=LDwEAAAAMBAJ |url-status=live }}
Features
Changes to the user interface did not occur in this version; instead, Microsoft had increased its performance and added enhanced memory management.{{Cite news |date=June 20, 1988 |title=High-end Windows going corporate with graphics, multitasking abilities |pages=4 |work=Computerworld |publisher=IDG Enterprise |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ks9KBZrRragC |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0010-4841 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112952/https://books.google.com/books?id=ks9KBZrRragC |url-status=live }} The Windows/286 variant introduced LIM 4.0 boards to store and swap executable code. Both variants had also introduced support towards more devices, while its printer support has been improved. Windows/386 allows sharing a single printer to multiple windows. Microsoft has also introduced a disk-caching program, SmartDrive,{{rp|page=124}} while third-party developers had introduced more apps to Windows 2.1 and 2.11.{{Cite news |last=Quinn |first=Stephen R. |date=October 25, 1993 |title=FileMaker Pro eases interface |volume=15 |pages=108 |work=InfoWorld |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FDsEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0199-6649 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112953/https://books.google.com/books?id=FDsEAAAAMBAJ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=June 13, 1995 |title=Small-Office Software: The Essentials |volume=14 |pages=120 |work=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zzURbSGI6q4C |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0888-8507 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112953/https://books.google.com/books?id=zzURbSGI6q4C |url-status=live }}
System requirements
The official system requirements for Windows 2.1 include the following:
Windows 2.1 is shipped with 1.2 MB 5¼-inch or 720K 3½-inch floppy disks. The Windows/386 variant also comes with user's guides, a quick-reference card and a manual that explains the features of the 386 variant.
Reception
The enhancements that were introduced in Windows 2.1 are considered to have improved the operating environment. The Windows/386 variant has good level of functionality, and it lets applications run in full- or partial-screen windows, while the operating environment also slows down when running graphic-based applications. InfoWorld rated Windows/386 an excellent value. Alongside DESQview 386, they were considered to be the most popular 386 environments by 1989, although DESQview 386 is considered to be more flexible than Windows/386.{{Cite news |date=May 30, 1989 |title=PC Labs Tests Every 80386 |volume=8 |pages=329–341 |work=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HpsOD9ZeqScC |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0888-8507 |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702112954/https://books.google.com/books?id=HpsOD9ZeqScC |url-status=live }}{{rp|page=|pages=329–336}} Compared to other 80386-based systems, Windows/386 requires less DOS memory.{{rp|page=33}}
The price tag for Windows/286 sat at {{US$|long=no|99}}, while the Windows/386 variant cost {{US$|long=no|195}}. By January 1990, the sales of Microsoft Windows had reached less than two million.{{Cite magazine |last=McCracken |first=Harry |date=May 7, 2013 |title=A Brief History of Windows Sales Figures, 1985-Present |language=en-US |magazine=Time |url=https://techland.time.com/2013/05/07/a-brief-history-of-windows-sales-figures-1985-present/#:~:text=Windows%20sales%20in%201988%20(Windows,less%20than%202%20million%20(InfoWorld) |access-date=April 18, 2022 |issn=0040-781X |archive-date=April 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418124401/https://techland.time.com/2013/05/07/a-brief-history-of-windows-sales-figures-1985-present/#:~:text=Windows%20sales%20in%201988%20(Windows,less%20than%202%20million%20(InfoWorld) |url-status=live }} It was succeeded by Windows 3.0 released in 1990, and after that, Windows 3.1 in 1992. Windows 2.1 is considered to be the first version of Microsoft Windows to perform well both critically and commercially.{{cite book |title=The Making of Microsoft: How Bill Gates and His Team Created the World's Most Successful Software Company |date=1991 |publisher=Prima Publishing |isbn=978-1-55958-071-7 |page=239 |chapter=Vision for the Future |access-date=January 14, 2020 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/makingofmicrosof00ichb/}}{{cite news |date=July 30, 1990 |title=Windows 3.0 ends the wait |volume=24 |page=33 |work=Computerworld |issue=31 |url=https://archive.org/details/computerworld2431unse |access-date=December 25, 2019}}{{cite news |last=Venditto |first=Gus |date=July 1990 |title=Windows 3.0 Brings Icons, Multitasking, and Ends DOS's 640K Program Limit |volume=9 |pages=33–35 |work=PC Magazine |issue=13 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ofXGcGVTvoEC |access-date=December 21, 2019 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225224431/https://books.google.com/books?id=ofXGcGVTvoEC |url-status=live }}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.officetimeline.com/blog/microsoft-windows-timeline Microsoft Windows Timeline]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noEHHB6rnMI YouTube upload of Windows/386 promotion video]
{{Microsoft Windows family}}
Category:Products and services discontinued in 2001