Windows Nashville

{{Short description|Codename of Microsoft Windows desktop operating system}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox OS version

| name = Nashville

| version of = Windows 9x

| logo =

| screenshot = Windows Nashville.png

| caption = Microsoft "Nashville" 4.10.999 desktop, with Athena PIM, Start Menu, My Computer and System Properties open

| developer = Microsoft

| website =

| source_model = Closed source

| license = Commercial software

| kernel_type = Windows 9x

| first_release_date =

| first_release_url =

| release_version =

| release_date =

| release_url =

| preview_version = 4.10.999

| preview_date = 1996

| preview_url =

| support_status = Cancelled in 1996

| working_state = Historic, never released

| preceded_by = Windows 95 (1995)

| succeeded_by = Windows 98 (1998)

| date = July 2013

}}

Nashville (previously Cleveland),Comes v. Microsoft 3208 popularly known as Windows 96 by contemporary press, was the codename for a cancelled release of Microsoft Windows scheduled to be released in 1996,Comes v. Microsoft 5648 between "Chicago" (Windows 95) and "Memphis" (Windows 98, at the time scheduled for release in 1996,Comes v. Microsoft 2013 later 1997).{{Cite web|last=Bauduin|first=Sven|title=C:\B_retro\Ausgabe_86\: Das Windows, das nie erscheinen sollte|url=https://www.computerbase.de/2021-06/windows-11-windows-96-nashville/|access-date=2021-08-07|website=ComputerBase|date=27 June 2021 |language=de}} Nashville was intended to be a minor releaseComes v. Microsoft 2247 focusing on a tighter integration between Windows and Internet Explorer, in order to better compete with Netscape Navigator.Comes v. Microsoft 5735

Microsoft claimed that Nashville would add Internet integration features to the Windows 95 and NT 4.0 desktop, building on the new features in the Internet Explorer 3.0 web browser (due for release a few months before Nashville).{{Cite web|title=GUIdebook > Articles > "Beyond Windows 95"|url=https://guidebookgallery.org/articles/beyondwindows95|access-date=2021-08-23|website=guidebookgallery.org}} Touted features included a combined file manager and web browser, the ability to seamlessly open Microsoft Office documents from within Internet Explorer using ActiveX technology and a way to place dynamic web pages directly on the desktop in place of the regular static wallpaper.

A leaked build had version number 4.10.999 (in comparison to Windows 95's 4.00.950, Windows 95 OSR2's 4.00.1111, Windows 98's 4.10.1998, Windows 98 Second Edition's 4.10.2222 A, and Windows Me's 4.90.3000). The project was eventually cancelled as a full release of Windows, with Windows 95 OSR2 being shipped as an interim release instead. The codename "Nashville" was then reused for the Windows Desktop Update that shipped with Internet Explorer 4.0Comes v. Microsoft 2667 and delivered most of the features promised for Nashville. The Athena PIM application would be released as Microsoft Internet Mail and News in 1996 along with IE3, which would later be renamed to Outlook Express in 1997 with IE4.