Pictured is graphics setup for the IBM PS/2 edition of Windows 1.04, coincidentally the best version of the first generation of Microsoft's graphical user interface which was already set to be quickly surpassed.
Today's PC gaming machines are descended from the earliest venture to bring 16-bit computing to both home and business that achieved worldwide success, and its initial focus had nothing to do with games. This is a story full of twists and turns, choice and circumstance, and the fortunes thereof. While sources all over the web have gone over this subject already, this will try to present a different perspective.
Last post covered some of the history that led to gaming pushing technology, but for the first decade or so it was the other way around. It was a different time with several computing platform standards vying for supremacy: in addition to the PC and Macintosh that remain rivals today, Atari and Commodore had their own system families arguably more ahead of their time but in turn slower to adapt which was their downfall. While Microsoft was always catered to developers and consumers IBM commanded the digital corporate market, which is what made their alliance so potent and their split a whole new dynamic.
For purposes of consistency nomenclature will somewhat match that of modern editions of Windows:
1) Home OS: basic core operating system (or shell) for private home or individual business use
2) Power OS: superset of Home OS with advanced program management and/or collaboration features
3) Client OS: operating system purpose-designed for business workstations connected to a Server OS
4) Server OS: dedicated superset of Client OS with tools to administer server-client business networks
These terms are considered in more of a marketing (brand) sense than a technical one considering how much overlap there can be; same goes for their relationships to each other which may likewise not be exact but seeks to coordinate such a relationship to that general span of time.
1980: Collaborative Impact
IBM was already set on breaking into the personal computer market for both regular home and business workstation markets but were unequipped in regard to the former. The new 5150 PC would be the most accessible consumer system they ever made and they wanted an operating system to match. The CP/M standard established by Digital Research (DR) seemed most logical but they would turn IBM down which would leave the opportunity wide open for Microsoft and have significant repercussions for DR later.
1981-1982: IBM PC, DOS 1
With Microsoft aboard supplying both Disk Operating System (DOS) and an on-board BASIC interpreter the first complete PC system hit market with humble origins but glowing reviews. In fact this was before the time DOS was necessarily required, with applications often using either BASIC (only in IBM systems since clones lacked ROM BASIC) or booting from floppy into RAM directly; this would stay the case for a few years until the original IBM standard was superseded and DOS matured. This was also the time IBM compatibility was less a concern than DOS compatibility, which made these early years have a variety of PC-type systems that were not true clones thus not compatible with applications communicating directly with the hardware rather than through DOS.
1983: IBM PC XT, DOS 2
Hard drives entered the equation, and while this was the year for superior non-PC DOS systems such as the Tandy 2000 it also began to show the future was with full IBM compatibility. Another pertinent piece of software introduced this year was NetWare; neither Microsoft nor IBM had considered networking for DOS systems yet which left Novell to establish PC network standards into the next decade. IBM had not been idle and released their PCjr to appeal more to the home gaming market, something that did not escape the notice of Tandy.
1984: IBM PC AT, DOS 3.0
This saw introduction of 2 major new standards that would impact the gaming realm: EGA graphics from IBM and enhanced PCjr-style graphics and sound from Tandy's new 1000 line. While EGA would not be accepted widely for some time due to its expense Tandy quickly prevailed as top-of-the-line in the realm of PC compatibles. This was also the last year of non-DOS booter software as standard in favor of using DOS more, and with networking components now getting attention from IBM and MS the playing field for operating system applications was about to be overhauled.
1985-1986
IBM and Microsoft signed their Joint Developer Agreement (JDA) this year, cementing their alliance for the remainder of the decade and centering their efforts around a new operating system to replace DOS. It would not be ready for some time so user interface shells were made to bring DOS more into "power user" territory. The one from IBM was TopView, which introduced Program Information File (PIF) format that could stipulate resource assignment in a multitasking environment; the one from Microsoft had a slower start but it was the root of what enabled them to dominate the world.
Home OS: DOS 3.x
The mature DOS kernal reached fruition starting in 3.1, with 3.2 a minor refinement for a new floppy disk type. This would also become the most popular DOS yet which meant the widest variety of games and general applications would require this as a minimum. Future versions were planned to be the cheaper entry-level option that could still take advantage of new technological developments but that would not be how it turned out until far later.
Power OS: Windows 1.0x
Windows 1 was one of those good ideas not ready for prime time: bereft of developer support leaving it without exclusive applications its best-redeeming feature was being multitasking environment that could use full graphics and had adjustable windows for its few native applications. The initial release was 1.01, 1.02 was exclusive to outside the US while 1.03 was refined from both. Unlike subsequent versions it was real mode-only and that would also limit its market endurance, but it could still add strength to a proper computing system from the time that could exploit its expanded capabilities over DOS; the Tandy 2000 is probably the most notable example since Windows provided it the means to run a greater range of PC applications while extending its advanced graphics and processing power as far as it could go.
Server OS: MS-Net
IBM had nothing to do with this system nor was it a retail product since Microsoft was still using Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) channels exclusively for OS distribution. Technically this was a superset of DOS with each version tuned to specific network hardware by the vendors themselves. This was less than successful against Novell NetWare's 2-year head start, but it is notable as the first step in the server direction (even if it was used more as a peer-to-peer sharing system like NetWare) and led to Microsoft partnering with 3Com for further developments.
1987
IBM temporarily took over DOS development so Microsoft could focus on the new operating system. It had been referred to as a new multitasking version of DOS numbered following the present version (the multitasking DOS 4 would ultimately be released exclusively to Europe) until IBM associated it with their new line of PC successors called PS/2. This is when the three levels of OS design intent established.
Home OS: DOS 3.3
While up to this point IBM-specific DOS (generally known by its final generation name PC DOS) was tied to the IBM PC line while Microsoft-specific DOS (called MS-DOS) was a basic variant for OEMs alterable to their liking, both were Microsoft developments and generally functioned the same. Now IBM crafted their own new version as the low-tier OS for their PS/2 line, with no significant improvements aside from support for PS/2 hardware features. Like previous versions it was also backwards-compatible (to a point) and its capacity to serve as an upgrade to non-PS/2 systems did not hurt either.
Power OS: Windows 2.03
As fitting for the time both IBM and Microsoft upgraded Windows to fit new hardware standards same as DOS, but with different results. On the IBM side they jumped on the OEM bandwagon a PS/2 edition of Windows 1.04 that was the best of its kind for supporting PS/2 mice and VGA graphics; Microsoft's focus was less on a new system architecture and more in regard to newer processors as Windows 2 had both a standard edition and a separate enhanced edition for those with the Intel 80386. For both companies Windows was mid-tier but still (along with DOS) slated for replacement by... Server OS: OS/2 1.0
Not quite the revolutionary new operating system that was promised, but despite being text-mode and 16-bit only the strategic decision was made to release it as-is which would whet appetites for more later. Both IBM with their exclusive OS/2 Extended Edition and Microsoft with their LAN Manager (developed in conjunction with 3Com) laid the foundation for enabling server function thanks to OS/2 finally being a powerful enough operating system to do so, however this was geared more towards forming a network around IBM mainframes because the server-client network standard in effect today was still forming back then. While functional with all the right components and know-how, like OS/2 itself it was still basically prototypical.
1988
This was a year of development under the new standard operation of the alliance: IBM refined DOS and their hardware-specific edition of OS/2 while Microsoft developed the OS/2 kernal (refining Windows on the side). Yet the first cracks began to show stemming from IBM's many years of corporate focus which never got them quite in touch with the consumer side where Microsoft specialized. Microsoft was still all-in for OS/2 however because DOS was already again past its prime and Windows had not proven that successful [yet] so it was what seemed to them their best hope.
Home OS: DOS 4.0
Like 3.3 this was IBM-developed, but unlike 3.3 this took things in a whole new direction that turned out to not be well-received. Perhaps out of their elite anticipation DOS 4 was made for higher-end systems, but the result was many choosing not to upgrade because the new version made older PC-compatibles less efficient (not helped by the new tools for larger disks which made some applications incompatible). This is one of the many examples in computer history of being too far ahead of its time for success, but the advanced memory management plus including an installation program and new DOS Shell signaled focus on the future.
Power OS: Windows 2.1
Like any company that could ill-afford customer disloyalty Microsoft continued developing Windows for its base, this time exploring some new possibilities. This time the base edition was called Windows/286 and not just to match the more advanced Windows/386 edition: while basic Windows 2.03 was similar to Windows 1 with an interface upgrade Windows/286 could exploit the high memory area (HMA) for those who had it...years before DOS gained the same capability. The Windows/386 edition could, in addition to running in protected mode, utilize the Virtual 8086 mode which [so far as memory allowed] enabled a galore of DOS session multitasking capability.
Server OS: OS/2 1.1
With time pressures still a consideration Microsoft translated the Windows 2 interface to create the OS/2 Presentation Manager, which led to compatibility between Windows 2 and OS/2 being more than just a matter of shared graphics. Not only could the OS/2 DOS session now support Windows by design, but it was also possible to dual-boot between OS/2 and DOS (keeping the latter relevant a while longer). As for server capabilities they refined too, with IBM releasing their first version of LAN Server as an add-on for this release of OS/2 Extended Edition while 3Com/Microsoft refined their own LAN Manager which differed from the IBM offering in that it integrated OS/2 as a complete server package.
1989
If the previous year was one of development this was one of refinement, with only OS/2 getting any real overhaul. IBM polished DOS while Microsoft polished Windows, both expecting OS/2 to replace both but for different reasons. IBM with their corporate connections would be fine no matter what, but not so for Microsoft who was still relatively-small and while still staking a future in OS/2 could see it was having difficulty gaining acceptance and wisely chose not to put all their eggs in one basket.
Home OS: DOS 4.01
This was a stealthy (for the time) bug-fix release; pretty much anything said about DOS 4.0 still applies.
Power OS: Windows 2.11 Again released in both 286 and 386 editions this had the same distinct capabilities between each along with a few added features including a first-time focus on networking for Windows, in this case capacity for the Macintosh-standard AppleTalk. While Windows 1 predated the idea Windows 2 could have peer-to-peer or client network capability so long as it had the proper DOS drivers and software; how prolific it was used for such is another matter considering Windows was still not that popular. Windows 2 was also used several times by Microsoft later in the decade as a graphical runtime for their DOS applications.
Server OS: OS/2 1.2
Microsoft ditched the Windows 2 interface in favor of a new one for Presentation Manager that proved so much better it would be translated back for the new version of Windows. Confidence in OS/2 would lead Microsoft to not only port enhanced builds of their successful Word and Excel, but investment as its developer also meant all 6 members of their programming language family (BASIC, C, Assembly through MASM, FORTRAN, COBOL, Pascal) from the era had OS/2 support. IBM LAN Server updated to version 1.2 matching the OS itself, while Microsoft with a different numbering scheme updated to LAN Manager 1.1.
1990
Still committed to making the 32-bit version of OS/2 happen Microsoft was hard at work on the new 3.0 build in an alliance stipulation that had IBM taking over OS/2 development through version 2. This may have been prompted by continued slow success for OS/2 but with understandable factors such as higher system requirements than DOS or Windows plus the fact that (with the key exception of using a certain tool in the server edition) OS/2 still had yet to really take advantage of 80386 architecture while Windows was already doing so. Weighing their options, Microsoft hopped back onto DOS development and kept experimenting with Windows in a way that would lead to a huge payoff.
Home OS: Windows 3.0
Applying the new Presentation Manager interface over Windows 2 while compiling both the 286 and 386 versions into a single package gave the best of all worlds, and this time the market accepted it with wide open arms. The three modes (real for 8086, protected for 286, and "enhanced" for 386) were now their own separate executables which, in conjunction with an OS/2 DOS session, opened realms of possibility for any PC powerful enough. For the first time Windows had achieved enough accessibility to become a primary consumer interface, which also meant...
Power OS: DOS 5.0
Yes, that is correct for the year: while anyone with familiarity of PC history knows DOS 5 by Microsoft and IBM would not show up until 1991, what did appear was Digital Research coming back with a vengeance after realizing that a decade prior they turned down the opportunity of a lifetime from IBM. And what a comeback it was, one-upping DOS 4 in so many ways with its advanced system management that gave DOS what amounted to a whole new lease on life beyond serving as the base OS for the new version of Windows that was now popular! For better or worse, its most lasting legacy was prompting a response from Microsoft in the form of their new version of DOS which would be remarkably like this one.
Server OS: OS/2 1.3
Microsoft had done about all they could with the 16-bit kernel and were looking forward [though their direction was about to change], but they had succeeded in making OS/2 both their ideal server OS and development platform. The latter was thanks to superior multitasking capability to Windows (so far as the applications were OS/2-native since all 16-bit editions only supported a single DOS session), but the former took on new ground with the addition of SQL Server to LAN Manager. It is on this server OS front that Microsoft OS/2 would remain relevant for years even as it became an all-IBM product.
1990-1991
This was the tipping point: the unexpected windfall of Windows 3.0 prompted Microsoft to prematurely end their alliance with IBM, both companies now pursuing their separate visions of all 3 tiers. However the impact would not be immediate, and through the rest of the 1990s both companies found they were stuck with supporting what had built them up in the 1980s even as that became more of a limiting factor over time: DOS applications, Windows applications, and 32-bit applications for their respective systems. What would prevail in the end is Microsoft's greater touch on the pulse of the general consumer market; IBM still kept afloat on its traditional large-scale system but without Microsoft they were under-equipped to make OS/2 into something with mass-market appeal.
Home OS: Windows 3.00a
In what is already a familiar trend this is the same as 3.0 but with a few fixes and refinements.
Power OS: DOS 5.0
The final version of DOS from the Microsoft-IBM alliance could be considered a ripoff of DR-DOS above. That does not quite do it justice though because what is more notable is that it is the minimum version required for most memorable games in the early 1990s. From here to 1993 this was because 5.0 had the widest array yet of memory management tools which helped for applications needing expanded and/or extended memory; beyond 1993 this was because extenders such as DOS/4G expected 5.0 as it became the new standard, subsequent versions merely adding utility programs because it was no longer feasible to improve the 16-bit OS itself in a 32-bit processing world.
Server OS: OS/2 1.30.1
Microsoft would not have their new unique server OS ready for another couple years so they had to rely on a further refinement of OS/2 which was likewise the last of their partnership with IBM.
1991-1992
While Microsoft did not exactly declare independence from IBM they were struck a quick blow from their former partner for the trouble.
Home OS: Windows with Multimedia Extensions 1.0
In similar manner to Windows 1 the best edition of Windows 3 was OEM-only, from multiple vendors this time. Though all Microsoft-made operating systems since DOS 1.0 included games they had not been built primarily with games in mind, but with the new Multimedia PC standard established came a greater appreciation for gaming application in Windows with the addition of sound support plus higher graphics resolutions and color count. To exploit this necessitated having proper drivers for DOS and Windows and support was much more limited here than in the next big version, probably because Microsoft had something other than games in mind when it came to "multimedia."
Power OS: DOS 5.0a
This generation's equivalent to DOS 4.01 just with Microsoft version numbering: a minor bug-fix release. While from here through the last of MS-DOS 6 the kernel remains the same, some games specify DOS 6 or higher as a minimum which makes little sense since there is no functional difference from DOS 5 plus at least several are known to run fine in Windows and OS/2 virtual DOS machines which report version 5 to applications. Not that it made any real difference: that trend only started concurrent with the release of Windows 95 (built on DOS 7) and even before then new PCs bundled with Windows necessarily had to include a contemporary DOS version (6 and above).
Server OS: LAN Manager 2.0
Before breaking up with IBM Microsoft had finished OS/2 2.0 to a prototype stage, so IBM took its part of the code, refined and released it early the following year (actually they released their prototype earlier for debatable reasons, but it was not to general availability anyway). Meanwhile Microsoft updated LAN Manager to version 2.0 which still used OS/2 1.3 as a base; this version also served IBM one final time in their own LAN Server 2.0 which would remain capable of managing clients for 16-bit DOS, Windows and OS/2 as well as be forwards-compatible with 32-bit OS/2 clients.
1992-1993
The Microsoft-IBM split still had unfortunate results on the former, not that it was much concern because they were doing well despite (or perhaps because, thanks to retention of support for lower-end systems) the DOS/Windows 16-bit setup starting to show its age. Because OS/2 2 was IBM's project that left MS OS/2 3 delayed further as it had to take on a new non-IBM iteration. Microsoft even at this early stage may have had the same idea as IBM with OS/2 in moving away from DOS and Windows in favor of a new (but backwards compatible) 32-bit OS, but so long as DOS-based Windows remained their primary cash cow they had every reason to play the market that way.
Home OS: Windows 3.1
This time retail Windows came with multimedia capability out of the box, and this version would achieve such a level of success as to go down in history as THE face of 16-bit Windows. Not all 3.00a Multimedia Extension features made the transition but OEMs such as Gateway 2000 and Packard Bell had them as a separate install updated to the 3.1 kernel...one more time making OEM the best edition. While further releases would still be able to run the vast majority of 16-bit games and applications, Windows 3.1 is the final minimum for maximum compatibility (particularly when upgraded with Win32s for 32-bit application support).
Power OS: Windows for Workgroups 3.1
It is a fair debate between this and OS/2 2.1 with Multimedia Presentation Manager [which brought it on par with Multimedia Windows], but while OS/2 compatibility with 16-bit Windows applications was great it was less ideal in regard to DOS applications and the OS itself still had yet to attain a state sufficient to set itself apart as a supreme choice. With their stronger consumer focus to IBM's Microsoft saw a need for better Windows-based peer-to-peer network support for smaller operations lacking need for central database systems best-serviced by a server-client architecture. This first edition would not be nearly as prolific as regular Windows 3.1 (since it did not improve the OS kernel itself so was not needed for home consumers) but it apparently got the attention it needed which led to improvements that would propel Windows towards the Internet.
Server OS: Windows NT 3.1
Like with 32-bit OS/2 Microsoft's first 32-bit Windows was rough around the edges but showed a great potential. It had a way to go before it was accessible enough to replace DOS-based Windows but these early versions were clearly not made with that idea even if they were derived from OS/2 (which had been made with hopes of replacing Windows). Microsoft's first purpose-designed server-client OS was ideal for that application, but steep requirements and slow function on typical systems of the time made it like OS/2 in that it would have little chance of mainstream success due to consumer inaccessibility [even if it offered much greater stability due to not being the sophisticated DOS shell 16-bit Windows was].
1993-1994
16-bit Windows and extended DOS reached maturity at this point but delay of a 32-bit consumer version of Windows would make OS/2 relevant again since IBM was not idle in their developments [even if they were off in their marketing].
Home OS: Windows 3.11
This was a "service pack" update based on refinements from the new Workgroup edition.
Power OS: Windows for Workgroups 3.11
It is likely this was the more common due to being preloaded by OEMs as the ultimate Windows for this time range (as of 3.1 Windows had surpassed DOS as PC standard OS). The significant difference in operation from Workgroups 3.1 is the networking functions are Windows-centric and no longer required DOS network drivers [except, of course, upon exiting to regular DOS]. What made it superior in general was being the only 16-bit Windows with support for 32-bit file and disk access, bringing it remarkably close in function to its successor [particularly if Win32s is installed which allows execution of a limited range of 32-bit games and applications].
Server OS: Windows NT 3.5
This time Windows NT is upfront in its design intent with the basic edition now called Workstation while Server edition is called just that, no longer carrying the "Advanced" moniker from 3.1 [probably slapped on as a "take that" to OS/2]. It will not be the last of Windows 3 but the first-generation NT kernel is mature at this point, viable enough that Microsoft was comfortable packaging it in a new line of business network tools called BackOffice. For now focus would not be on new OS features so much as portability (which in computing terms means able to function the same on different systems normally incompatible with each other, including execution of the same applications).
1994-1995
Microsoft was set on aggressive world conquest and nothing was going to be able to stop them. Many to this day question the ethics and legitimacy of their tenacity, for good reason since their methods bear striking similarity to the anticompetitive ones Nintendo used to achieve their own monopoly in the prior decade. Like Nintendo attempts at intervention would come too late to stop the Microsoft juggernaut, and like Sega the only way to make the market truly competitive again would be to change the rules out of favor of the leader with a viable alternative that would not only be superior but more accessible.
Home OS: Windows 95
While not the most market-prolific version of Windows ever (despite Microsoft attempts to make OEMs preload it on everything) it still stands as the most revolutionary with the Program Manager replaced by the Start Menu, and that is just the beginning. Finally recognizing the need for an application program interface (API) to support common calls favoring most advanced games Microsoft brought exclusively for this version of Windows and beyond DirectX, which forever put Windows on the mainstream gaming map and nailed the coffin over all remaining competition on that front save Apple (though Mac gaming still suffered as their era of boasting superior ports of DOS games came to a sudden end). Under all the new dressing however was an incremental upgrade from Windows 3 with many of the same workings, a good thing in this case because backwards compatibility with DOS and 16-bit Windows was unmatched.
Power OS: OS/2 Warp [3]
This old article from the head of the biggest [if not only] commercial gaming company focused on OS/2 draws an interesting, if biased, comparison. Despite being marketed poorly the real OS/2 version 3 was more versatile than anything else out there and that helped make it the most successful release of IBM's prodigal OS; while previous OS/2 versions had a compatibility layer enabling seamless multitasking with 16-bit Windows and any OS/2 applications without need for them to be cooperative (a feat beyond the capability of Windows while Windows NT suffered from poorer DOS compatibility) Warp was maturation of the 32-bit OS/2 kernel which made it the best choice for those native applications, all accomplished before Windows 95 did most of the same except OS/2 beat it in taming 16-bit Windows applications.
Server OS: Windows NT 3.51
The final iteration of Windows to use the Program Manager interface (a refined but still direct derivative of that used since Windows 1) its obsolescence was likely not much of a liability in the professional realm where it found home. The portability ideal was achieved with its PowerPC edition and it now supported Windows 95 as a client. Because it also supports many Windows 95 executables and the OpenGL library, retro enthusiasts have experimented and found significant forwards compatibility with 3D games.
1996-1999
The Microsoft dominion has been established with Windows 95 and they are going to run away with it to the point they no longer can, and while IBM has one more card to play they do so halfheartedly because they can tell the writing is on the wall.
Home OS: Windows 95B through Windows 98 SE
In continuation of a Microsoft trend that never seems to stop the new best kernel of Windows 95 comes exclusively through OEMs with the second service release (the first just had the Windows 95 service pack built in). The same basic architecture gets used in the subsequent versions: Windows 95C includes the USB and Internet Explorer Desktop Update, Windows 98 was a refined version of Windows 95C, finally Windows 98 Second Edition added a slew of new features making it the ultimate Windows that still had support for booting to DOS. Each is interesting in its own right for how they compare and contrast, but if the matter is having the widest game compatibility covering the decade Windows 98 Second Edition is the simple choice.
Power OS: OS/2 Warp 4
The swan song due respect, and listed here as such perhaps too kindly. Fixes over the years aside there is little this can do that cannot already be done in Warp 3, albeit that is still a great deal so long as 32-bit Windows applications are not essential. This is an acknowledgement of its capability, not its practicality: if the realm of OS/2 native games is entered Warp 3 is quite adequate as well as easier to find copies of.
Server OS: Windows NT 4.0
Note of interest: while nomenclature had changed to reflect release year the internal version number for Windows 95 through Me is likewise 4. Initially NT 4.0 had changed little from 3.51 save for adopting the Start Menu interface and supporting early versions of DirectX, but over the years new Server editions grew in capacity support which set Windows NT up as a mainstream OS for the corporate realm just as Windows 9x had already done in the general market. Even the Workstation editions gained acceptance in roles more "professional" than those covered by Windows 9x and Microsoft would take notice.
2000
IBM was no longer a factor and in not much longer they would exit the PC marketplace they could claim to have formed in their image all those years ago; Microsoft was the new standard bearer and soon they would complete the quest they began with OS/2 even if over a decade later than planned.
Home OS: Windows Me
The Millennium Edition is often referred to as Windows 98 Third Edition. It was released after Windows 2000 and carried over some of the new functions from its companion but is unremarkable otherwise. While it is technically the final DOS-based Windows its DOS 8 is a limited version that could not even be booted to outside of using a custom bootdisk, which is one of several reasons enthusiasts advise against using this version for retro purposes.
Power & Server OS: Windows 2000
What Microsoft set out to do was drop DOS-based Windows altogether and build the entire line around NT; NT 5.0 was supposed to be the fruition of this but Windows 2000 Home was not ready in time so Windows Me was quickly made instead. One goal achieved was making the first edition of Windows designed specifically as an OS for power users, called under Microsoft parlance the Professional edition because it doubled as successor to the Workstation editions of previous NT versions. This is the release also known to enthusiasts as the first NT version truly suitable for gaming thanks to its extensive DirectX and device support over NT 4.
2000 & Beyond
The NT-exclusive focus is achieved (ironically dropping the NT name in the process) and a new trend is set for the new millennium that remains followed to this day.
Home & Power OS: Windows XP
Tangents would occur from time to time (for instance, Vista and 7 splitting the Home edition into 2 tiers only for 8 to reintegrate them into one), but in general a new hierarchy would now be followed: a basic Home Edition for the general consumer market, and a better-featured Professional Edition for the power users plus to function as the client OS for businesses large and small.
Server OS: Windows Server 2003
The dedicated server versions of Windows did not just use advanced editions of the consumer versions as clients: they also emulated the respective feature sets. As this is the only remaining Windows line that (similar to Microsoft Office) continues to use release year to differentiate versions the correspondence is easily drawn: 2003 with XP, 2008 with Vista, and so on. For wherever it mattered having a specific OS for servers simplified the selection for system administrators, but it is still worth mentioning that managing a server does not necessitate a server OS if one knows how to adapt to limitations (a peer-to-peer network by definition operates without a server at all).
Facts in this post were gathered from Wikipedia, MobyGames, and the following sources...
PC DOS Retro by Vernon Brooks: https://sites.google.com/site/pcdosretro/
BetaWiki: https://betawiki.net/wiki/Main_Page
OS/2 Museum by Michael Necasek: https://www.os2museum.com/wp/
Electronic Developer Magazine for OS/2 Wiki: http://www.edm2.com/index.php/Main_Page
Opinion and testimony from the VOGONS forum: https://www.vogons.org/
Comments