Windows 95
TLDR: Windows 95, introduced by Microsoft on August 24, 1995, was a revolutionary operating system that combined a graphical user interface (GUI) with DOS-based underpinnings. It marked a significant step in Microsoft's effort to make personal computing accessible to the masses, offering features like Plug and Play support, a taskbar, and the Start Menu, which became staples of Windows design. Windows 95 was also notable for its ability to run both 16-bit and 32-bit applications, bridging the gap between older systems and modern computing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_95
Windows 95 introduced several innovations that simplified user interaction and improved system functionality. The Start Menu and taskbar provided intuitive navigation, allowing users to easily launch applications and manage tasks. Its Plug and Play feature automated hardware configuration, making it easier to install new devices without manual settings. With support for FAT16 and VFAT, Windows 95 improved file system performance and allowed for long file names, a significant improvement over previous versions.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health
Connectivity was another key focus of Windows 95, which included built-in support for dial-up networking and the TCP/IP protocol, facilitating internet access. The Microsoft Network (MSN), launched alongside Windows 95, provided users with an online experience. By blending usability with advanced functionality, Windows 95 became a cornerstone in the evolution of personal computing, influencing later Windows versions and shaping the broader software industry.
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/
- Snippet from Wikipedia: Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft, released to manufacturing on July 14, 1995, and to retail on August 24, 1995. The first of the Windows 9x line of operating systems, Windows 95, which replaced Windows 3.1, merged Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system and Microsoft Windows graphical user shell into a single product, removing the requirement to install Windows on top of a separate copy of MS-DOS, and featured major changes to the core components of the operating system, such as moving from the mainly cooperatively multitasked 16-bit architecture of its predecessor to a 32-bit preemptive multitasking architecture.
Windows 95 featured a new graphical user interface (GUI), introducing the Windows Explorer file manager, a taskbar with the Start menu and a notification area, and file shortcuts on the desktop, and implemented a number of improvements over its predecessor, including Plug-and-Play driver integration, native Internet integration, and support for longer filenames (from 8 to 255 characters). Accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign that generated much prerelease hype, it was a major success and is regarded as one of the most significant products in the personal computing industry.
Three years after its introduction, Windows 95 was followed by Windows 98. Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows 95 on December 31, 2000, with extended support lasting until December 31, 2001, the same day support for previous versions of Windows dating back to Windows 1.0 ended.