Windows 2
| |
| Windows 2.x | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Microsoft |
| Platforms | x86 |
| Released | 2.0: December 9, 1987 2.1: May 27, 1988 |
| Added to Museum |
Not yet |
Windows 2.0 is the second iteration of the Windows product line by Microsoft.
Like its predecessor, Windows 2.0 was a mouse-controlled graphic user interface rather than an operating system.
New features
Windows 2.0 added overlapping windows, more keyboard shortcuts, and a control panel.
Versions
As before, Windows 2.0 and 2.1 were restricted to the 16-bit architecture of DOS as they relied on the DOS operating system for essential functions.
2.1 was split into 286 and 386 versions and required a hard drive. Windows/286 included a himem.sys file that allowed access to the high memory area freeing up conventional memory. Windows/386 also had himem.sys, and used the virtual 8086 mode of the 80386 to allow for multi-tasking of DOS applications.
Windows/386 2.1 ran DOS programs through a DOS-based Virtual DOS Machine.
The Windows 2.x line had 16-bit file access. Applications created with these versions were compatible with Windows 2 but weren't compatible with Windows 3 and higher operating systems due to the lack of protected mode.
Digital 16-bit Windows 2.x games owned by WEC Museum
| Title | Developer | Released | Date Added to the Museum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taipei! | Bogus Software | 1987 | April 26, 2019 | Version 1.02 of a Mahjong Solitaire game for Windows 2.1. |
