Let's face it; Windows 11 might look pretty sleek, but it's regressed in many ways from prior versions. One such being the Taskbar.

It's restrictive, loaded with stuff you're probably turning off anyway, and let's not forget that we're still waiting on Microsoft giving us the ability to move it to the top of the screen if we want to.

Enter RetroBar, a free app that not only restores some of this lost functionality but also covers your PC in the warm fuzzy blanket of nostalgia with the classic look of your dreams.

Vertical Taskbar is possible with RetroBar

The core concept of RetroBar is that it's not simply a skin; it's a complete Taskbar replacement that replaces the existing Windows 11 version. So you're not just slapping some paint on what sits there already.

Instead, it brings back a series of classic Taskbars, from Windows 95 right through Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Longhorn, and Windows Vista. If it's before Windows 7, you can have it on your modern PC with RetroBar.

RetroBar also gives you the freedom to put the Taskbar on any edge of the display you so wish. So if you want a vertical taskbar again in Windows 11, you can, or you can put it on the top if you so please.

As well as all that, you can bring back that classic one button per window feel we used to have, and it's fully compatible with modern apps. You can have a Windows 95-themed Taskbar button for the Windows 11 Xbox app, which is a little bizarre but very cool.

There's also the ability to apply your own custom themes beyond those included if you wish, and it'll support multi-monitor setups just fine.

Why use RetroBar over Windhawk or Start11?

Setting up RetroBar is as simple as downloading the latest release from its GitHub repo and installing it. But why should you use it over something like Windhawk or Start11?

For starters, it's incredibly lightweight. It uses almost no system resources, and it's entirely non-destructive. If you want to stop using it, you can simply right-click and exit, and you'll have the regular Windows 11 Taskbar back on screen.

Right-clicking on the clock opens up the settings, and from here you have a number of choices, the main one being how you want it to look. You've got options that include the classic blue Windows XP theme and some more niche alternatives, including Longhorn and the Zune-themed Windows XP Taskbar.

You can also enable RetroBar at boot so you don't need to manually launch it every time you start up your PC, show the clock, or hide the clock; it's about as full-featured as you could want from a tool that's designed to give your PC an element of the past.

The perfect customization tool for Snapdragon laptops

RetroBar is an absolute win for those who yearn for a taste of the glory days, those who were too young to experience them firsthand, and just those who want a little more control over their Taskbar without using heftier Windows 11 customization tools.

It's completely free, and since it's hosted on GitHub, you can have a little poke around in the code if you wish. Oh, and not forgetting, there's a native ARM64 build, too, so you can happily use it on your Snapdragon-powered laptop. I'm loving my new old Windows Vista-style Taskbar complete with matching window previews!

Which version of Windows was your favorite? Let us know in the comments if you’re team XP, team 98, or another version!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 7 and Vista clawing their way out of Microsoft’s graveyard in 2026 wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card, yet here we are. The nostalgia hits hard, but their sudden return comes with a very modern problem: security. And if you’re thinking about running them today, you’ll want to understand exactly what you’re signing up for.

Windows enthusiast and modder Bob Pony recently created ready-to-install ISO files for Windows 7 and Windows Vista, making the operating systems usable again (via PCWorld).

However, Microsoft ended official support for these operating systems, meaning they no longer received security updates. This may expose your PC to critical security threats and risks.

Pony seemingly brought these operating systems back to life by installing all the updates. Perhaps more interestingly, the modder installed all of the security updates for Windows Vista, including the latest updates released via Premium Assurance Updates up to January 2026.

For context, Premium Assurance is a program that Microsoft has been using to maintain legacy operating systems like Windows Vista by keeping security updates flowing for 6 years. It's quite similar to Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program for Windows 10.

As always, it is important to proceed with caution before installing these operating systems in your PC, especially since Microsoft no longer supports them by providing security updates. This means that your system could be susceptible to malicious attacks by bad actors, especially when connected to the internet.

However, you can enjoy the nostalgia rush by downloading the ISO files for Windows 7 or Windows Vista and use it in a virtual machine, simulating the operating system in a safe sandbox, ensuring that your main system is protected from any vulnerabilities.

There's been a lot of rants and trolls about Microsoft's strategy and direction with Windows 11, which partly explains the operating system's slow adoption rate.

Last week, Microsoft's latest security update for Windows 11 rendered some PCs unbootable, raising concern among most users. Another separate error affecting Windows 11 was spotted breaking apps and causing crashes.

Last year, Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows 10, ending support for the operating system on October 14, 2025. The move received a lot of backlash from users, with some suggesting that it was programmed obsolescence designed to force millions of working PCs into early retirement.

It's possible to continue using Windows 10 beyond its end of support date through Microsoft's Extended Updates Security program for free by syncing your PC settings to the cloud via a Microsoft Account, or pay $30 or 1,000 Microsoft Reward points. Some users have blatantly expressed their frustrations, indicating that it feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a sort of band-aid on a bleeding system.

As such, upgrading to Windows 11 seems like the logical next step in the long term, but Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements, flawed design elements, and other issues have made the transition harder. Our Editor-in-Chief says Windows 11 isn't broken; Microsoft just needs to regain user trust and confidence one transparent decision at a time.

Windows 7 and Vista returning from the grave is a fun headline, but the reality is far less charming. These operating systems belong to another era — one without the threats, expectations, and security demands of 2026. If you’re tempted to revisit them, do it with caution. Nostalgia is great, but not at the cost of your system’s safety.

On the other hand, this also speaks strongly to how people are fed up with Windows 11 and are willing to go back decades for a reprieve.

Do you think Windows 11 is in the right trajectory? Share your thoughts in the comments and cast your vote!

An iconic part of Windows has been removed from Windows 11. Earlier this summer, a peculiar bug caused the Windows Vista boot chime to play when starting Windows 11.

The bug only appeared for Windows Insiders and surprised many when it was first discovered.

While Vista was considered a poor version of Windows by many, its startup chime was well-received and stuck around for Windows 7.

As far as I'm aware, Microsoft never admitted the Vista sound being added for Insiders was intentional — at least not outright. The timing was certainly interesting, given that Apple had just released its Vista-esque Aero Liquid Glass.

"This week’s flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. We’re working on a fix," said Microsoft in June.

It took a few months, but Microsoft's engineers finally managed to squash the bug. The tech giant maintained it was a bug rather than a move done to troll Apple.

The release notes for Windows 11 Build 27913 states Microsoft "Fixed an issue where the Windows Vista boot sound was unexpectedly being used instead of the Windows 11 boot sound."

I'm sure the Windows team lost sleep over the summer spending countless hours figuring out how to restore the appropriate chime.

A brief history of Windows startup sounds

The little jingles that play when booting a PC last at most a few seconds, but they have a surprisingly rich history.

Startup sounds first graced Microsoft's operating systems with Windows 3.1. They continued as a constant presence until the launch of Windows 8, which famously lacked a jingle.

Those booting up their PCs were stuck with the sound of silence for years, but Microsoft ultimately decided to create a startup sound for Windows 11. The company was so excited that it released a slo-fi remix of all Windows startup sounds from throughout history.

Jensen Harris, the previous Director of Program Management for the Windows User Experience team, has dropped Windows startup sound lore over the years. One video explains why Windows stopped having them.

Harris also shared the jingle that was created for Windows 8 but never used. A slight variation of that sound was also made for Surface PCs. Files of both jingles are available, thanks to Harris.

Microsoft's various builds of its Windows operating system have significantly evolved over the years, and mostly for the better, depending on how you look at it. After 4 years, Windows 11 finally surpassed Windows 10's market share as the latter's end-of-life deadline edges closer. However, there are a couple of temporary workarounds, including syncing your PC settings to the cloud via a Microsoft Account.

So, when was the last time you used Windows XP? The software giant released the operating system in 2001, which quickly became a new favourite for most users because of its broad compatibility, user-friendly interface, and improved performance compared to its predecessors.

Microsoft pulled the plug on the operating system in 2014, prompting most users to upgrade to Windows Vista. Some of us haven't used the nostalgic operating system since, though virtual machines can be used to bring Windows XP back to life.

However, the process can be daunting, and the experience is riddled with critical setbacks, including software incompatibility, security risks, and poor web compatibility. Interestingly, users craving a nostalgic trip down memory lane with Windows XP can now relive this epic era directly from their browsers.

According to a post on the r/windows subreddit on Reddit, user ducbao414 shared an interesting project that brings the nostalgic Windows XP experience directly to your browser.

windows from r/windows/comments/1lzbhpr/windows_xp_in_the_browser_with_a_file_system

The project is an experiment and not a full-blown deployment of Windows XP in your browser. It runs via win32.run web emulation, tapping into Windows XP nostalgia from its initial boot animation down to the classic desktop design.

According to the project designer:

"I made this Windows XP-in-the-browser project a while ago as a way to revisit the nostalgia of my childhood, and hopefully bring back some memories for others too. Today, July 13, marks 25 years since Windows XP development first began, so it felt like a fitting time to share it."

The project goes beyond Windows XP's graphical aesthetic; it also ships with classic preloaded games, including 3D Pinball Space Cadet, Solitaire, and Minesweeper.

Again, it is worth noting that the project is a web-based emulator and not a fully-fledged operating system. As such, it ships with several limitations, including the inability to access the web. The Internet Explorer icon featured in the project doesn't work, making it impossible to open webpages.

Additionally, Users can't run apps in the web browser-based project like you ordinarily would in an actual operating system installed on your PC. Going by some of the comments in the Reddit post, some users have indicated that sounds in the nostalgic Windows XP project don't work, seemingly narrowing down the issue to the startup sound being blocked on Safari because it's not triggered directly by user interaction.

While the designer admits that the project isn't the real Windows XP but a recreation of its UI, it's an impressive feat nonetheless. It will be interesting to see if the designer will continue working on the nostalgic project, enhancing its user experience with new features and keeping us all hooked on happy memories.

Microsoft's iconic Windows Vista boot sound from 2006 has made a surprise return in the latest preview builds of Windows 11. Users booting their PCs after installing the latest flight will have been greeted by an absolute blast from the past as the startup sound shared by both Windows Vista and Windows 7 plays when logging in.

The company hasn't said what caused this bug to occur, but it is funny timing given Apple just announced Liquid Glass, which has Windows Vista and Aero Glass on everyone's mind. The boot chime plays in-place of the Windows 11 startup sound, which appears to be missing from the latest flights.

How a bug like this happens is anyone's guess. XenoPanther on X discovered the bug late last week, noting that Windows 11's startup sound has been outright replaced with the Windows Vista startup sound in system files. Indeed, it was an odd moment booting my PC on Saturday morning to discover that Windows Vista's boot sound had returned.

Here's what Microsoft said about the "bug" in the release notes:

• This week’s flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. We’re working on a fix.

Of course, most users will likely be familiar with Windows Vista's boot sound via Windows 7, as that OS shared the same system sounds. In fact, Windows 7 ultimately shared a lot of similarities with Windows Vista, with some describing Windows 7 as a service pack designed to fix Windows Vista's shortcomings at the time of its release.

For those that need the reminder, here's the Windows Vista boot sound in all its glory.

Apple has just unveiled Liquid Glass at WWDC 2025, its new design language for Apple platforms launching later this year, starting with iOS 16, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26. The first developer beta is available now, giving the world a first look at this new design ethos from Apple, and I'm shocked at how much it reminds me of Windows Vista's Aero Glass.

Don't get me wrong, Apple is no stranger to copying and stealing features and ideas from other platforms. In the very same event, Apple lifted Call Screening and Direct My Call from Google Pixel straight onto the iPhone, and last year, it finally implemented its version of Windows Snap on macOS.

I often find Apple's copying is always late, and generally worse than the competition. But with Liquid Glass, I can't not be reminded about how much nicer Aero Glass was (and is.) Microsoft first unveiled Aero Glass in 2006, which first shipped with Windows Vista that same year.

Aero Glass came after Apple's Aqua design language debuted with Mac OS X, but Aero Glass was different enough that it's clear Microsoft took initiative and went in its own direction. With the new Liquid Glass, it just seems like a worse version of Aero Glass.

While Windows Vista itself was received rather poorly, nobody ever denied that the OS looked good. It was the first to introduce blurred glass effects across the entire desktop interface, including the Taskbar, Start Menu, and app window titlebars. For the time, it was very futuristic, so much so that most PCs couldn't even run it properly.

This design language was carried forward with Windows 7, which only improved upon it with more glass panes, glow, and blur effects across the board. It was a perfect blend between old and new Windows interfaces, as even the older interfaces didn't really look that out of place alongside Aero Glass.

I loved Aero Glass and was sorry to see it go with the debut of Windows 8 in 2012, which set the stage for a decade of flat design ethos, which was also copied by Apple with iOS 7 in 2013. iOS 7 was also poorly received by users, and it seems the same is happening here with Liquid Glass.

So far, the biggest problem with Liquid Glass appears to be contrast, or a lack thereof. A lot of areas of the OS that are relying on blurred glassy aesthetics don't separate themselves well enough, causing text to become hard to read in front of whatever interface is behind it.

Aero Glass solved this by simply ensuring the blurred, glassy effects were strong enough so that objects behind it were barely visible. This ensured that the user could always read the text at the top level of the interface, making it easy and accessible for most people.

Apple looks to have missed that memo, as there are multiple cases where the glass effects are too translucent. The new control center, for example, is a barely blurred sheet of glass, meaning you can read large text straight through it. That's a terrible design that's going to cause headaches for a lot of people.

Liquid Glass does make some interesting UI choices that Aero Glass never did, made possible because computers and phones today are way more powerful than they were in 2007. The glass materials have more realistic aspects to them, bending light around edges like real curved glass does.

On paper, this does sound like a really cool idea. In practice, however, it looks dreadful, introducing more noise than necessary to interfaces that simply don't need it. It kind of makes everything look like a virtual bubble, rather than realistic glass.

And I think that's the main problem with Apple's new design language. It's trying too hard to be realistic, and that's a problem for software design. Microsoft struck the perfect balance between realism and digital design with Aero Glass, mainly because that's what PCs could handle back in the day.

Now, Apple is unrestricted in just how realistic it can make these interfaces look, and it's becoming clear that this doesn't really translate well in software. I think Liquid Glass needs to be significantly dialled back if Apple wants users to like it. On paper, I think it's a great idea, but in practice, it needs a lot of fine-tuning.

I really love how Windows Vista and Windows 7 found an excellent balance with effects like glow and light. You could only really find it in certain places, like window controls and app icons on the Taskbar, and it was used to signify that you were currently hovering or highlighting a clickable item.

Some elements of the system had faux light effects, like the Taskbar, which looks like it's lit from above, with a blue light appearing underneath app icons when you hover over them. Of course, this effect was built-in, not rendered in real time, but it still looks great even today.

Ultimately, it feels like Liquid Glass is Apple trying to one-up Aero Glass and fumbling it during the process. Of course, this is still developer beta 1, and I'm certain Apple will fine-tune this design language as testing progresses. Just like with iOS 7 in 2013, Apple will address people's biggest complaints with Liquid Glass.

They'll just do so quietly and never admit they were wrong, because that's Apple for you.

Windows 11 may not be the perfect operating system, but it's certainly a modern one. With that comes security updates and support for features needed in 2025.

But what happens if you want the security and updates of Windows 11 but the look of a version of Windows from yesteryear? In comes Windhawk to save the day.

A new theme for Windhawk called Windows Vista 2025 Edition allows you to customize your Windows 11 PC to look like it's running Windows Vista.

Getting Windows Vista 2025 Edition onto your PC takes a bit of a process. You need to install Windhawk, download several mods, download a set of files from Google Drive, and customize the settings of your mods.

Link Vegas has a YouTube video that shows off the theme and guides you through installation. That video also links to the needed files for the theme.

What is Windhawk?

Windhawk is a customization marketplace for Windows and other programs. Through Windhawk, you can find mods to customize the look of Windows 11.

Windhawk is an open-source platform with a robust library of mods shared by developers. Those mods tweak certain parts of Windows, such as the taskbar or Start menu.

Here are some of the most popular mods available through Windhawk:

• Windows 11 Start Menu Styler
• Taskbar height and icon size
• Windows 11 Taskbar Styler
• Windows 11 Notification Center Styler
• Taskbar Volume Control
• Taskbar Clock Customization
• Better file sizes in Explorer details
• Slick Window Arrangement

Is Windhawk safe?

As with anything that modifies a system, there are risks in using Windhawk and the mods made available through the platform. If you know what you're doing and follow good practices, such as backing up your system, you can likely use Windhawk without any issues.

Sticking with the most popular and well-reviewed mods will likely result in a more stable setup as well.

Some programs will not like it if you use Windhawk on your PC. Certain pieces of antivirus software may flag up Windhawk.

Unfortunately, using Windhawk can affect your ability to play certain PC games, since some anti-cheat software does not get along well with Windhawk.

Windows Vista in 2025

The biggest changes when using the theme to make your PC look like it's running Windows Vista alter the taskbar and Start menu.

To be completely honest, the theme looks more like a mashup of Windows Vista and Windows 11 than a Vista clone. That's reasonable considering the mods tweak Windows 11 and have to accommodate app icons.

It's interesting that when you mash together several versions of Windows design you can see what aspects have been carried over throughout the years. The Vista theme also reminds me of Windows 7 and Windows 10, especially when it comes to the apps list.

Windows nostalgia

I always find it a bit funny that so many people hate certain parts of Windows when they come out and then years later people are nostalgic for classic versions of Windows. But that will happen when hundreds of millions of people use an operating system, some will hate it and some will love it.

Tech nostalgia is real, and it's a big reason we find any excuse we can to talk about Windows Phone. Heck, I even wrote about someone cramming iPhone parts into a Lumia 1020 this month.

I hear about people longing for the days of Windows Phone more than I hear calls to bring back Windows Vista, but there are people passionate about older versions of Windows.

Most of the time I hear people mention Windows Vista it's to discuss problems with the operating system. Maybe taking Windows 11 and modding it to look like Windows Vista is the perfect solution.

What you need to know

• DISCLAIMER: Running third-party scripts may potentially harm or render your device unusable. Proceed with caution. 
• A script called Revert8Plus can transform Windows 11 or 10 with visual aesthetics from Windows 7 or Vista without functional differences.
• Tamper protection in Virus and Threat Protection Settings in Windows must be turned off for the script to work.

According to StatCounter's January report, Windows 10 still dominates the market share with 66.47%, followed by Microsoft's two-year-old OS, Windows 11, which holds a 27.83% market share. This is a significant improvement from December's 26.54%, which could indicate that users are transitioning to Windows 11 ahead of Windows 10's end-of-support, which is slated for October 2025.

Users have outrightly highlighted the design flaws consistent with Microsoft's latest OS, especially in the Start menu, coupled with strict minimum requirements to run the OS, as some of the main reasons for their hesitance to upgrade to Windows 11. Windows 10's Live Tiles, a popular and favorite feature among most users, is also seemingly missing in action in Windows 11. 

As a result, there's an emergence of third-party apps designed by developers to solve some of these issues, including Stardock's Start11 or the Files app. And now, there's a new way to transform your Windows 11 or 10 into older and unsupported Windows operating systems, including Windows 7 or Vista.

Users can achieve this via a third-party script dubbed Revert8Plus, as spotted by BetaNews. The installation process is pretty straightforward; you only need to launch the Run box and enter the script. The transformation process takes some time, depending on the features you'd like to include while overhauling your OS. 

RELATED: Remembering Windows Longhorn

It's critical to note that you must manually turn off tamper protection in Virus and Threat Protection Settings if you're running Windows 11 on your device. However, the third-party script will do this automatically if you're using Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8.

A dated theme for Windows 11

When you opt for the Windows 7 aesthetic during the transformation process, your OS will spot Windows 7's taskbar, Start menu, login dialog, dated boot screen, and more. The transformation process also ships with neat features and tools like the beloved Windows Media Center.

The same also applies to Windows Vista. Revert8Plus only changes the look and feel, not other functional elements of the OS (think of it like a traditional theme).

WARNING: When installing this third-party script, you potentially run the risk of rendering your device unusable. As such, we strongly recommend that you exercise caution.

You may also encounter some issues with Revert8Plus since it's not fully compatible with all Windows versions, as highlighted in the list below:

• Windows 8 -- Fully Supported -- 100%
• Windows 8.1 -- Fully Supported -- 100%
• Windows 10 1809 -- Fully Supported -- 100%
• Windows 10 21H2 -- Fully Supported -- 97%
• Windows 10 22H2 -- Fully Supported -- 97%
• Windows 11 21H2 -- Supported -- 80%
• Windows 11 22H2 -- Supported -- 80%
• Windows 11 23H2 -- Supported -- 80%

Finally, when running the script, you can revert to your operating system setup by uninstalling the theme-related programs installed on your device.

Would you use it? Are your nostalgic feelings for Vista strong enough to go back in time? It's straightforward enough if you do, so let us know in the comments or share some screenshots of your results!

What you need to know

• Well-respected software engineer David Cutler discussed Windows Longhorn and its development in a 9-minute-long video interview.
• He explains that a buggy codebase impacted the operating system's development, with the "worst code he has ever seen" causing severe bugs.
• Cutler started working on a new 64-bit system after AMD reached out with claims that it is less intrusive and can run 32-bit applications at speed on the 64-bit machine.

In a 9-minute-long YouTube interview, David Cutler, a well-respected software engineer responsible for spearheading the development of Microsoft Windows NT and beyond, got together with David William (better known as Dave's Garage across social media) and took a trip down memory lane talking all things Windows Longhorn and "the worst code" he's seen to date. 

What is Windows Longhorn?

You might remember the archaic Windows operating system dubbed Windows Longhorn if you're a long-time Microsoft follower. It was a codename used for its operating system under development between 2003 and 2005, set to be Windows XP's successor with Aero effects.

Initially, Microsoft envisioned it as a minor release, but it superseded the company's expectations in scope. Consequently, this influenced Microsoft's decision to ship it as the next major release of Windows in the form of Windows Vista. 

What happened to Windows Longhorn?

Windows Longhorn's glory days were albeit short-lived. But to understand this, we'll have to look at the moments leading up to its development through Davis Cutler's point of view. 

The interview starts in high gear with Dave's Garage referring to Windows Longhorn as "Windows Vista's precursor." Cutler quickly responded, "There's a big story behind that." He explains that the development team had just concluded Windows 2000, ugly aesthetics and all, highlighting that its workstation and server were based on the same codebase.

Shortly after, the development team was getting ready to make plans for developing the next operating system. Chris Jones was responsible for developing its workstation while the Dave Thompson Group was on the server side. At the time, the team disclosed that getting the servers for the next operating system up and running would take up to three years. Something unacceptable to Chris, who countered the offer, citing that he could achieve the same in one and a half years. According to Cutler, Chris indicated that "consumers don't expect the quality that server people do."

This caused the development team to split the codebase into two, with one team working on the servers while the other worked on the consumer vision. Cutler admits that the consumer branch ran into some hurdles along the way, citing that it could barely run. While the server branch had already made significant headway in development, fixing some security bugs. 

Windows XP's launch

While there were some software development issues, Windows XP was finally shipped to consumers, and in Cutler's words, "it was widely successful, but buggy." The biggest issue affecting the OS was mainly centered around security.

He further disclosed that the development team used Windows XP's codebase for Windows Longhorn, which shipped as Windows Vista.

The rise of the 64-bit codebase

Cutler recounted when AMD reached out to him with a potential idea on 64-bit extensions, claiming that it's "less intrusive" and can run 32-bit applications at speed on the 64-bit machine.

He then moved to embrace this project, which ultimately led him to use the server codebase to produce a 64-bit workstation alongside a 64-bit server. Later on, he was able to get the system running, which was complimented with a simulator (Sim Now) that allowed the development team to simulate the setup, which took 24 hours.

AMD shipped a system to Cutler's team with a CD, which, when plugged into the 64-bit workstation for the first time ever, ran smoothly without any interruptions or bugs. 

At this point, the team uncovered the new system's reliability, which prompted them to try and convince Microsoft.com to transition to the 64-bit server. The website only took a week to make the full transition, owing to previous frustrations while using the 32-bit server, which was rife with memory leaks and bugs. 

Later, the development team switched to the 64-bit codebase, as all their efforts to make headway in the operating system's development had proven futile. However, progress on this project halted as Windows XP's security had gone from bad to worse. Cutler states that his team alone fixed over 5,000 bugs while turning over some of the system's code. 

While trying to make the most out of a bad situation, Cutler found what he terms "the worst code he has ever seen," some IME code developed in Japan. He states that the code had no regard for bugs and that it got to a point where they couldn't fix some of the overflow plugs. However, Microsoft shipped a new update for Windows XP, coming in at around 250MB once it switched to the 64-bit codebase to address the bugs.

Check out the full interview and cast your mind back to the days of Windows XP. Do you remember hearing about Longhorn? Let us know in the comments!

What you need to know

• A ChatGPT client called "JavaGPT" allows you to access the popular chatbot on Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11.
• The java application supports chatting in real-time, chat history, and an HTML viewer.
• Most of the operating systems that JavaGPT is built for are out of date.

ChatGPT is the latest trend in tech, but you don't have to be on a new gadget to use OpenAI's chatbot. A ChatGPT client called JavaGPT supports Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11. While support for Windows 11 is likely more practical than working with older versions of Windows, the headline here is support for operating systems dating back to 1998.

JavaGPT is an open-source project that's available through GitHub. The entire application lives within a Java GUI, which is both intriguing and functional. It can run on a long list of operating systems because of how it's built.

Here are the features highlighted by JavaGPT's creator:

• Chat Streaming: makes responses generate in real-time just like on the ChatGPT website
• Chat History: lets you interact with previous chats like on the website
• Revert Chats: Be able to void previous prompts and responses from chat
• HTML Viewer: View your chat content in HTML. Supports Markdown Language syntax
• Chat Titles: autogenerates a title for a chat based on its context. Can be manually changed if preferred.
• Import premade prompts
• Save chats to file
• Dark mode and right click copy-edit-paste features
• Support for ChatGPT 4 and all ChatGPT 3.5 models
• Cross platform
• Only 6mb build size

The app's developer specified that JavaGPT supports GPT-4 as well as GPT 3 Turbo. You can configure which model you'd like the program to use through JavaGPT's settings.

If you're curious why JavaGPT doesn't work with Windows 95, Reddit user atomic1fire shed some light on the situation. They highlighted that getting an app like JavaGPT to run on Windows 95 would require getting Java 8 to run on the ancient OS.

What you need to know

• Software archeologists discovered what is likely the first instance of Aero frames running in Windows.
• The effect was seen in a Windows Longhorn build from 2003.
• Longhorn's development process was reset in 2004, but some elements from the initial branch made their way into later versions of Windows, including the Aero blur effect.

Many Windows enthusiasts love the Aero blur effect. Blurring has been around in some form or another within Windows for a long time, and it has evolved over the years, but the Aero effect is still the standard for some. Software archeologists have uncovered what may be the first instance of the Aero effect running on a version of Windows. A Twitter user known as evil_pro_ tested the effect on actual hardware running Windows Longhorn build 4020 (via Albacore on Twitter). The code for the effect is in builds 4015 and 4017 but reportedly does not work the same as on build 4020.

Longhorn builds included several features during its initial development process, but the branch was reset in 2004 due to several issues. While Microsoft had to start over, some elements from Longhorn made their way into later versions of Windows, including the Aero effect in Windows Vista.

The Aero blur effect used the graphics of a PC to render parts of the Windows interface. Microsoft has since taken a different approach to blurring elements of its operating system. Windows 11 has a mica effect that uses fewer system resources because it only samples the desktop wallpaper once. This allows a PC to blur parts of the screen without having to continually sample whatever is behind an active window.

Apple has announced in a new support document that it Windows XP and Vista PCs will no longer be able to access the iTunes Store after May 25 (via MacRumors). Apple chalks the move up to "security changes" that will prevent those still using Vista and XP PCs from updating to the latest version of iTunes, cutting off access to the store.

From Apple:

Apple says you can keep using older versions of iTunes to listen to music, but you won't be able to make new purchases or redownload previous purchases on Windows XP or Vista. Instead, you'll have to upgrade to Windows 7 or later to pick up the latest version of iTunes.

It's impossible to be sure without exact figures, but the cross-section of people still using Windows XP and Vista with iTunes is likely pretty small. And given that Microsoft no longer supports Windows XP or Vista, it's no surprise to see Apple following suit.

Now let's hope this means we're that much closer to getting iTunes on the Microsoft Store for Windows 10.

It's Windows Vista's birthday! Windows Vista was officially released on January 30, 2007, according to Microsoft. It is known as Microsoft's messiest OS release ever. It took a long time to develop, it was buggy at launch, required users to upgrade their hardware to experience the best new features, and was super expensive. If that isn't enough already, here are a few reasons why Windows Vista failed.

Development Reset

Windows Vista is the only version of Windows in history to have its development reset mid-cycle due to the OS being off course and way behind schedule. Originally codenamed Longhorn, Microsoft began development on Windows Vista in 2001, shortly before the launch of Windows XP. It had forecasted its launch for sometime in 2003, but over time it became increasingly obvious that that deadline was never going to be met. Microsoft added too many new features and technologies into the OS that it had become a total mess.

There was nothing Microsoft could do to fix the problem in a timely manner, so in 2004 it made the decision to reset development, scrapping a lot of the new code it had been working on in favor of a clean slate. It would be years before Microsoft finally shipped Windows Vista, three years overdue. The development reset helped, however, as it got Microsoft back on track and focused on what was most important for this release.

User Account Control

One of the reasons many people disliked Windows Vista was because of Microsoft's new account control that was supposed to help keep you secure. It was a prompt that popped up whenever you wanted to run a program or open a file. It generated too many popups too often, however, and became more of a pain for users than helpful. While it did keep Vista secure, it was more of an annoyance than anything.

Microsoft later improved User Account Control in Windows 7, dialing it back a bit so that it wasn't as in your face as it was in Vista. User Account Control is actually still in use in Windows today; you can even find it in Windows 10. It's still a feature that keeps rogue programs from running in the background without your permission, keeping you safe from malware and viruses.

Hardware Requirements

One of the biggest problems with Windows Vista was its demanding specifications. At the time, Windows Vista was a bit too new and heavy for a lot of the PCs on the market at the time, which means the OS felt slow and cumbersome on some older Windows XP based machines. Windows Vista was a necessary step in upping hardware requirements, however, otherwise the OS would not be able to progress and improve.

Still, that didn't stop users from complaining. Vista relied heavily on new hardware that was up to scratch, but many existing Windows users simply didn't have that hardware. There were also some "premium" features in Windows Vista, such as Aero, that was only available to users who had the hardware to run it. It was also only available on some SKUs, adding insult to injury.

Pricing

Windows Vista was not cheap. When it originally launched, Microsoft was charging almost $400 for the Ultimate edition, which is the equivalent of Windows 10 Pro today. For comparison, Windows 10 Pro is just $199, a lot less expensive than Windows Vista Ultimate was. Of course, there were lesser SKUs available, but those also weren't cheap. Vista Home Premium was $239, still more expensive than Windows 10 Pro today.

Because of this, many decided not to upgrade to Windows Vista. Windows XP was working fine, and since the press had already said Vista was bad in other areas, there was no real incentive to splash out $400 on an OS that was, according to the rest of the world, terrible.

Stability

When Windows Vista originally launched, it wasn't the most stable OS due to driver compatibility problems. That, along with a lot of PC hardware at the time being subpar in regards to Vista's recommended specifications, made for an OS release that felt rough. It wasn't until Windows Vista Service Pack 1 that most of the initial teething problems Vista faced were fixed, but at that point, it was just too late.

So there you have it, five reasons to why Windows Vista ultimately failed. I personally really loved Vista, mostly because of its new Aero interface and security enhancements that make Windows secure even today. Microsoft learned a lot from Windows Vista, which made for better Windows releases in the future. In fact, all versions of Windows released after Vista are based on it. Just goes to show up important Vista is in the Windows line-up.

The time has come: Microsoft has put the final nail in the coffin for Windows Vista. As detailed on its support site, Microsoft will no longer ship new security updates, non-security hotfixes, or even free or paid assisted support options as of today, April 11.

From Microsoft:

Vista originally launched in January 2007, coming five years after the launch of Windows XP. While Vista introduced the new Aero UI elements that would later be refined in Windows 7, Vista became one of Microsoft's more maligned Windows releases due to high system requirements, a lack of compatible drivers at launch, and a number of other issues.

The end of life date for Vista has been known for a while, and Microsoft actually ended what it calls "mainstream support" all the way back in 2012. Today's move marks the end of extended support for the OS.

Even though support has ended, you'll still be able to keep using Windows Vista. However, in the absence of security updates, you're much more open to viruses and malware attacks. Compounding the problem is that Microsoft also says it has stopped offering Microsoft Security Essentials for download on Windows Vista.

If you happen to still be hanging onto Vista as your OS of choice, Microsoft recommends an upgrade to a PC with Windows 10, which just so happens to be receiving a pretty big upgrade with the Creators Update today.

How to upgrade Windows Vista to Window 10

Microsoft is retiring Windows Vista on April 11, which means that if you're using a computer with the decade-old version of the OS, the time has come to upgrade. However, this is not to say that Windows Vista will stop working after its life support cycle ends. After April 11, 2017, your device will no longer receive any more maintenance, including security and performance updates, and Microsoft won't provide any kind of support.

If you want to avoid your computer quickly becoming vulnerable to viruses and other security risks, you should start planning to upgrade. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't provide a direct path to upgrade to Windows 10, but you can still make the jump and leave behind Windows Vista for good. However, it's a process that requires that you do a full backup of your data and perform a clean installation of Windows 10. We've got you covered with all the steps.

In this guide, we walk you through the steps to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 10 using a clean installation.

• Before you begin
• How to create a full backup on Windows Vista
• How to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 10

Before you begin

If you're still using Windows Vista, it's likely that your computer has low hardware specifications, considering today's standards. Before going through the upgrade process, you have to make sure your device meets the minimum hardware requirements to install Windows 10.

These are the official minimum system requirements to run Windows 10:

• Processor: 1GHz or faster processor or SoC.
• Memory: 1GB for 32-bit OS or 2GB for 64-bit OS.
• Storage: 16GB for 32-bit OS 20GB for 64-bit OS.
• Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver.
• Display: 800 x 600.

Once you know that your device can handle the new OS, you'll need to purchase a genuine copy of Windows 10. You can get a copy of Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro at the Microsoft Store.

Additionally, you'll need a USB flash drive with 8GB of storage to create a bootable media.

How to create a full backup on Windows Vista

Upgrading Windows Vista to Windows 10 requires a clean installation, which means that everything on your computer will be erased. As such, it's a good idea to make a full backup of your data and the entire computer.

To make a backup of your personal files, you can simply connect a removable storage and copy the files over. Once you complete backing up your files, make sure you have the installation files and product keys to reinstall any applications you're currently using.

You can also connect an external hard drive with enough free space and use the Windows Vista backup utility to create and restore a system image, which is a form of backup that includes a copy of everything on your computer. If you want to use this tool, do the following:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Under "System and Maintenance," click the Back up your computer link.

1. Click the Back up computer button.

1. If prompted for permission, click the Continue button.
2. Select the hard drive you want to use to make the backup, and click Next.

1. Click the Start backup button to begin the process.

1. Click Close.

Once the full backup is complete, disconnect the removable storage, and you can proceed with the upgrade process. In case you need to restore the previous version, remember that you'll need a bootable media with the Windows Vista files to use the recovery option.

How to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 10

While there is not a direct path to upgrade a decade-old OS, it's possible to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7, and then to Windows 10. But that's not an ideal approach, as you'll be wasting time and additional licenses.

The best way to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 10 is to start fresh with a clean installation, which you can do with the following steps:

1. Download the Windows 10 ISO from the Microsoft support site. Note that if you're using an older version of Internet Explorer, you'll probably need to use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox to load the download page.
2. Under "Select edition," choose Windows 10 and click Confirm.

1. Select your product language from the drop-down menu and click Confirm.
2. Click the 64-bit Download or 32-bit Download button depending on your hardware.
   • Quick Tip: Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command, type the msinfo32 command and press Enter. If your system type is x64-based PC and the amount of RAM is higher than 4GB, you can install the 64-bit version of Windows 10. Otherwise, select the 32-bit version.
3. In order to burn the ISO file to a USB flash drive, download and install Rufus, which is a free and easy to use utility to create bootable media.
4. Launch Rufus.
5. Under "Devices," select the USB flash drive you want to use.
6. Under "Format Options," click the disk drive icon next to "Create a bootable disk using ISO image" option.
7. Select the Windows 10 ISO file you want to use, and click Open.

1. Click the Start button to continue.
2. Click the OK button to confirm that all the data on the flash drive will be erased and to start the process.
3. Restart your computer with the newly created bootable media.
   • If your device isn't booting from the USB flash drive, you'll need to change your system's BIOS settings to make sure it can boot from USB. Usually, you power up your computer and hit one of the functions or ESC keys to access the BIOS, but make sure to check your manufacturer's support website for more information.
4. Click Next on the first screen of the Windows Setup wizard.

1. Click the Install Now button.

1. Enter the product key for your copy of Windows 10.
2. Click Next.

1. Select the edition of Windows 10 you want to install (if applicable). This selection must match the edition for which you bought the product key.
2. Click Next.
3. Accept the licensing agreement.
4. Click Next.

1. Click on the Custom: Install Windows only (Advanced) option to start a clean installation of Windows 10.

1. Select any partition on the hard drive (usually "Drive 0") and make sure to click the Delete button to remove the partitions.

1. Select the hard drive (Drive 0 Unallocated Space).

1. Click Next to begin the installation process.

Once you complete these steps, the setup will take over and finish installing Windows 10 on your Windows Vista machine. After the installation, simply follow the on-screen directions to complete the out-of-box-experience (OOBE) with the settings you want.

During the OOBE, you'll be asked to set up an account with a Microsoft account. As such, you should make sure to have this information handy. Alternatively, you could use a local account, but you'll miss out on many advanced features, including the ability to sync settings between devices.

After you finish configuring Windows 10, you'll be presented with the new experience, and the only thing left to do is to restore your files from backup, and reinstall any app you were using on Windows Vista.

It's also recommended to go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update, and click the Check for updates button to make sure your device has the latest security and performance updates.

Additionally, you may want to use Device Manager to double-check that all your hardware and peripherals are correctly installed on your machine. If something didn't install correctly, make sure to use your manufacturer's support website to download and install the latest drivers.

If you can't find a driver compatible with Windows 10, sometimes drivers designed for the previous version of the OS will still work. But only try this as a last resort.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Yet another version of Windows is entering the home stretch of its support life. One year from today, on April 11, 2017, Microsoft will end all software updates for Windows Vista.

Vista's support end will only affect a tiny percentage of PC users. According to Net Application's latest OS market share numbers, Vista is only on 1.41% on all PCs. That's below the number of Linux PC users and well below those of Windows XP, which is still used by 10.9% of PCs even though Microsoft ended its support over two years ago.

Windows Vista launched in January 2007, over five years after the launch of its predecessor Windows XP and after a number of development delays. Among its many new features, Vista included a revamped graphical user interface called Aero. However, its high system requirements, its lack of compatible drivers for third-party hardware devices at launch, and many more issues caused many Windows XP users to skip upgrading to Vista. This caused Microsoft to extend the support life for Windows XP from the normal 10 years to over 12 years.

Vista was finally succeeded by Windows 7, which launched in October 2009 and became a major upgrade success for Microsoft. Mainstream support for Windows Vista, which means that the OS would no longer receive any major new features or upgrades, ended on April 10, 2012. One year from now, the security updates for the OS will also come to an end.

If you are still using a Windows XP or Windows Vista PC, it's time to think about trading up. Microsoft ended support for Windows XP in 2014, and Vista's support will stop on April 11, 2017. Google plans to stop supporting and offering updates for its popular Chrome browser for both Vista and XP in less than a year.

Google stated:

Source: Google

In August, Microsoft said that Windows 10 would not be able to run older PC games that have either the SafeDisc or Securom DRM program, citing security concerns. Now a more recent security update for Windows 7, 8 and Vista prevents those PC games from running on these affected operating system.

The update, MS15-097, was first released on September 8. The support page for this download says:

The update page also provides a workaround so that PC games with these DRM measures can run again on Windows 7, 8 and Vista. However, Microsoft does caution that it "may make a computer or a network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software." It's important to keep in mind that this update will likely only affect a small number of PC owners who still own and play these older games that uses this now out-of-date DRM protection.

Source: Microsoft; Via: Neowin

It's taken several years, but finally Windows XP, which launched in October 2001, has finally lost its second place position in the desktop PC market share to another operating system. The research firm Net Applications has posted its desktop OS market share numbers for June 2015, and it shows Windows 8.1 taking over that second place spot from Windows XP for the first time.

Net Applications, which collects its data by monitoring PC access to thousands of websites, says that in June, Windows 8.1 had 13.12% of the desktop PC OS market share worldwide. That's actually a jump compared to its 12.88% share in May. However, it was Windows XP, which is no longer supported by Microsoft, which saw a huge decrease, going down to 11.98% in June, well below its 14.60% share in May.

Windows 8.1 will have to settle for second place as it will likely never reach the number one slot. That's due to Windows 7 and its commanding market share of 60.98% in June, well above its 57.76% share in May. The older version of Windows 8 claimed 2.90% in June, a drop from its 3.57% share in May. Windows Vista had just a 1.62% share in June, below its 2.01% market share in May.

Windows 10 will likely dethrone Windows 8.1 as the second most used desktop OS in the near future, as Microsoft is allowing Windows 7 and 8.1 users to upgrade to the OS for free. It officially launches on July 29 but in June it only held a 0.16% share of the PC desktop market.

Source: Net Applications

As Microsoft’s 2013 Financial Analyst Meeting wraps up, outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer fielded questions from the audience of investors about the company. In responding to one inquiry about Microsoft, its direction and reorganization, Ballmer had an interesting confession regarding the last decade at Microsoft.

Although Ballmer has previously acknowledged that Vista was something he wished he handled differently, in tonight's response he was even more specific. Ballmer regrets not putting more resources into what was then Windows Mobile. Instead, the company had invested its talent and resources into Vista, an OS that would forever blemish the reputation of the company.

It would also cause Microsoft to miss the mobile explosion just a couple years later.

Ballmer gets candid during a Q&A

Ballmer’s response during the Financial Analyst Meeting:

Indeed, Windows Mobile (and Windows Pocket PC before that) was way ahead of its time. Back in 2002, it was Dell leading the way with the Axim X5. That device was spec’d with a 300 MHz Intel XScale processor, 32 MB RAM, 32 MB flash ROM, a Type II CompactFlash slot, an SD/MMC slot, a 16-bit QVGA (240 × 320 dots) TFT. Cost? $279. While that device and subsequent Axims and iPaqs that came after it remained a niche, it was clearly the future and Microsoft at the time owned the market.

Microsoft spent only a little time and money with Windows Mobile in subsequent years, going through a few iterations and stumbling around with non-touch versions of the OS. While the phones at the time were impressive, it was Apple’s iPhone that made that industry take off due to its appeal to the masses. Unfortunately at the time, Ballmer famously mocked Apple, noting that they welcomed the challenge and that the iPhone was “not a smartphone”. Ironically, Apple is doing very well years later and it is now Microsoft who is scrambling to catch up.

There is no argument that Microsoft had missed an opportunity. They focused on desktop when they should have seen mobile as the next big thing. Will they be able to improve? We sure hope so.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took 15 minutes to sit down with ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley to talk about his announced departure, biggest regrets at the company and what the future holds. We covered news from this morning that the popular figure at Microsoft will be stepping down as CEO to begin to enjoy retirement. So, the most pressing question is: what was Ballmer's biggest regret?

Windows Vista. Come on, it's really no surprise, right? Here's his answer to Foley's question:

Other interesting parts include how Ballmer's proud to be part of the birth of computing technologies, witnessing how technology has positively impacted millions of lives. Be sure to head on over to ZDNet to read the full interview. It's well worth checking out. Not everyone will agree with how Ballmer has gone about many things, but he's been an absolute blast.

We - of course - wish Ballmer all the best in the future and to say thank you for all the amazing videos and gif images that have been created.

Source: ZDNet

Sometimes technology is a collection of circuitry and silicon, sometimes though – it is a magical moment full of feelings and memories. The best experiences are born when technology transcends our knowledge and connects us with what we love. British science fiction writer and futurist, Arthur C. Clarke, once said:

Microsoft has been around for a long time and for those of us who live off of the technology they provide, some of the memories will never seep away.

In 2007, the company released a four minute commercial that has come to be known as “Your Digital Lifestyle”. The ad highlighted the then current hi-tech Microsoft products of the time and how one green shirted hipster used them to party the night away. The commercial is set to a cover of Ash’s Girl from Mars by Canadian group, Magneta Lane.

Buckle up, because we are going on a field trip to six years ago; along the way, we are going to jam with our green shirted friend and revisit some of our past Microsoft technology goodies. Windows Vista will probably be seen along the way, but there will be plenty of other experiences to combat that bad flavor.

Okay, roll the footage!

Windows Live Messenger

Our friend Mark, is at work and on his PC when he receives a Windows Live Messenger chat from his friend Pia (she must be the girl from Mars). Today we know that Microsoft’s messenger software is deprecated, but in 2007 – most of the world still used it. The service was first rolled out as “MSN Messenger” on July 22, 1999 until it was rebranded in 2005. Until its death, Microsoft reported that over 330 million active users a month used the service.

What happened next you ask? Microsoft purchased Skype and merged the two services. Finally in 2012, the service was killed in favor of fully utilizing Skype. This marks our first evolution of a Microsoft service: MSN Messenger -> Windows Live Messenger -> Skype with Windows Live Messenger -> Skype.

Windows Live Spaces

On we go! Pia sends Mark a link to Windows Live Spaces where he can check out party details and RSVP to the event. Windows Live Spaces was Microsoft’s poorly known social network and launched in 2004 as MSN Spaces. The goal of the site was to compete with other networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter (Sorry kids, grandpa didn’t have Google+ yet).

The problem with Microsoft’s social networking platform was that it didn’t offer any differentiating features from its already popular competitor, Facebook. The network was shut down in 2011 and has not been rebranded or reestablished.

Microsoft has launched a new, but unrelated, social networking site called Socl which you can read more about here.

Live Search Maps 3D

Mark decides he wants to go to get his groove on, so he heads to Live Search Maps 3D and spins around a view of the city before dashing off.  Why he spins the city around in circles, we can’t tell you. What we can tell you is what happed to 3D maps – they died. The service was an attempt to achiever near-photorealism of a city with high resolution models and aerial photography. Needless to say, the service was expensive and less than 68 cities were rendered before the program was dropped in 2010. According to Microsoft, they wanted to focus more on their new service – Bing Maps (more on that in a bit).

Windows Live Search

With his dashing lime green sweater now on, he pulls out his HTC phone and uses Live Search to look up traffic. Microsoft has been in the search game for a long time; they launched their first web search product in 1998 and crowned it, MSN Search. The newly launched service consisted of a search engine, index, and web crawler. It isn’t well known that from 1998 to 2005, Microsoft didn’t actually provide its own search engine results; the company partnered with Inktomi, Looksmart, and AltaVista until 2004 when Microsoft decided to go at it on their own.

In 2006, Microsoft rebranded MSN Search to Windows Live Search then changed their mind in 2007 and settled on Live Search. For the first time in history, Microsoft now powered their entire search engine internally. A problem still remained though, the company wanted to separate their search platform from their Windows division and “Live Search” just wasn’t doing the job. On June 3^rd, 2008 – Microsoft launched Bing! Another evolution pattern emerges: MSN Search -> Windows Live Search -> Live Search -> Bing!

Zune

Now that Mark is safely buckled in and ready to put the petal to the metal, he docks his gigantic first generation Zune into a car dock and rocks some tunes. You will have to give me a minute to mourn Zune as it was one of my favorite Microsoft babies… okay, I’m good now.

Zune was launched in November 2006 as a direct competitor to Apple’s line of iPod multimedia devices. Toshiba helped design and develop the first generation Zune units under code name “Argo”. The original Zune was criticized for its bulky size and it’s (uh) interesting color choice of brown. It also didn’t help Microsoft that on December 31^st 2008 at midnight, many first generation Zune 30 GB models froze due to an internal clock driver problem - luckily the devices resumed working 24 hours later.

The second and third generations of Zune were manufactured by Flextronics and gave birth to the squircle (not to be confused with the Pokémon, squirtal) shaped Zune Pad; this ingenious touch-sensitive pad allowed users to flick through content or click in on the edges to navigate the metro style interface.

On September 15, 2009 the last and final fourth generation Zune was released – the Zune HD. Oh, the excitement I remember experiencing when I ran to BestBuy and picked up my beautiful Zune HD with platinum backing. The design of the unit was superb, taking cues from industrial styling. And of course I could not forget the OLED touch screen which, at the time, made the iPhone look dull and washed out. Unfortunately, Apple’s iPod Touch had accumulated a massive store of applications while the Zune HD’s list of apps could be counted on two hands.

On March 15, 2011 Microsoft’s Zune brand was killed as it failed to capture any significant market share. Zune isn’t completely gone though, it has been rebranded. Production of any Zune players may have stopped, but the Zune Marketplace services were rebranded as Xbox Music and Xbox Video. The spirit of Zune continues to live on within Microsoft’s Windows Phone line of devices.

Games for Windows

Back to Mark - unfortunately his car has failed him and like any true hipster, he has a foldable bike in his trunk. He hops on his bike and pulls out Live Search once again to find directions to the closest pizzeria (although, if he lived in the area, you think he would know where a pizza place is located). After arriving at the pizza place, a semi-psychotic man jumping up and down playing a shoot-em-up video game, is behind the counter. Video games on a PC? This must be a Windows machine!

One of the major reasons Microsoft has been able to keep its following, is PC gaming. For the intense gamer, the PC platform provides a more open and moldable playing field. Using online stores like Steam, gamers can access a barrage of content available for download. Faster and more powerful hardware allows for graphics that can blow consoles out of the water. Quite frankly, if you haven’t played Crysis on Ultra settings with three surround-view monitors – you haven’t lived.

Games for PC were not united under a single brand name until 2007 when Microsoft launched “Games for Windows”. The new service and branding allowed Windows Vista games to access the Xbox LIVE service. With Games for Windows, players can cumulate achievements, chat with friends, and more. Some games, like Shadowrun, allowed for cross platform play between a Windows PC and Xbox 360 game console. The service was eventually renamed to “Games for Windows LIVE” with support on Windows 7 machines. Newer, Windows 8 machines, take advantage of their Xbox integration and run games under the title: “Xbox LIVE on Windows”.

Whatever you would like to call the service, it did not fair too well. The marketplace based around “Games for Windows” was eventually scrapped. Microsoft may be the number one PC platform for gaming, but in terms of a marketplace – they are ages late. Most PC gamers will love to tell you all about their devote loyalty to the Steam Marketplace; while they do that – let us, move on.

Xbox 360

The commercial snaps away to a scene of party goers (does that give away how often I am not invited to parties) gaming on an Xbox 360 game console.

Xbox was launched in North America on November 15^th, 2001 to compete against Sony’s PlayStation 2 and Nintendo’s GameCube. The idea was first pitched in 1998 by four engineers working on Microsoft’s DirectX team. The engineers built a prototype Windows based console from pats of a dissembled Dell laptop. The idea was pitched to executives and eventually approved.

The marketing team at Microsoft hated the Xbox name and made many suggestions in favor of a name change. In the end, consumer testing had revealed that Xbox was the preferred name for the console and it stuck. If you haven’t figured it out yet, the name Xbox, was derived from the word “DirectX” – the software platform the console was based on.

The unit launched with impressive features such as Xbox LIVE, an online based gaming service with buddy list integration, and a build in HDD, to store save game data without the need of a memory card. For those wondering, the internal specs were as follows: Intel Pentium 3 CPU, 8-10 GB HDD, 64 MB of RAM, and a 233 MHz NVidia GPU.

Microsoft’s first step into the console world was a success with the Xbox selling over 24 million consoles.

The Xbox 360, the console seen in the commercial, was the second game console developed by Microsoft and the successor to the original Xbox. The unit competed against the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii and sold 70 million consoles as of September 2012. The console was a hit and sold out upon release in all regions except Japan.

Stepping up from its predecessor, the Xbox 360 contained a PowerPC tri-core CPU, a 500 MHz ATi GPU, 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM, and 4GB – 250 GB of internal storage.

Later this year Microsoft will be launching the Xbox One, a new game console, with tight TV and Windows 8/RT integration. The unit will feature an eight-core AMD CPU, AMD DirectX graphics, and 8 GB of DDR3 RAM. If you missed the original announcement for the console, you can check out our Reveal Day Overview here.

Windows Mobile

While our “bestie” Mark is out, the girl from Mars sends him a picture text message via her Windows Mobile device - she needs beer and chips!

Windows Phone Central is all about Microsoft’s latest mobile operating system and we could spend a week giving you the lowdown on the evolution of Windows Mobile, so here is the very just of it.

Windows Mobile was launched on April 19^th, 2000 and originally called Pocket PC. In 2003, Microsoft decided to rename Pocket PC to Windows Mobile.

The software was released in four editions including: Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Premium, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Professional, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, and Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Phone. If you think that naming scheme is confusing, just imagine how the average consumer felt.

Eventually, Microsoft narrowed down the operating system to three different iterations including: Windows Mobile Professional, Windows Mobile Standard, and Windows Mobile Classic. Professional was designed to run on smartphones with touchscreens, Standard was designed to run on mobile phones without touchscreens, and Classic was designed to run on PDAs or Pocket PCs (AKA: Anything without a mobile broadband connection).

In 2004, Windows Mobile’s market share was 11.3%; it increased to a maximum high of 42% in 2007 and then decreased down to 3% by 2011 – Blackberry and iPhone were becoming too strong of a force to deal with.

On November 8th 2010, Microsoft launched its successor to Windows Mobile – Windows Phone. Besides the massive changes to the front end of the OS and a complete recoding of the backend, Windows Phone was aimed at an entirely new market audience; the previous phone OS from Redmond was aimed at business users and enterprise, while Windows Phone is aimed at consumers.

Currently, Windows Phone has a growth rate of 133% per year, surpassing Android OS’ 79.5%. As of now, Nokia dominates the Windows Phone hardware market with an 83% share outside of the United States of America.

More Zune

Like any good guy chasing a girl, Mark follows the instructions Pia has sent him, and heads to a local convenience store to pick up the goods. While there, he notices the cashier has a Zune also and decides to squirt her.

No, get your mind out of the gutter you internet reader! Squirting a user was a feature on Zune in which you could easily share your music wirelessly with others. It was important to note that if the user did not have a Zune Pass they would only be able to share a sixty second clip.

After Mark squirts the woman behind the counter (seriously guys, stop thinking like that) he rushes out of the store and heads over to the party he has been so anxious to get to.

Windows Live Essentials

Know what is cooler than viewing pictures of a party? Viewing pictures of a party while you are still at that party. The girls decide to take a barrage of photos and (because nothing else fun is going on) organize and share them with Windows Live Photo Gallery.

Apple’s Macs have come preloaded with iLife, a suite of video and photo editing software, for years. Microsoft needed to badly cut in on the home multimedia action for their Windows platform. In 2006, the company released what they called “Windows Live Essentials” – a package that included: Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Movie Maker, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Writer, SkyDrive (formally Mesh), and Windows Live Family Safety Tools.

The software has proved to work well and it is in its fifth wave (or distribution). The software suite, had been renamed to Windows Essentials in its last release; this ensured that the brand name stayed in line with Microsoft’s corporate setup. Just as Live Search was renamed to Bing, Windows Live Essentials was renamed to Windows Essentials - dropping the “Live” branding.

Windows Vista

Mark finally arrives at the party with a collection of pizzas and starts dancing the night away. And as we all know, the perfect way to end a commercial is with Windows Vista – oh my. We have to talk about Windows Vista now, don’t we? Let’s do this, to spare you pain and to spare myself pain, I will make the Windows Vista discussion brief.

Microsoft’s redesigned operating system Windows Vista was released six years ago on January 30^th, 2007. The list of criticisms for this iteration of the Redmond OS can go so long that there is an entire Wikipedia page (and many angry webpages) devoted to it.

Here is the just of the worst Windows Vista features: To start, the operating system was incompatible with almost all Windows XP drivers because the code base was rewritten; this caused extreme hardware issues with new and old devices alike. It took manufacturers months to provide correct driver compatibility and even then – they didn’t work too well.

Windows Vista was also the introduction of User Account Control, a software mechanisms designed to keep users safe when installing content or running applications as administrator. The problem – the feature was over intrusive and constantly nagged at you to approve EVERYTHING.

Let’s conclude with the fact that Windows Vista was bloated and slow. The new aero interface taxed heavily on your graphics card and the system seemed to have no mercy unless you had the top of the line hardware.

Want to know a secret of mine? Windows Vista was so bad, that I ran out and purchased a MacBook Pro. That is right, I switched to Mac during the Windows Vista years and returned when Windows 7 was released.

The Road Ahead

I’ve had a ton of fun taking a semi-brief look back at Microsoft six years ago. The company has changed much since then and we are being shot forward into a future of crazy bright colors and live tiles. Technology is an industry that is moving faster than ever and it is almost impossible to properly predict. Will Xbox One be a hit or flop? Will consumers grow to love Windows 8 or not? We will have to wait and find out – this road trip is over.

If you are wondering what happened to our friend Mark at the end of the video, check it out for yourself.

Tell us, what is your favorite piece of Microsoft nostalgia? I personally, to this day, remain in love with the Zune line of devices. In fact – just last night I had a dream that I was running Spotify off of my old Zune HD…. Probably a sign that I need a vacation.

Chat soon fellow Microsofties!

There was a fleeting moment of consternation in the run-up to the Windows 7 beta as it was rumored to lack support for Windows Mobile. The definitive answer: Fugetaboutit.

Speaking as a longtime Windows XP user who had avoided Vista at all costs, I've had nary a problem using Windows 7 with my Motorola Q9h, though I did have to download Microsoft's Windows Mobile Device Center -- aka WMDC (for you anti-Vista folks, that's basically Activesync with a nice UI on the front end). Hopefully we'll see WMDC built in to the final release of W7. For now, you can get it here.

If you're already used to WMDC, you should have no problems in Windows 7. If you're still looking to get in on the beta program, go download it here (at least through Feb. 10, when the official download ends).

Granted, we were hoping for a little more functionality with Windows 7 and Windows Mobile — Microsoft has this whole darn ecosystem it's working on, it'd just be nice if we could do more than simple sync, install, and file transfer. But, hey: working's working, at it appears to be a step up over ActiveSync.

Huzzah! Microsoft promised a WMDC patch in June and they've delivered. The Vista-only ActiveSync fixes that file sync bug but also looks to add some nice features as well. My #1 fav: "Automatic Device Authentication," as in "You can stop having to enter your #$@@#$ PIN every time you plug in your phone to your computer." Joy! WMDC 6.1 works with Windows Mobile 2003 and up.

Download: Mobile Device Center (via Mobility Today)

Ah, the price we pay for being on the bleeding edge. Windows Mobile Device Center is how Windows Vista wants to sync with your Windows Mobile device - it's a leg up on the old ActiveSync program in pretty much every respect but one - file syncing doesn't seem to work for you WM6 Standard Edition folks. Never fear, though, Brighthand is reporting that Microsoft feels your pain and will get WMDC fixed up right-as-rain in a little less than a month.

Read: Microsoft Promises Fix for Windows Mobile 6 File Synchronization Snafu

on10 has a neat little video of a PocketPC device successfully running Vista Gadgets. Microsoft is working on enabling it so it can show up on your Today screen. For now, though, they have it working with a simple drag and drop onto the phone. It's just a proof-of-concept, but it's pretty darn slick.

Read: Vista Gadgets running on Windows Mobile | Laura Foy | Channel 10