If you were not around for the first version of Windows or were just starting kindergarten like me in 1983 you probably missed the first Windows review ever.  If you were a user of Windows 1.0 I am sure that you appreciate all of Vista’s little flaws and were even grateful for Windows ME.  ToastyTech has the first review of Windows 1.0 posted on their site and after reading it I have to admit that I am grateful I was not using Windows until 3.11.

From Gizmodo:

• Microsoft Windows is an installable device driver under MS-DOS 2.0 using ordinary MS-DOS files.

• Complete compatibility with MS-DOS means that Windows will at least let you run any application that runs under MS-DOS.

• In the worst case, Windows will turn the fill display over to an MS-DOS application and return you to your place in Windows.

• During normal use, Microsoft Windows displays one or more [tiled] windows, each with a different application.

• The “session-control layer” becomes the equivalent of the empty desktop where you can manipulate files. The available commands appear near the bottom of the screen.

• To see the available applications programs, you either use the mouse to position the cursor on the command “Run” or type the letter “R.” Windows lists all the applications programs as commands, and you point at the desired program and click the mouse to run it. You could also type the appropriate letter instead.

• In this case, the program that’s run is “uncooperative” – that is, it doesn’t do everything through MS-DOS system calls, sometimes going beyond the operating system to write directly to the hardware addresses such as those of screen memory.

• …the transition from the uncooperative program to a “smart” one that can live happily in a smaller window and share the screen with other programs that take full advantage of Microsoft Windows. The smart program is Microsoft Word.

• Pointing at the PEN commands on the command bar at the bottom of the screen has brought the display of the menu of pen sizes and patterns. You select sizes and patterns by using the mouse to point at one of the boxes shown in each list, then pointing at the “OK” box

While I am sure that people were amazed that a computer could do these types of things times have changed.  We grew up on the Jetsons and are still waiting for our houses in the sky and robots to be our servants.

Check It Out> ToastyTech via Gizmodo