Windows 3.0 And 3.1

2. It is the third major
release of Microsoft
Windows, and was
released on 22 May
1990. It became the first
widely successful version
of Windows and a
powerful rival to Apple
Macintosh and the
Commodore Amiga on
the GUI front. It was
followed by Windows
3.1.
WHAT IS WINDOWS 3.0

3. The Windows 3.0 is the Windows platform from
Microsoft offered improved performance, advanced
graphics with 16 colors, and full support of the more
powerful Intel 386 processor. A new wave of 386 PCs helped
drive the popularity of Windows 3.0, which offered a wide
range of useful features and capabilities, including:
•Program Manager, File Manager, and Print Manager.
•A completely rewritten application development
environment.
•An improved set of Windows icons.
The popularity of Windows 3.0 grew with the release
of a new Windows software development kit (SDK), which
helped software developers focus more on writing
applications and less on writing device drivers. Widespread
acceptance among third-party hardware and software
developers helped fuel the success of Windows 3.0.

4. FeATure
S:
Windows 3.0 succeeded Windows 2.1x and included a
significantly revamped user interface as well as technical
improvements to make better use of the memory management
capabilities of Intel's 80286 and 80386 processors. Text-mode
programs written for MS-DOS could be run within a window (a
feature previously available in a more limited form with
Windows/386 2.1), making the system usable as a crude
multitasking base for legacy programs. However, this was of
limited use for the home market, where most games and
entertainment programs continued to require raw DOS access.
The MS-DOS Executive file manager/program launcher
was replaced with the icon-based Program Manager and the
list-based File Manager, thereby simplifying the launching of
applications.

5. The MS-DOS Executive is also included as an
alternative to these. The Control Panel, previously available
as a standard-looking applet, was re-modeled after the one in
Mac OS. It centralized system settings, including limited
control over the color scheme of the interface.
A number of simple applications were included, such as
the text editor Notepad and the word processor Write (both
inherited from earlier versions of Windows), a macro recorder
(new; later dropped), the paint program Paintbrush (inherited
but substantially improved), and a calculator (also inherited).
The earlier Reversi game was complemented with a card
game named Solitaire but Reversi was still included.
The Windows icons and graphics were redesigned to
take advantage of VGA's 16-color mode. Earlier versions only
supported eight colors though could run on monochrome
video adapters. Windows 3.0 also allowed the user to use a
256 color video adapter, whereas previous versions only
supported 16 colors.

6. Windows 3.0 includes a Protected/Enhanced mode
which allows Windows applications to use more memory in a
more painless manner than their DOS counterparts could. It
can run in any of Real, Standard, or 386 Enhanced modes,
and is compatible with any Intel processor from the
8086/8088 up to 80286 and 80386. Windows 3.0 tries to auto
detect which mode to run in, although it can be forced to run
in a specific mode using the switches: /r (real mode), /s
("standard" 286 protected mode) and /3 (386 enhanced
protected mode) respectively. This was the first version to
run Windows programs in protected mode, although the 386
enhanced mode kernel was an enhanced version of the
protected mode kernel in Windows/386.
Due to this backward compatibility, Windows 3.0
applications also must be compiled in a 16-bit environment,
without ever using the full 32-bit capabilities of the 386 CPU.

7. A "multimedia" version, Windows 3.0 with Multimedia
Extensions 1.0, was released several months later. This
was bundled with "multimedia upgrade kits", comprising a
CD-ROM drive and a sound card, such as the Creative
Labs Sound Blaster Pro. This version was the precursor to
the multimedia features available in Windows 3.1 and later,
and was part of the specification for Microsoft's specification
for the Multimedia PC.
Windows 3.0 was the last version of Windows to
advertise 100% compatibility with older Windows
applications.
[
This only applies to real mode.

8. This is File Manager.

9. Windows 3.0 also includes a completely revamped control
panel.

10. The Windows 3.0 control panel also allows you to change the
background to display a specified pattern or bit-mapped
graphic.

11. Windows 3.0 also includes a new, very advanced hypertext
help system.

12. Another new application that was included with Windows
3.0 is Windows Paintbrush, a replacement for the old
Microsoft Paint program in 1.x and 2.x.

13. The infamous Windows Solitaire is now included with
Windows!

14. SySTem
requIremeNTS
The official system requirements for Windows 3.0:
8086/8088 processor or better.
640K conventional memory, though 1 MB of extended
memory recommended.
a hard disk with 6-7MB of free space
CGA/EGA/VGA/Hercules/8514/A graphics and an
appropriate and compatible monitor

15. Also, a Microsoft-compatible mouse is
recommended.
Memory modes:
Windows 3.0 was the only version of Windows that
could be run in three different memory modes:
Real mode, intended for older computers with a CPU
below Intel 80286, and corresponding to its real mode;
Standard mode, intended for computers with an 80286
processor, and corresponding to its protected mode;
386 Enhanced mode, intended for newer computers
with an Intel 80386 processor or above, and corresponding to
its protected mode and virtual 8086 mode.

16. mulTImeDIA
exTeNSIONSThe Multimedia Extensions were released in autumn 1991 to
support sound cards, as well as CD-ROM drives, which were
then becoming increasingly available. The Multimedia
Extensions were released to Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEMs), mainly CD-ROM drive and sound
card manufacturers, and added basic multimedia support for
audio input and output and a CD audio player application to
Windows 3.0. The Multimedia Extensions' new features
were not available in Windows 3.0 real mode. Windows 3.1x
would later incorporate many of its features. Microsoft
developed the Windows Sound System sound card
specification to complement these extensions.

17. mArkeTINg
This version of Windows was the first to be pre-
installed on hard drives by PC-compatible manufacturers.
Zenith Data Systems had previously shipped all of its
computers with Windows 1.0 or later 2.x on diskettes but
committed early in the development of Windows 3.0 to
shipping it pre-installed. Indeed, the Zenith division had
pushed Microsoft hard to develop the graphical user
interface because of Zenith's direct competition with
Apple in the college & university market.
Windows 3.0 was not available as a run-time
version, as was the case with its predecessors. A limited-
use version of Windows 2.x was often bundled with other
applications (i.e. Ami Pro) due to the low market
penetration of Windows itself.

19. WINDOWS 3.1x
Windows 3.1x is a
series of operating
systems produced by
Microsoft for use on
personal computers. The
series began with
Windows 3.1, which was
first sold during March
1992 as a successor to
Windows 3.0. Further
editions were released
between 1992 and 1994
until the series was
superseded by Windows
95.

20. eDITIONS OF 3.1x
Base version
Windows 3.1 (originally codenamed Janus, of
which two betas were published), released on April, 1992,
includes a TrueType font system (and a set of highly
legible fonts already installed), which effectively made
Windows a serious desktop publishing platform for the first
time. Similar functionality was available for Windows 3.0
through the Adobe Type Manager (ATM) font system from
Adobe.

21. WINDOWS FOr WOrkgrOupS
3.1
Advanced network capabilities of Windows for
Workgroups 3.11
Windows for Workgroups is an extension that allowed
users to share their resources and to request those of others
without a centralized authentication server. It used the SMB
protocol over NetBIOS.

22. Windows for Workgroups 3.1 (originally codenamed
Winball and later Sparta), released in October 1992,
features native networking support. Windows for
Workgroups 3.1 is an extended version of Windows 3.1
that comes with SMB file sharing support via the NetBIOS
based NBF and/or IPX network transport protocols,
includes the Hearts card game, and introduced
VSHARE.386, the Virtual Device Driver version of the
SHARE.EXE Terminate and Stay Resident program.

23. SySTem requIremeNTS
Windows 3.1x Hardware
386 processor or better
Minimum 15 MB free disk space
Minimum 8 MB RAM
A memory manager
Software
OS
Novell DOS 7
MS-DOS 5.x, 6.x, or 7.0
PC-DOS 5.x, 6.x, or 7.0
Windows for Workgroups 3.11

24. Windows 3.1x was given limited compatibility with the
(then-new) 32-bit Windows API used by Windows NT
by another add-on package, Win32s. There was a
rumor that Microsoft didn't want to increment any
mainstream Windows 3.1x version to something like
"Windows 3.2" because it could be confused with the
Win32 API or otherwise distract consumers from
upgrading to a "real 32-bit OS" like the then-
upcoming Windows 95 was.

25. ApplIcATIONS
Windows 3.1x introduced new possibilities for
applications, especially multimedia applications. During this
era, Microsoft developed a new range of software that was
implemented on this operating system, called Microsoft
Home, Microsoft Bob being one of the programs.
Microsoft released versions of Internet Explorer
from 2.0 up to the first release of Internet Explorer 5.0 for
Windows 3.1.

26. prOgrAm mANAger
Program Manager was included in all versions of
Windows from version 3.0 until Windows XP Service Pack 1.
A non-operable icon library named progman.exe is included
in Windows XP Service Pack 2, and the file was removed
entirely from Windows Vista.
If Program Manager is started under Windows XP
Service Pack 2 and later, it does not appear to run, but when
a .grp file created for Windows 3.1 is processed, it converts
the .grp file contents to a Start Menu folder.