Windows 96 v0.5

Windows 96 v0.5 is an old version of Windows 96!
It will not get updates, unlike the current version.

The default desktop of a fresh Windows 96 v0.5 install.

Windows 96 v0.5 is an old version of Windows 96 released on the 7th of July 2019.

This version introduced major improvements to the OS and the quality of life of the user using it.

This version can still be found at https://rel05.windows96.net.

Version Highlights

• The widespread use of the new Pixel Arial font was applied everywhere.
• A terminal was added for command line based applications.
• A folder containing various silly and weird things was added, which could be accessed at x:/content.
• A bunch of new entertainment apps were added.
• The Windows 96 Wiki was updated to include more in-depth API samples.
• A massive UI lift occurred, which made the OS feel more like Windows 9x compared to previous releases. This includes under-the-hood changes, such as updated UI APIs and CSS level changes, such as the removal of certain fonts and incompatible styles.
• The Windows 96 C/C++ SDK was introduced to allow users to write Windows 96 apps in C++.
• The window manager underwent major improvements.
• Support for JavaScript and HTML document highlighting was added to the default text editor.
• Cross browser support was improved through compatibility stylesheets.
• File uploading was added.
• With the introduction of file uploading, the file system switched to a mixed asynchronous model, which allowed for a theoretical 32 gigabytes of useable space (compared to 8 MB).

Trivia

• This version is considered to be the first version where the Windows 96 design principles were ratified properly.
• A Start menu bug exists where the applications menu will appear after the Start menu is closed.
• There is an XSS bug in Terminal using the title command.