Windows 96 v0.1

Windows 96 v0.1 is an old version of Windows 96!
It will not get updates, unlike the current version.

The default desktop of a fresh Windows 96 v0.1 installation.

Windows 96 v0.1 is an old version of Windows 96, released on the 20th of April 2019.

This is not the first version, but this is the first version which had semi usable applications, windows, and file system.

This version can still be found at https://rel01.windows96.net.

Version Highlights

• The default fonts used were Pixel Verdana and LWindows, but these were eventually swapped for Pixel Arial in later releases.
• The file system during this time was fully synchronous (utilizing localStorage), which meant that there was a hard browser cap at around 8 megabytes of total data storage.
• The context menus in this version were not yet completed.
• The window manager in this version was extremely primitive and had no way to tell active and inactive windows apart, often resulting into windows not appearing as they should.
• Taskbar tasks could not have an icon representing their appropriate function.
• Terrible font blurring is present all around this version and cross browser support was horrible.
• Half of the start menu was not functional at all and the start menu was extremely glitchy.

Trivia

• Ctrlz (the only developer at the time) had zero idea how to render bitmap fonts properly using CSS and generally had weak CSS abilities during this time.
• Whilst Windows 96 is new, the thought of developing a Web OS was not new and was attempted before with unsatisfying results.
• Ctrlz's longtime friend Dan conceptualized parts of (and heavily tested) the first releases of Windows 96.
• Most of Windows 96 v0.1 was developed during a school drama performance, where ctrlz and Dan were tasked to record the performance, but obviously didn't because they were too busy working on the future of the internet (:wooge:).
• Ctrlz and Dan still regularly poke fun with Windows 96, often attempting to run the Web OS at random places or random devices for absolutely no reason.