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TechRadar
TechRadar
Ross Kelly

Windows 1.0 released 40 years ago today - and started Microsoft's road to success

Microsoft X Gabe Newell United States
Windows 10 button on a keyboard.

Windows 1.0 officially released to the public 40 years ago today (November 20), and despite its age, still has some common similarities with what users can expect from the operating system today.

Underpinned by the iconic MS-DOS command line, Windows 1.0 is notable in that it specifically required a computer mouse to navigate the graphical user interface (GUI). When the operating system first launched in the US it cost $99, equivalent to just over $296 in today’s dollars.

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