Editing Windows 95 (section)

{{short description|Microsoft computer operating system released in 1995}}
{{redirect|OSR2|the gene|OSR2 (gene)}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Windows 4.0|Windows NT 4.0}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox OS
| version of = [[Windows 9x]]
| name = Windows 95
| title = Windows 95
| logo = Microsoft Windows 95 logo with wordmark.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| screenshot = File:Windows 95 at first run.png
| caption = Windows 95 desktop, showing its icons, [[Start button]], [[taskbar]] and welcome screen
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| website = {{webarchive
|url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980120133242/http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/ |date=January 20, 1998 |title=Windows 95 }}
| source_model = [[Closed source]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] [[commercial software]]
| supported_platforms = [[IA-32]]
| kernel_type = [[Monolithic kernel|Monolithic]]
| preceded_by = [[Windows 3.1]] (1992)
| succeeded_by = [[Windows 98]] (1998)
| first_release_date = {{Start date and age|1995|7|14}}
| first_release_url = 
| GA_date = {{Start date and age|1995|8|24}}<ref name="WashPost1995" />
| release_version = OEM Service Release 2.5 (4.0.950 C)
| release_date = {{Start date and age|1997|11|26}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://windowsitpro.com/windows-server/microsoft-release-windows-95-osr-25 |title=Microsoft to release Windows 95 OSR 2.5 |work=Windows IT Pro |publisher=[[Penton (company)|Penton]] |first=Paul |last=Thurrott |author-link=Paul Thurrott |date=October 19, 1997 |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603060906/http://windowsitpro.com/windows-server/microsoft-release-windows-95-osr-25 |archive-date=June 3, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| preview_version = 
| preview_date = 
| preview_url = 
| support_status = Mainstream support ended on {{end date|2000|12|31}}<ref name=Lifecycle /><br />Extended support ended on {{end date|2001|12|31}}<ref name=Lifecycle>{{cite web |title=Microsoft Support Lifecycle |url=http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=7864 |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=February 7, 2015 |archive-date=November 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121122121129/http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=7864 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

'''Windows 95''' <!--Attention! Do NOT change to "was". This violates [[MOS:TENSE]], which specifies that all articles on operating systems are written in present tense, even if discontinued.--> is a consumer-oriented [[operating system]] developed by [[Microsoft]] and the first of its [[Windows 9x]] family of operating systems, [[Software release life cycle#RTM|released to manufacturing]] on July 14, 1995, and generally to retail on August 24, 1995. Windows 95 merged Microsoft's formerly separate [[MS-DOS]] and [[Microsoft Windows]] products into a single product and featured significant improvements over its predecessor, most notably in the [[graphical user interface]] (GUI) and in its simplified "[[Plug and play#Plug and Play|plug-and-play]]" features. There were also major changes made to the core components of the operating system, such as moving from a mainly [[cooperative multitasking|cooperatively multitasked]] [[16-bit computing|16-bit]] architecture of its predecessor [[Windows 3.1]] to a [[32-bit computing|32-bit]] [[Preemption (computing)#PREEMPTIVE|preemptive multitasking]] architecture.{{Efn|At least when running only 32-bit protected mode applications}}

Windows 95 introduced numerous functions and features that were featured in later Windows versions, and continue in modern variations to this day, such as the [[taskbar]], the [[notification area]], file shortcuts on the desktop, plug and play driver integration, removal of the requirement to have a separate copy of MS-DOS, the ability to full screen application windows, native internet integration, raising the maximum letters a filename can have from eight to 255, the Windows Explorer, and the "Start" button which summons the [[Start menu]].<ref name="WashPost1995">{{cite news |author=Segal |first=David |date=August 24, 1995 |title=With Windows 95's Debut, Microsoft Scales Heights of Hype |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/stories/1995/debut082495.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502031212/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/stories/1995/debut082495.htm |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |access-date=May 9, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Long, Tony |date=August 24, 2011 |title=Aug. 24, 1995: Say Hello to Windows 95 |url=https://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2011/08/0824windows-95/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212154004/http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2011/08/0824windows-95/ |archive-date=December 12, 2013 |access-date=April 21, 2012 |work=Wired.com}}</ref> Accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign<ref name="WashPost1995"/> that generated much prerelease [[Promotion (marketing)|hype]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/30/technology/windows-98-the-tuneup.html | title=Windows 98, the Tuneup | work=The New York Times | date=April 30, 1998 | last1=Lewis | first1=Peter H. }}</ref> it was a major success<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dookeran |first=Jason |date=2024-11-03 |title=Windows 95 Turned 29 This Year: What One Of The Best Operating Systems Taught Us |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/windows-95-turn-29-this-year-what-one-of-the-best-operating-systems-taught-us/ |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=How-To Geek |language=en}}</ref> and is considered to be one of the biggest and most important products in the personal computing industry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hickey |first=Matt |title=Windows 95 Was The Most Important Operating System Of All Time |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthickey/2015/08/24/windows-95-was-the-most-important-operating-system-of-all-time/ |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=May 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520160205/https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthickey/2015/08/24/windows-95-was-the-most-important-operating-system-of-all-time/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=admin-ectnews |date=2020-08-31 |title=25-Year Anniversary: How Windows 95 Forever Changed Personal Computing |url=https://www.technewsworld.com/story/25-year-anniversary-how-windows-95-forever-changed-personal-computing-86823.html |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=TechNewsWorld |language=en-US |archive-date=May 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520160209/https://www.technewsworld.com/story/25-year-anniversary-how-windows-95-forever-changed-personal-computing-86823.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Three years after its introduction, Windows{{&nbsp}}95 was followed by [[Windows 98|Windows{{&nbsp}}98]]. Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows{{&nbsp}}95 on December 31, 2000. Like [[Windows NT 3.51|Windows{{&nbsp}}NT{{&nbsp}}3.51]], which was released shortly before, Windows{{&nbsp}}95 received only one year of extended support, ending on December 31, 2001, the same day as classic versions such as Windows 3.x.
{{anchor|History}}