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Microsoft Windows turns 21!

Steven Parker CEO - Neowin.net Neowin @aSteveParker · Nov 20, 2006 09:55 EST · Hot! with 31 comments

Believe it or not Windows is 21 years old on Monday. When it was launched in 1985 the PC market was barely out of it's infancy, and whatever you may think of Microsoft it is amazing what they Bill Gates & Co have built in such a relatively short time.

Windows has been through many iterations since Windows 1.0 hit the shelves 21 years ago, with the latest and most advanced (and probably the most expensive) Vista due to be launched soon after 5 years of development.

In honour of Windows birthday and to celebrate it's coming of age, here are 21 things you never knew about Windows, Microsoft and Bill Gates:

Windows 1.0 was released on 20th Nov 1985 and the hardware requirements were 256KB of RAM, DOS 2.0 and two floppy drives, two years late.
The retail price was $100, which is worth about $177 in today's money - the same as Windows XP Home.