The promise of Windows

Windows made a promise to run on various hardware, and allow different hardware platforms. This was a welcome promise, especially for those of us who liked computers other than the IBM PC.

At the time Windows was introduced, the IBM PC design was popular, but not universal. Some manufacturers had their own designs for PCs, different from the IBM PC. Those other PCs ran some software that was designed for IBM PCs, but not all software. The Victor 9000 and the Zenith Z-100 were PCs that saw modest popularity, running MS-DOS but with different specifications for keyboards, video, and input-output ports.

Some software was released in multiple versions, or included configuration programs, to match the different hardware. Lotus 1-2-3 had packages specific to the Z-100; WordStar came with a setup program to define screen and keyboard functions.

Buying hardware and software was a big effort. One had to ensure that the software ran on the hardware (or could be configured for it) and that the hardware supported the software.

Windows promised to simplify that effort. Windows would act as an intermediary, allowing any software (if it ran on Windows) to use any hardware (if Windows ran on it). Microsoft released Windows for different hardware platforms (including the Zenith Z-100). The implications were clear: Windows could "level the playing field" and make those other PCs (the ones not compatible with the IBM PC) useful and competitive.

That promise was not fulfilled. Windows ran on various computing hardware, but the buyers were trained to look for IBM PCs or compatibles, and they stayed with IBM PCs and compatibles. It didn't matter that Windows ran on different computers; people wanted IBM PCs, and they bought IBM PCs. The computers that were different were ignored and discontinued by their manufacturers.

And yet, Windows did keep its promise of separating software from hardware and allowing programs to run on different hardware. We can look at the history of Windows and see its growth over time, and the different hardware that it supported.

When USB was introduced, Windows supported it. (The implementation was rough at first, but Microsoft improved it.)

As displays improved and display adapters improved, Windows supported them. One can attach almost any display unit, and any display adapter to a PC and Windows can use them.

Printers and scanners have the same story. Windows supported lots of printers, from laserjets to inkjets to dot-matrix printers.

Much of this success is due to Microsoft and its clear specifications for adapters, displays, printers, and scanners. But those specifications allowed for growth and innovation.

Microsoft supported different processors, too. Windows ran on Intel's Itanium processors, and DECs Alpha processors. Even now Microsoft has support for ARM processors.

Windows did keep its promise, albeit in a way that we were not expecting.