History of Windows 3.0

Microsoft Windows finally achieving significant success when stepping on version 3.0 which was released in 1990. In addition to offering improved capabilities to Windows applications, Windows 3.0 is also capable of allowing users to run multiple MS-DOS applications simultaneously (multitasking), because it has been introduced in this version of virtual memory. Precisely what makes this version of the IBM PC and compatibles serious challenger to the Apple Macintosh. This is resulting from improved performance
graphics processing at that time (with the graphics card Video Graphics Array (VGA)), and also protected mode / 386 Enhanced mode which allows Windows applications to use more memory in a way that is easier compared to what offered by MS-DOS. Windows 3.0 can run in three modes, namely real mode, standard mode, and 386 Enhanced mode, and is compatible with the Intel family of processors from Intel 8086/8088, 80286, to 80386. Windows 3.0 will try to detect which mode to use, although the user can force the Windows work in a certain mode by using certain switches when running

1. win / r: force Windows to run in real mode

2. win / s: forcing Windows to run in standard mode

3. win / 3: force Windows to run in 386 Enhanced mode.

Version 3.0 is also the first version of Windows that runs in protected mode, although the 386 enhanced mode kernel was an enhanced version of the kernel from inside the protected mode kernel Windows/386. Because of the backward compatibility feature, Windows 3.0 application must be compiled using 16-bit environment, so that did not use the Intel 80386 microprocessor capability, which is actually a 32-bit processor. Windows 3.0 also comes in a version of "multimedia", which is called Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions 1.0, which was released a few months later. This version is bundled with the existence of "multimedia upgrade kit", which consists of a CD-ROM drive and a sound card, like Creative Labs Sound Blaster Pro. This version is the pioneer of all the multimedia features found in later versions of Windows, such as Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups, and become part of the Microsoft Multimedia PC specification. The features mentioned above and support of application software market growing 3.0 makes Windows very successful in the market. Recorded, in the two years prior to the release version of Windows 3.1, Windows 3.0 sold over 10 million copies. Finally, Windows 3.0 was a major source of revenue of Microsoft, and Microsoft did make some revisions to the original plan.