Windows 95 Archives

Winsage

June 17, 2025

How Discord Was Ported To Windows 95 And NT 3.1

Discord has developed a new client called Discord Messenger, which allows users on legacy systems such as Windows XP, Windows 95, and NT 3.1 to access the platform. This project utilizes the Discord API as a web application, enabling third-party client development without repercussions from Discord. The developers overcame challenges related to TLS encryption compatibility and crafted shims for API calls absent in older systems. They also addressed runtime issues on Windows NT 3.1 by backporting features from the original operating system.

Winsage

June 17, 2025

How Microsoft’s Windows 95 test nearly crashed an entire software store

Microsoft's transition from Windows 3.x to Windows 95 involved a unique compatibility testing strategy where the development manager purchased one copy of every available software program from a local store. The software was then tested by the Windows 95 development team in a makeshift marketplace set up in the cafeteria. Each team member had to install and run two programs, reporting any issues encountered. The cash register at the store struggled with the large total of the order, crashing when it exceeded ,000, leading the store owner to split the transaction into smaller amounts. One developer, Raymond Chen, tested a German-English automatic translator, which performed poorly in translation.

Winsage

June 15, 2025

Windows 11 Insiders surprised by return of Vista startup sound — it’s a bug not a feature, says MS exec

In the latest Insider Build of Windows 11 (version 26200.5651 from the Dev Channel), users experienced the Windows Vista startup melody upon booting to the desktop, which was identified as a bug by Microsoft Senior Program Manager Brandon LeBlanc. This build introduced new features such as enhanced Copilot+ PC experiences and a new Recall export function. The audio glitch has been classified as a 'known issue.'

Winsage

June 15, 2025

Windows 95 testing almost stalled from cash reg overflow

Microsoft employed unconventional testing methods for Windows 95, emphasizing compatibility by acquiring a wide range of applications for testing. A manager purchased one copy of every PC program available at a local store, resulting in a large stack of software for the team to test. Engineers were tasked with testing selected programs, logging issues, and could keep the software after the official release. This approach contrasted with modern testing practices. An unforeseen issue arose when the store's cash register crashed due to the total exceeding ,000, highlighting a limitation in the retail system rather than the operating system. The solution involved breaking the total into smaller transactions to proceed with testing.

Winsage

June 12, 2025

UEFI Vulnerabilities Galore

The FAA is requesting a budget allocation of .0 billion for fiscal year 2026, in addition to a previously committed .0 billion, to address critical infrastructure needs. The agency aims to modernize its outdated telecommunications infrastructure, including the air traffic control (ATC) system, which currently relies on antiquated technology such as paper strips, floppy disks, and Windows 95 computers. The FAA has a four-year timeline for overhauling the ATC system, which poses significant challenges and risks to aviation safety. Additionally, there is a need to replace the existing radar system and transition to a modern IP-based network, requiring careful consideration of security measures and operational dynamics.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Brian Eno Criticizes Microsoft for Support of Israeli Military

Brian Eno has written an open letter to Microsoft titled “Not in My Name,” urging the company to stop providing artificial intelligence and cloud services to the Israeli military. He expresses concern that Microsoft's technological contributions could enable war crimes, stating that the company has acknowledged its support for Israel’s Ministry of Defense. Eno plans to donate his fee from the Windows 95 project to aid victims of the conflict in Gaza. He references a Microsoft blog post about the company's software and services being used by the Israeli government in ways condemned by legal scholars and human rights organizations. Eno emphasizes that selling advanced AI and cloud services to a government involved in systemic ethnic cleansing constitutes complicity and calls for a reevaluation of corporate ethics. He commends Microsoft employees who have spoken out against the company's actions and invites others to join his call for accountability.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Windows 95 chime composer Brian Eno denounces Microsoft for its ties to Israeli government

Renowned musician Brian Eno announced he will donate the earnings from his Windows 95 startup chime to support those affected in Gaza. This decision follows scrutiny of Microsoft’s contracts with the Israeli government amid ongoing humanitarian crises. Eno criticized Microsoft for its involvement in operations contributing to violations of international law and called for the company to suspend services supporting such actions. Microsoft acknowledged its contracts with Israel’s Ministry of Defense but claimed an internal review found no evidence of its technologies targeting civilians in Gaza. Following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, significant casualties have been reported in Gaza, with estimates of over 52,000 to as high as 109,000 deaths. Human rights organizations have accused Israel of war crimes. Protests by Microsoft employees have occurred, demanding accountability for the company's actions. Eno emphasized the need for artists and corporations to consider the implications of their contributions.

Winsage

May 15, 2025

Only one person at Microsoft is talking about Windows 12 — let’s keep it that way

Microsoft has not made any formal announcement regarding the release of Windows 12. The end-of-support date for Windows 11 is October 14, 2025. Historically, Windows releases have followed a pattern where every alternate version is perceived as inferior: Windows 95 (good), Windows 98 (bad), Windows 98 SE (good), Windows ME (bad), Windows XP (good), Windows Vista (bad), Windows 7 (good), Windows 8 (bad), Windows 10 (good), and Windows 11 (bad). If Windows 12 is released, it is expected to have increased hardware demands and may heavily rely on artificial intelligence, potentially leaving users with outdated hardware.

Winsage

May 8, 2025

The 12 KB Windows just can’t quit

Raymond Chen discussed the moricons.dll file on his blog, highlighting its significance in the Windows operating system. The file, sized at 12,288 bytes, contains icons from the Windows 3.1 era, including those for Turbo Pascal, Quattro Pro, WordPerfect, Lotus 123, and cc:Mail. Originally, icons were stored in progman.exe, but as their collection grew, they were moved to moricons.dll for better organization. This library has persisted through various Windows upgrades, evolving from Program Manager icons to shortcut files in Windows 95. Despite the transition to 64-bit Windows, which no longer supports MS-DOS programs, moricons.dll has survived, suggesting that some users may still find value in these nostalgic icons.

Winsage

April 29, 2025

New Windows 11 beta brings more changes to Control Panel settings

Microsoft is transitioning away from the traditional Windows Control Panel, moving settings to the Windows 11 "Settings" app. Recent updates have relocated keyboard character repeat delay and repeat rate options to the Accessibility > Keyboard section in the Settings app, although these changes are currently hidden and require manual activation by users. Additionally, all remaining options from the mouse properties dialog box have also been transferred to the Settings app. Despite these updates, keyboard options still exist in the traditional Control Panel. Microsoft began this transition in 2020 and plans to retire the Control Panel entirely, but the process is progressing slowly, with remnants of the Control Panel still present in Windows 10 and 11.