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Here is a nice Radio Shack ad, featuring Bill Gates and an early iteration
of Windows. From back cover Byte 11/84.
This is Windows 1.01, from November 15, 1985. It is running on an IBM XT,
4.77 mHz, 640m ram, 20m hard drive, and IBM DOS 2.1 (this version of DOS
is from October 20, 1983). The monitor is an IBM 5151 monochrome, driven
by a clone of the Hercules graphics adapter. The resolution is pretty good,
but the image area is small in the display, there is about 3/4" gap around
the edge. See below for a more indepth description of Windows.
This
is Windows 1.01, circa late 1985. It is running on an IBM 5160 PC XT, 512k
RAM, 10m hard drive, 8088-5mHz processor, IBM Color Graphics Adapter and
5153 color monitor, and IBM DOS 3.1. The windows are tiled, they do not
overlap. The MS-DOS Executive is used to manage files, as well as start
applications. The bar at the bottom holds icons of apps that have been
started and "Iconized", or minimized. Paint is a monochrome program.
You can cut from Paint and paste into Write, using the clipboard, just
like in newer versions. The commands are very limited, though, and
no online help. Reversi is included for entertainment. When used with a
better graphics adapter and monitor, such as EGA, Windows 1.01 is in color.
This is Windows 1.03, from August 1986. Running on a Zenith Z-248 desktop
286 computer, with DOS 5.0, just over 1Mb RAM, with Enhanced Graphics Adapter
(EGA) display. Much better resolution than CGA, almost as good as
VGA, but not quite. Very similar to Windows 1.01.
This is windows 1.04, circa 1987. It is running on an IBM 5170 AT,
80286-6mHz processor, 512k RAM, 30m hard drive, IBM EGA card driving an
IBM 5153 Color Display. It is pretty much like 1.01, with some
bug fixes, and a few added features, such as PostScript support.
Since this machine has an EGA card, the low resolution color monitor can
display 16 colors. Note the y2k bug...I made a document in the year
19100. When I am in DOS, and use the DATE command, it displays as
1-10-2000, as it should. Also note that I wupped it in Reversi.
This
is Windows 2.1, aka Windows/286, circa 1988. It is running on an
IBM PS/2 Model 30 286, 4m RAM, 20m hard drive, 80286-10mHz processor, IBM
8512 VGA monitor, and IBM DOS 4.0. The windows are now overlapping,
but MS-DOS Executive is still running the show. Paint is still mono,
commands are still quite limited. Executive will still not let you
move files by dragging them...you must use the pull down menus to do everything.
There is also no online help.
This
is Windows 3.0, circa 1990. This is running on an Everex EDS SMC (Army
purchase computer) 80386DX-25, 8m RAM, two 40m hard drives, generic SVGA
monitor in VGA mode, and MS-DOS 5.0. Windows is now somewhat useful!
It has the new Program Manager, as well as a separate File Manager. There
is finally online help, and you can manipulate files by dragging them (to
a certain extent). Paint has been replaced by Paintbrush, which is in color.
Solitaire is now part of the package, and Reversi is still with us, but
not for long. Here is a very informative article
by Laurence Coombes on Windows 3.0.
Here
is the final numbered version of Windows, 3.1, circa late 1992. Okay, there
was also 3.11 a bit later, but I don't have that version. This is running
on a clone, with an 80486DX-33, 8m RAM, 116m hard drive, generic SVGA monitor
in VGA mode, and MS-DOS 6.22 (which is from 1994). There are some refinements,
including object links for data sharing between applications, as well as
multimedia support. Minesweeper replaces Reversi. Help has been expanded,
and includes an online tutorial.
This
is Windows 95, aka 4.0. It is running on an IBM XT with a Pentium 66 mHz
motherboard, 32m RAM, 520m hard drive, with CD-ROM, sound, and an Ambra
SVGA monitor in 800x600 pixel, 24bit color mode. The Program Manager is
gone, replaced by the menu bar at the bottom and the Start menu. The operating
system is now integral with Windows, you don't need DOS any more. This
particular computer is running MS-DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.1 under an early
Windows 95 upgrade, from July 1995. Freecell made it's debut, as this is
a 32 bit object linked operating system.
This
is the latest consumer version of Windows (it was in 1999)...Windows 98. Running on an IBM
Aptiva, AMD K6-2/333 processor, 48m RAM, 6g hard drive, SVGA in 800 pixel
24 bit mode. 
It's
not really related to the other versions of Windows shown here, but
this is the operating system I'm using now on my XT-286 with a Socket
370 motherboard, 1 ghz PIII, 128mb ram, 40 gb hard drive, etc.
Windows 2000 is also known as Windows NT (New Technology) version 5,
which follows versions 4, 3.51, and 3.1. It is the successor to
the OS/2 operating system.