Windows 3

Windows 3 box.

Windows 3 is the third release of the Microsoft Windows operating system. Windows 3 is not a true operating system but rather an operating environment running on top of DOS. There were several versions, each introduced new features.

My family's first computer was a Packard Bell 386 SX running Windows 3.0 With Multimedia Extensions and I spent a lot of time playing around with the program. Looking back on it now, it's surprising how little there is to do with it.

Despite the growing popularity of Windows for office and home computers, the OS had very little in the way of gaming support, which was my primary interest in computers at the time. So, like most gamers of the day, I would quit Windows and get into DOS to play my games.

Software

The following is Windows 3 software that I have enjoyed.

Applications

See all Windows 3 Applications.

• After Dark
• Corel Draw
• Corel Photo-Paint
• Creative Studio

Games

See all Windows 3 Games.

• Castle of the Winds
• Freecell (Microsoft)
• Hearts (Microsoft)
• The Incredible Toon Machine
• Jewel Thief
• SimTower
• Ski Free
• Solitaire (Microsoft)
• Taipei
• Take a Break! Pinball
• Tetris (Microsoft)
• The Yukon Trail

Programming Languages

• Visual BASIC
• Visual FoxPro

Gallery

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  If you run the Flying Windows screen saver on Windows XP, anti-aliasing is used when the glyph is drawn, but not when it's removed. This creates a trippy effect.

Links

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_3.0 - Wikipedia (Windows 3.0).
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_3.1x - Wikipedia (Windows 3.1x).
• mobygames.com/browse/games/win3x/list-games - MobyGames.