Everyone was surprised by the name of the new operating system Microsoft Windows 10. To which came the name? Windows 9 would have been the logical step, or failing that, always could have known otherwise as Windows Blue, but then, why Microsoft chose the name of Windows 10?
The company claims that there is a main reason is that Windows 10 is something unlike anything they had done before. This is an operating system that will unify all branded devices that will be compatible with all of them, and that is something completely new. Only the name of Windows 10 could truly represent what is this new operating system. However, there may be a technical reason why the company has decided to give that name to the new version of the operating system.
Blame it on Windows 95 and Windows 98
Apparently, it could have much to do with the naming Windows 10 versions of the 95 and Windows 98, having been launched the first of which no less than 19 years. How can they have influenced versions of over 15 years in the version name today?
All down to a matter of the code used for some applications, it may be many in fact used to recognize these earlier versions of the operating system. The code would you see in the image below.
As you can see, the code includes a condition to recognize whether it is Windows 95 and Windows 98, and Windows starting with 9. If this condition is given, the application is running in compatibility mode for these versions. The problem is that these applications would find that Windows 9 also would be recognized as a Windows 95 or Windows 98 version.
This is the explanation they are giving some developers in networks like Reddit, and could be very true.
However, keep in mind that the company could have chosen other names such as Windows Blue, or any of the alternatives that have been considered in recent years. If you chose Microsoft Windows 10 is because it definitely seemed a good idea to be known as well. Another issue is that, indeed, Windows 95 and Windows 98 are the real culprits that Microsoft had to re-think what name to choose, then opt for Windows 10.