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Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

By greg shultz June 16, 2010, 2:35 AM PDT

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A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

It's all about the packaging

It's all about the packaging

If you purchased Windows Vista, you know that the packaging represented a completely new design. The traditional cardboard box was gone and in its place was a small, hard, plastic container with sleek curves that gave a futuristic look. Unfortunately, the boxes were very difficult to open.?

?Recently, Microsoft revealed the packaging for Windows 7 and announced that the new design will look like the Vista packaging, but the new boxes will be much easier to open. ?

?In this gallery, we’ll take a look at the Windows packaging over the years.?

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows 7 Ultimate

Windows 7 Ultimate

This is the Windows 7 Ultimate box. As you can see, this box has the same basic shape as the Vista box and the Ultimate box color remains black.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows 7 Professional

Windows 7 Professional

The Windows 7 Professional box uses the blue color scheme from Vista Business.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Standard DVD

Standard DVD

According to the Windows Blog site, the Windows 7 box opens more like a standard DVD case.?

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows Vista Ultimate

Windows Vista Ultimate

This is the Windows Vista Ultimate box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows Vista Business

Windows Vista Business

This is the Windows Vista Business box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows Vista Home Premium

Windows Vista Home Premium

This is the Windows Vista Home Premium box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows Vista Home Basic

Windows Vista Home Basic

This is the Windows Vista Home Basic box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Help page

Help page

The Windows Vista box was so complicated to open that Microsoft even created a Help page titled Opening the Windows Vista box. ?

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

More help needed

More help needed

Unfortunately, the Opening the Windows Vista box help page failed to point out the tabs you must press in order to release the inner compartment. Even then, opening the box can be a frustrating experience as the locking catches don’t always release properly.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows XP SP2 Professional

Windows XP SP2 Professional

Before Vista, Microsoft used the more traditional cardboard box packaging. This is the Windows XP SP2 Professional box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows XP SP2 Home Edition

Windows XP SP2 Home Edition

This is the Windows XP SP2 Home Edition box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition

Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition

The Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows 98 SE Upgrade

Windows 98 SE Upgrade

Both the Windows 98 and Windows 98 SE boxes were the same except for the red star. This is the cover of the Windows 98 SE Upgrade box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1

Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1

The Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1 box. At this point in time, the server product was actually called Advanced Server.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Window 3.11

Window 3.11

The Window 3.11 box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows for Workgroups 3.1

Windows for Workgroups 3.1

The Windows for Workgroups 3.1 box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows 286

Windows 286

Version 2.10 of Windows came in two versions–one for the Intel 80286 processor and one for the 80386 processor. This is the Windows 286 box cover.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

Windows 1.0

Windows 1.0

The Windows 1.0 box featured an IBM PC running the operating system. ?

?Notice that this version includes FREE copies of Windows Write and Windows Paint!?

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

MS DOS 6.22

MS DOS 6.22

Even though the theme here is Windows Packaging, I came across some old DOS box images. This is the MS DOS 6.22 box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

MS DOS 6

MS DOS 6

The MS DOS 6 box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

MS DOS 5

MS DOS 5

The MS DOS 5 box.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

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My first computer was a Kaypro 16 \"luggable\" running MS-DOS 2.11 which I obtained while studying computer science in 1986. After two years, I discovered that I had a knack for writing documentation and shifted my focus over to technical writing.
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