Microsoft

A retrospective of Windows packaging: Paper or plastic

By · June 23, 2010, 6:54 AM PST

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  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Windows 7 Home Premium

    This is the Windows 7 Home Premium box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • 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

  • Windows Vista Ultimate

    This is the Windows Vista Ultimate box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows Vista Business

    This is the Windows Vista Business box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows Vista Home Premium

    This is the Windows Vista Home Premium box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows Vista Home Basic

    This is the Windows Vista Home Basic box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • 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

  • 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

  • Windows Server 2008

    The Windows Server 2008 box employs a grey theme.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • 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

  • Windows XP SP2 Home Edition

    This is the Windows XP SP2 Home Edition box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition

    The Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows 2000 Professional

    This is the cover of the Windows 2000 Professional box, which used a basic white background.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows 2000 Server

    This is the cover of the Windows 2000 Server box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows ME

    While the OS was a flop, the cover of the Windows ME box was very colorful.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • 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

  • Windows 95

    The cover of the Windows 95 box was the first to use the clouds background.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows NT Workstation 4.0

    The Windows NT Workstation 4.0 box used a combination of the clouds leading up to a starry night sky as the background.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows NT Server 4.0

    The Windows NT Server 4.0 box continued the use of the interlaced ribbons first used on the previous version box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows NT Workstation 3.51

    The Windows NT Workstation 3.51 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows NT Server 3.51

    The Windows NT Server 3.51 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows NT Workstation 3.5

    The Windows NT Workstation 3.5 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows NT Server 3.5

    The Windows NT Server 3.5 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows NT 3.1

    The Windows NT 3.1 box. At this time, the client version of the NT product wasn’t called Workstation.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • 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

  • Window 3.11

    The Window 3.11 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows for Workgroups 3.11

    The Windows for Workgroups 3.11 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows 3.1

    The Windows 3.1 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows for Workgroups 3.1

    The Windows for Workgroups 3.1 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • Windows 3.0

    The Windows 3.0 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • MS DOS 6

    The MS DOS 6 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

  • MS DOS 5

    The MS DOS 5 box.

    Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of Microsoft

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
Related Topics:
Microsoft Enterprise Software Software Collaboration Mobility Cloud Hardware

By Greg Shultz

Greg Shultz is a freelance Technical Writer. Previously, he has worked as Documentation Specialist in the software industry, a Technical Support Specialist in educational industry, and a Technical Journalist in the computer publishing industry.

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