Editing Microsoft Windows (section)

=== Windows 3.x ===
{{Main|Windows 3.0|Windows 3.1}}
[[File:Windows 3.0 workspace.png|thumb|upright=1.15|left|Windows 3.0, released in 1990]]

[[Windows 3.0]], released in 1990, improved the design, mostly because of [[virtual memory]] and loadable virtual device drivers ([[VxD]]s) that allow Windows to share arbitrary devices between multi-tasked DOS applications.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} Windows 3.0 applications can run in [[protected mode]], which gives them access to several megabytes of memory without the obligation to participate in the software virtual memory scheme. They run inside the same address space, where the segmented memory provides a degree of protection. Windows 3.0 also featured improvements to the user interface. Microsoft rewrote critical operations from [[C (programming language)|C]] into [[Assembly language|assembly]]. Windows 3.0 was the first version of Windows to achieve broad commercial success, selling 2&nbsp;million copies in the first six months.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chronology of Personal Computer Software |url=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/compsoft/soft1991.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211132458/http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/compsoft/soft1991.htm |archive-date=February 11, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Microsoft Company |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514211138/http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm |archive-date=May 14, 2008}}</ref>
[[File:Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11 mit 9 Setup HD-Disketten.jpg|thumb|Versions before Windows 95 had to be installed from [[floppy disk]]s by end users (or in professional environments with a network installation); here Windows for Workgroups with nine 3.5-inch-disks to be inserted sequentially.]]
Windows 3.1, made [[general availability release|generally available]] on March 1, 1992, featured a facelift. In October 1992, Windows for Workgroups, a special version with integrated [[peer-to-peer networking]] features, was released. It was sold along with Windows 3.1. Support for Windows 3.1 ended on December 31, 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Windows 3.1 Standard Edition Support Lifecycle |url=http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?LN=en-us&p1=3078&x=10&y=11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112112159/http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?LN=en-us&p1=3078&x=10&y=11 |archive-date=January 12, 2012 |access-date=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

Windows 3.2, released in 1994, is an updated version of the Chinese version of Windows 3.1.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Microsoft Windows Simplified Chinese 3.2 Upgrade Is Available |url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129451 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108051648/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129451 |archive-date=November 8, 2006 |website=Microsoft Support |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref> The update was limited to this language version, as it fixed only issues related to the complex writing system of the Chinese language.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 30, 2003 |title=Microsoft Windows Simplified Chinese 3.2 Upgrade Is Available |url=http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;129451 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524050602/http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;129451 |archive-date=May 24, 2011 |access-date=September 4, 2009 |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref> Windows 3.2 was generally sold by computer manufacturers with a ten-disk version of [[MS-DOS]] that also had [[Simplified Chinese characters]] in basic output and some translated utilities.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}