Microsoft travels back in time to announce Windows 1.0, possible Netflix crossover

In the beginning, there was the command line, and in 1985, there was Windows 1.0. 

Fast forward to 2019, and Microsoft appears to be revisiting the best decade (this is not a debate) with a mysterious teaser for the first version of its flagship Windows software. Windows 1.0 was the company’s first stab at making operating systems more of a visual experience for users, and although it wasn’t a critical hit, it paved the way for future incarnations of Windows.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/BzbY3sfh51_/[/embed]

Yesterday, Windows scrubbed its Instagram clean, save a single enigmatic post of the original Windows 1.0 product boxes. Of course, this also raises the question as to why a product like Windows has an Instagram in the first place -- having never really had a reason to check out its photo feed, we’re not quite sure what kind of content used to live there before Windows 1.0.

Twitter responded with predictable GIFs of the now-infamous Windows ‘95 launch -- a vision that launched a thousand shitposts -- along with other 80s-themed reactions.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Windows/status/1145731141695168512[/embed]

Engadget has suggested that this retro “campaign” might be a teaser collaboration with the new season of Stranger Things, which comes out on Netflix tomorrow. The third season is indeed set in 1985, but besides this coincidence, who knows? Will there be a digital Demogorgon 2.0? Will the Hawkins gang find something weird going in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

Whatever’s happening, the Windows 1.0 logo is being used on all of its social media platforms now, which makes it pretty obvious that some super-nostalgic drop is coming. We’re just not sure what.

alexisong@asiaone.com