The museum thread
Why this brand matters
Microsoft matters here because CP/M, MS-DOS, MSX and Windows show how a software contract can become more durable than any one computer model. The playable MSX and x86 exhibits are therefore parts of a Microsoft story even though their hardware came from many manufacturers.
Major machines and families
A historical map of the systems relevant to this museum's story, not merely the models currently emulated.
| Period | Machine / family | Why it belongs in the story | Museum status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Altair BASIC | Microsoft begins by supplying a language for the Altair 8800; software portability becomes the company’s route into personal computing. | Historical context |
| 1981 | MS-DOS / PC DOS | The operating-system layer of the IBM PC becomes a transferable compatibility target across clone hardware. | Playable context |
| 1983 | MSX | Microsoft/ASCII specification defining a multi-vendor Z80 home-computer platform, especially important in Japan, Europe and South America. | Playable |
| 1985 | Windows 1.x | Early graphical environment on top of DOS. | Not yet emulated |
| 1990–1992 | Windows 3.0 / 3.1 | Turns the compatible PC into a dominant graphical application platform. | Playable on suitable DOS/PC software |
| 1995 | Windows 95 | 32-bit consumer GUI, Plug and Play and the Start-menu era consolidate the Wintel desktop. | Not yet a dedicated exhibit |
| 2001 | Xbox | Microsoft becomes a console hardware platform owner as well as a software platform vendor. | Not yet emulated |
Continue the story
Microsoft in context
No manufacturer exists in isolation: standards, CPUs, software and developer communities repeatedly cross company boundaries.
Research & provenance
Technical specifications and chronology on this manufacturer page are intended to remain traceable to original documentation and established archives. See the source path for this family →