Windows from 95 to 11 through a technician’s eyes
My first computer was a 486DX that I installed Windows 95 on myself. Then came a Pentium I with Windows 98, a year at a large computer store in Batumi building PCs and installing Windows XP — and today, Windows 11. Here is how the system changed, and the lessons that still help you now.
Windows 95 and 98: the Start button and the first home PCs
Windows 95 gave us what we still use today: the Start button, the taskbar and desktop shortcuts. It was installed from floppy disks or a CD, and drivers had to be found separately for every card.
Windows 98 worked better with USB and the internet. That was also when many people learned that a system sometimes simply needs reinstalling — over time it gets cluttered. That lesson still applies today.
Windows XP: the system that was everywhere
Windows XP came out in 2001 and lived a record-long life — Microsoft supported it until 2014. In 2004–2005 I spent a year at a large computer store in Batumi building PCs and installing XP. For many families and offices, those were their very first computers.
The main lesson of XP: the longer a system stays in service, the more updates and protection matter. XP machines that went years without updates became easy prey for viruses.
Vista, 7 and 8: from disappointment to a favourite
Vista (2007) looked great but was heavy for the computers of its time. Windows 7 (2009) fixed the problems and became the favourite system for a decade; its support ended in January 2020.
Windows 8 and 8.1 (2012–2013) removed the familiar Start button and bet on tablets — many users never accepted it. The lesson: a newer version is not always better for your job.
Windows 10 and 11: free upgrades and new requirements
Windows 10 (2015) was updated for years, and upgrading from 7 and 8 was free. Support for Windows 10 ended on 14 October 2025 — it no longer gets regular security updates.
Windows 11 (2021) requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot — hardware-level protection. Many computers support them; the features are simply switched off in the BIOS. See Windows 10 or Windows 11 — which to choose.
What matters for you today
Stay on a supported version — today that is Windows 11. Keep backups: hardware has changed over 30 years, but losing your files hurts just the same. And do not fear a reinstall — done properly, it gives a computer its speed back.