Windows 3.1 was very popular for being unique - most people back then dubbed Microsoft Windows as a "Macintosh Ripoff" due to its very similar GUI, just take a look:
This is System Software 2.x on a macintosh, and...
This is Windows 1.04.
Both can multitask, pretty much the same "File", "View" and "Special" stuff. They even had almost the same software - Flight Simulator, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word. Only Windows 3.1 created its own unique GUI by not copying macintosh, which was also easy to navigate unlike the Macintosh that had a lot of categories with a lot of buttons.
Windows 3.1 was fully based on MS-DOS, which makes a dual-boot system and let-alone MS-DOS had a ton of games and good software and Windows 3.1 allowed for them to be graphical.
So simply Windows 1.0x to Windows 2.x was simply somewhat Macintosh System Software for x86 Non-Apple Computers.
Windows 3.0 kind of had the same interface, it probably didn't adapt since it simply was new and wasn't adapted to by MS-DOS Developers. Just like how Windows 7 was very popular, and when Windows 8.1 was released, not everyone used it since it entirely new - brand new start menu, colors, Setup Installation and overall just a new look.
No, that is how we indicate that Windows software is "16-bit". It is kind of complicated. The program formats were designed for 8088/8086, but that does not mean they will run on them. Any DOS or Windows 16-bit program can sprinkle in some 286/386/486/Pentium instruction so they require that CPU, but it does not mean it is for that architecture.
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This is System Software 2.x on a macintosh, and...
This is Windows 1.04.
Both can multitask, pretty much the same "File", "View" and "Special" stuff. They even had almost the same software - Flight Simulator, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word. Only Windows 3.1 created its own unique GUI by not copying macintosh, which was also easy to navigate unlike the Macintosh that had a lot of categories with a lot of buttons.
Windows 3.1 was fully based on MS-DOS, which makes a dual-boot system and let-alone MS-DOS had a ton of games and good software and Windows 3.1 allowed for them to be graphical.
So simply Windows 1.0x to Windows 2.x was simply somewhat Macintosh System Software for x86 Non-Apple Computers.
Windows 3.0 kind of had the same interface, it probably didn't adapt since it simply was new and wasn't adapted to by MS-DOS Developers. Just like how Windows 7 was very popular, and when Windows 8.1 was released, not everyone used it since it entirely new - brand new start menu, colors, Setup Installation and overall just a new look.