Why Microsoft Used the Name Windows 7? Explanation Inside

Windows 7 has been released to public but many people are so much confused about its name. People are talking about why did Microsoft use the name Windows 7? In this topic, we'll try to explain the reason behind it!
Mike Nash @ "The Windows Blog" posted why Microsoft decided to name it Windows 7:

The decision to use the name Windows 7 is about simplicity. Over the years, we have taken different approaches to naming Windows. We've used version numbers like Windows 3.1, or dates like Windows 98, or "aspirational" monikers like Windows XP or Windows Vista. And since we do not ship new versions of Windows every year, using a date did not make sense. Likewise, coming up with an all-new "aspirational" name does not do justice to what we are trying to achieve, which is to stay firmly rooted in our aspirations for Windows Vista, while evolving and refining the substantial investments in platform technology in Windows Vista into the next generation of Windows.
Simply put, this is the seventh release of Windows, so therefore "Windows 7" just makes sense.

And if you are confused why Windows 7 is the 7th release of Windows, here is another simple explanation:
First Windows version was Windows 1.0. Second was Windows 2.0 and third was Windows 3.0. When Windows NT was released, it was code versioned as Windows 3.1. Windows 95, 98, 98 SE and ME (Millennium Edition) were code versioned as Windows 4.0 as all were using Non-NT kernel or 9x kernel.
Windows 2000 was code versioned as Windows 5.0 and Windows XP as Windows 5.1. Next version was Windows Vista which was code versioned as Windows 6.0. Since Windows 7 is the next Windows version, Microsoft decided to call it Windows 7 for easy and better understanding.

1.0: Windows 1.0
2.0: Windows 2.0
3.0: Windows 3.0
3.1: Windows NT
4.0: Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME
5.0: Windows 2000
5.1: Windows XP
6.0: Windows Vista
7.0: Windows 7

Posted in: win 7