Evolution of Windows Version Naming: A Shift from Confusion to Clarity
Many users will recall Microsoft’s earlier approach to version naming, which utilized a somewhat erratic and disorganized scheme that included names like “Anniversary Update, ””Fall Creators Update, ”and “Spring Creators Update.”Remembering the precise release dates of these updates was nearly impossible, which ultimately led to the company’s decision to revamp their naming conventions starting in 2018 with the introduction of Windows 10, version 1803, more commonly referred to as the April 2018 Update.
Insight from Microsoft Veteran
Recently, Raymond Chen, a long-standing member of the Microsoft team, shared a fascinating revelation regarding the rationale behind this significant change in naming strategy. During a company-wide meeting, a pivotal question was raised about the presence of unconscious biases within Microsoft—a concept that refers to the implicit ideas and attitudes we hold, often beyond our awareness.
The Employee Who Spoke Up
A courageous employee, who wished to remain unnamed, pointed out an important issue: he grew up in the southern hemisphere, where the seasons contrast sharply with those in the northern hemisphere. He argued that designations like “Fall Creators Update”felt exclusively relevant to users in the north, thereby highlighting the company’s bias towards that half of the globe. His perspective resonated with others in the meeting, leading to an immediate decision to adopt a more inclusive and hemisphere-neutral naming system.
Challenges of Seasonal Naming
Upon reflection, it becomes clear that the previous naming strategy failed to accurately convey the timing of updates. Moreover, it erroneously assumed that seasons were a universal concept. Given that Microsoft typically released two major updates per year, segmenting them by seasons only added further confusion for users worldwide.
A More Streamlined Approach
To address these issues, Microsoft transitioned to the H1 and H2 naming convention, effectively separating updates into the first and second halves of the year. This adjustment ultimately facilitated a reduction to a single feature update annually, thereby clarifying the entire process. As a point of interest, Windows 11, version 25H2 is poised for release later this year, signaling Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to improvement.
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