Windows 3.0

Windows 3.0 was released in 1990 as the successor to Windows 2.x and was the last version to support 8088/8086 real mode (640k RAM), as Windows 3.1 only offered "Standard mode" (max 16MB RAM on 80286) and "386 Enhanced mode" (on 80386). Regardless of which mode is chosen, Windows 3.0 cannot recognize more than 16 MB of RAM, even in 386 enhanced mode. It was a major improvement over Windows 2.x, featuring a completely revamped user interface. Windows 3.0 soon became the first truly popular version of Windows, unlike Windows 1.x and 2.x, which were viewed as "just another DOS shell". Windows 3.0 can run in up to 24-bit color mode, given the proper display driver and graphics card.