Do you remember Windows 1.0? Chances are, your answer is “no.” When Microsoft released the very first version of Windows nearly 25 years ago, on Nov. 20, 1985, it was late to the game and little used.

Depending on how you count them, there have been 15 major versions of Windows, with Microsoft's inconsistent naming scheme resulting in the current version of Windows being Windows 11—go figure. A lot ...