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Windows 10 logo: Windows 9 kinda

Windows 10 is finally hither — and it's been a long and winding road. Let's footstep back for a moment and accost one of the most confusing things almost the latest version of Windows. When Microsoft announced its newest operating arrangement last twelvemonth, the surprise was not that it was coming, but that Windows would exist skipping version 9 and heading straight to 10. When asked most Windows x's name, Microsoft never actually gave a clear answer. So why, exactly, did Windows 10 get the nod instead of 9?

Version numbers, schmersion numbers

You may remember that between Windows 3 and Windows 7, Microsoft designated each version with a proper name instead of a number: 95, 98, NT, Me, 2000, Vista, and so on. When the company announced Windows 7, there was actually a similar amount of disbelief; after a serial of named versions of Windows, information technology seemed odd to switch dorsum to numbers.

Windows 8: Actually version 6.3

Windows viii.1: Actually version 6.3, build 9600.

There'southward also the fact that the proper name of each Windows release doesn't actually match the existent version number. For example, Windows 8.1 is actually version half dozen.3 of Windows. Windows 10 is version 6.4. The concluding fourth dimension the release name actually matched the version number was the enterprise-focused Windows NT 4.0, which was released back in 1996. Windows 2000, which was chosen NT 5.0 during development, was actually version 5.0. Windows XP was version v.1. Windows Vista was 6.0, Windows 7 was 6.ane, Windows 8 was 6.2, and Windows eight.ane is version 6.3.

Windows RT, which just ran Metro apps, was a new and divide beast, but information technology still sat on top of the cadre Windows NT kernel. That one is dead now.

Modern versions of Windows are still based on the Vista kernel and code base — including Windows ten, which is actually Windows 6.4. There will exist some defoliation if (or when) we eventually attain internal version 7.0, but nosotros'll cantankerous that bridge when we get there.

Culling theories for skipping Windows 9

An ExtremeTech reader called Benny sent us an email to say that the number nine is considered unlucky in Japan. Microsoft has a big enough presence in Japan that it may have skipped Windows 9 to avert whatever weirdness or ill will. Benny says that Trend Micro — a Japanese company — did the aforementioned affair a few years ago when it skipped version 9 of its antivirus software.

Second, someone purporting to exist a Microsoft programmer posted this comment on Reddit:

Reddit comment explaining why Windows 9 was skipped

Every bit insane as that hack sounds, it's feasible that there are still plenty of legacy Desktop apps that apply this method (or something like) to check for Windows 95 or 98. Bear in mind that this is but an example piece of code — some developers will bank check for the Os proper noun ("Windows…"), some will check for the version number (as discussed in the previous section of this story), and some may use other methods entirely to find out what OS the app is running on.

What's in a proper name?

Ultimately, Windows 10 is merely a name. Windows 9 probably would've fabricated more sense — and it's always going to cause some grief with novice users who only don't empathize what happened to Windows 9. But Windows x isn't any more right or wrong than calling Vista'due south successor Windows seven.

Why Windows 10 wasn't called Windows One:

Why Windows 10 wasn't called Windows One: "It has been washed before" (by Pecker Gates)

Possibly a better question to ask is why did Microsoft call it Windows 10 specifically, and not something else? During the launch issue (video embedded above) Myerson gives u.s.a. a few clues. Starting at effectually the two:10 mark, he said the post-obit: "We know, based on the product that's coming, and just how different our approach will be overall, it wouldn't be right to call it Windows 9." He and so talks about how Windows One would brand sense with Xbox One, OneDrive, and OneNote, "only unfortunately Windows 1 has been done past the giants that came before us." And so information technology seems the only other viable option was Windows 10.

Read: Windows 10: Familiarity breeds contempt

Microsoft'due south seemingly arbitrary naming convention of Windows 10 is an interesting one. It'south a strong-sounding version number — and it'southward besides a dandy way of distancing it from Windows viii, which Microsoft really wants to bury in the living room couch cushions when no ane is looking. In fact, this may even be the same trick that Microsoft used to make us forget about Vista: "Hey, with a name like Windows 7, it must be very different from Vista."

Yosemite Safari

Apple's OS Ten has been Bone 10 for xiv years at present — and shows no sign of being retired

What about whatsoever similarity to Apple's Mac Bone 10? Apple did a like thing, later all: Its operating system versions steadily increased from System 1 through 7, so switched to Mac OS 8 and nine, and when information technology got to OS 10 (Ten) in 2001, information technology stopped altogether. We don't call up Microsoft is intentionally copying Apple with Windows 10. Merely the marketing department has to be aware of both the positive and negative repercussions of wanting to ride on Apple'southward coattails.

Finally, given how Windows 10 is meant to exist a single platform for simply most every class factor, plus the massive weight and importance that Microsoft is lending to this release, nosotros wouldn't exist surprised if information technology sticks around for a long time — and Microsoft has made noises indicating information technology wants to movement to an ongoing, evolving Bone without specific version numbers.

So that's it: Windows 10 is chosen Windows x because Microsoft says then — fifty-fifty if "Windows" or "Windows Ten" would've been better. Check out our continuing Windows x coverage for more information.

Now read All the new features and changes in Windows 10 and our hands on impressions of Windows 10 Technical Preview.

James Plafke contributed to this article.

Check out our ExtremeTech Explains series for more in-depth coverage.