File manager WinFile for Windows NT 4 is open sourced and works on Windows 10

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Windows file manager revives

File Manager WinFile, which was included with Windows NT 4.0, has been open sourced and made available for Windows 10 after 21 years.

The functionality of WinFile is inherited by Windows Explorer.

I touched on the information of WinFile revival, and memories of Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 98, Microsoft Office, etc. have come back, so I would like to keep notes.

The recollections have become so long that the WinFile information is written towards the end.

Windows 10 and Windows NT and Windows 9x

It seems that Microsoft refers to Windows 10 as Windows NT Version 10 (code name?).

Therefore, it is understandable that Windows 10 is a product that saturates the trend of Windows NT, and that WinFile in the age of Windows NT 4.0 has returned.

I remember that the original Windows NT was positioned as a commercial operating system that runs on 32-bit. And, because it was the early days of the Internet, it was mainly used in applications such as file server and domain management in corporate LAN.

Although it was for business use, general users could also use it like me.

At the same time, Windows 95/98 (Windows 9x) running on 16-bit was sold to consumers.

The critical difference between Windows NT and Windows 9x is stability.

Windows NT is a structure that separates and manages the kernel area and application area of the OS, so the blue screen frequently occurring with Windows 9x is less likely to occur and it is much more stable than Windows 9x.

However, when Windows NT 4.0 crashed, it often resulted in disastrous consequences such as having to reinstall the operating system.

It was Windows 9x that was pre-installed on PCs sold at home appliance retailers and so on.

It seems that there were few Windows NT users, as it required some skill to install Windows NT on a computer running Windows 9x.

Windows 2000 is a turning point

Windows 2000 was released as a consumer application that integrates Windows NT-based OS and Windows 9x-based OS.

Bill Gates speculates that the Windows 9x operating system will generate too many blue screens, so it might be better to unify with the Windows NT operating system to absorb user complaints.

When using office software with Windows 9x, I did not know when the blue screen would occur, so I created documents while saving frequently.

I still love Windows 2000, but I have the impression that Windows XP, the successor to Windows 2000, was released soon.

Has Windows 2000 had a fatal bug?

MCP and Microsoft Qualifications Business

As Windows NT was a hit in the business area, Microsoft was starting an MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) qualified business.

And because getting MCP was in one status, I also got it.

MCP：Microsoft Certified Professional

Even though acquiring MCP, there has been no change in internal handling, but I think that the company could pay the cost of attendance because it can show off the number of MCP qualified people to competitors.

I think Microsoft has made significant gains in MCP-qualified businesses.

As it was a time when there was no Internet environment like now, I bought a book related to Windows from Microsoft and studied, built a server in the company to polish practical skills, participated in a class, learned expertise, paid for it Take the MCP qualification exam.

This golden cycle was spinning around.

You can get it in OS, get it in books, get it in class, and get it for the price. And, the company will be occupied by Microsoft products.

If the company's server is built on Windows, it is inevitable that PCs used by employees will also be Windows.

I think Bill Gates is really good at doing business.

Microsoft Office

Spreadsheet software Lotus 1-2-3 had overwhelming share in PC-9801 made by NEC, but seems to be late to support Windows 3.1 / Windows 95.

Taking that gap, Microsoft launched Office products.

At that time, Microsoft Office is the main product of Excel, Word and PowerPoint. I was releasing Access against dBase, but I think that the recognition was low.

Microsoft made a big hit with Excel that packed Lotus 1-2-3 of Lotus, and released the word against Word Processor software Ichitaro and took its share.

The presentation software has been replaced by Lotus's Freelance, and has become the default file format for Microsoft PowerPoint to communicate between companies.

It is natural for Office products to be highly compatible with the operating system Windows 9x developed by the company, so I think it gave customers a sense of security.

After leaving the performance, Bill Gates, who succeeded in the image strategy, won another big victory.

Lotus began to crash after losing its Lotus 1-2-3 share to Excel and is now acquired by IBM. Groupware Lotus Notes still seems to remain as Notes ...

I have a Notes Principal status, but now it is useless.

As an aside, ATOK, a popular Japanese conversion software, was developed by Just System, a company in Tokushima Prefecture, and its word processing software is Ichitaro. Spreadsheet software was also released and the product name was Sanshiro.

I miss the time when I formed a macro at Sanshiro, but now it's a totally useless skill.

ATOK and MS-IME

The word processor software was Ichitaro Ichiro when PC-9800 series released by NEC occupied the market.

The Japanese conversion software that came with Ichitaro is ATOK.

I remember that ATOK was sold separately as a Japanese-language conversion software after Windows 9x appeared.

Although ATOK can be used on smartphones, it is still surprising that there are many ATOK users.

You can not let go of the environment once you got used to it.

MS-IME has ATOK mode, but when you ask ATOK freaks, conversion accuracy is too different and you can not leave ATOK.

However, I think it would be better to study kanji if you use MS-IME, which presents weird kanji, but ...

WinFile software information

:Date confirmed
name	WinFile
version	10.0
Release date	2018/04/07
download	Releases · Microsoft/winfile · GitHub
file name	Winfile_v10.0.zip
Supported OS	Windows 10 and All Windows System Requirements: VS 2015 C++ runtime
license	Licensed under the MIT License.
Copyright	Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
author	Craig Wittenberg (Microsoft)
Japanese	incompatible
Functional overview	Windows File Manager will work again as native x86 and x64 desktop applications on all currently supported versions of Windows, including Windows 10.

There are two versions

Currently 32 bit version is uploaded, 64 bit version is not uploaded. It seems that you need to compile it yourself.

:Date confirmed
original_plus	It is a file manager that existed in 2007. It has minor changes and can be compiled with Visual Studio and run on current Windows.
current master	Craig Wittenberg's own customized version.

The included help file was for Windows 98.

Afterword

Microsoft has released WinFile on the Microsoft Store.

Well, is this a cornerstone to replace Windows Explorer as an alternative file manager?

Windows Explorer has a close relationship with the Windows operating system, and also works as a task bar process, so it has more features than file manager.

Are you separating Windows Explorer as background software and looking for a concept that leaves the role of file manager to WinFile?

I do not plan to install WinFile so far, but I would like to keep track of it.

2018/07/07
Winfile_v10.0.1806.1.zip has been released.