The computer Kinger uses is NOT Windows 95 or 98!
(probably spoilers for TADC Episode 8 if you have not seen it yet, although it's been out for more than a week so-)
just something that has me wondering about with the computer in The Amazing Digital Circus Episode 8: What Operating System is it?
(this is kind of long, so scroll down for a TL;DR on the whole thing.)
We know that the Digital Circus was made sometime during the 1990s, and the OS confirms this, resembling a Windows 9x interface, but what exact OS could it be?
I've heard a lot of people think that this is perhaps Windows 98 or Windows 95, due to them being the 2 most popular Windows Operating Systems during this time, however I don't think that is the case.
To clear some things up, we can clearly see that everything has been HEAVILY re-branded to C&A, as shown through the monitor's and PC's logos, the start-up showing the logo with a different startup theme compared to Windows 95 & 98, and the start up button's logo also being the C&A logo. So, it seems like the OS isn't even Windows, but rather just a new system that C&A developed that looks strikingly similar to Windows. (Makes sense, probably to avoid copyright or something similar.)
Not to mention that the command terminal has elements that are more akin to Linux/UNIX, as shown through Kinger's commands.
One other note with the keyboard, which has "win" keys as opposed to the Windows flag icon typically used. The startup keys do say "Win," instead of "C&A," although this could just be a more simpler way of replacing the Windows iconography.
So, case closed, it's a different, in-universe operating system that has similar features to Windows 9x. HOWEVER, we can still compare it to our real-world counterpart, and I don't think it's Windows 95, 98, or any other Windows 9x system.
Windows 9x was specifically for consumers, not for professional businesses. The system or "kernel" was unstable, and by the time the 2000s rolled around, it was no longer viable to use, being replaced with a better kernel. Why would C&A use a consumer OS if they were 1. a Business, and 2. programming an Artificial Intelligence? Wouldn't they use a more stable system so the A.I. would be better off? Well, I think that's exactly what they did.
Most likely, the system that they used was based off of was Windows NT 4.0, a system released around July-September 1996 (depending if you count the manufacturing/retail release dates) that was the Business/Server alternative to Windows 9x. (If that is a bit confusing, think of it like how there are "Home" and "Professional" versions of Windows now.)
This version of Windows was based on the NT Kernel, which was more stable version of Windows 9x, and could have been an optimal kernel for C&A to use. (We still use NT today, it was fully moved to with the release of Windows XP.)
Additionally, this system fits within the time period as we can see through the command terminal that it was October 1996 when some major events occurred that led up to Caine's creation or was the start of it. Windows NT 4.0 released sometime during August 1996 at the latest, which would have lined up with these dates, as opposed to Windows 98, which as it implies, released in 1998.
(one other thing to add with this, there was an alternate version of Windows NT 4.0 being released called "Windows NT 4.0 Server" (genius title I know) that was released sometime during Early September 1996, which could have also been the OS they had used. However, to keep it safe I will be sticking towards Windows NT 4.0 generally, but I did want to note this as it could have been an additional OS they used.
So, I think that Windows NT 4.0 was the OS C&A could have used for their A.I. was, or at least what their OS was based after. It's more stable than Windows 95 or 98, it would have been great for Businesses/Programmers like C&A to use since it was directed towards them, and it fits within the time period.
Apologies for this being kind of long, but I have been thinking about this for a bit and I have seen no one really discuss this and I want to know what y'all think.
If there are any more tech-savvy people who might know more about this than I do, feel free to correct me or bring new info about this, I would love to learn more about all of this :D
(I'll potentially make an update to this if I have more to say or if I get more info) TL;DR - The OS that Kinger used is NOT Windows 95 or 98 due to them being more unstable, directed at consumers rather than companies, and 98 being potentially not released yet as shown by some dates. Windows NT 4.0 was most likely the system they used due to it being more stable and being directed at companies. (However the system they used could have just been based off of Windows NT 4.0, since a lot of the system had their Windows Iconography replaced with C&A Iconography, and the terminal representing Linux/UNIX.)
Uhh anyway, have a nice day everyone!! :]