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Microsoft Plus!

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Microsoft Plus!
Developer(s)Microsoft Corporation
Operating systemWindows
TypeOperating System Enhancement Package
LicenseClosed source
Websitemicrosoft.com/windows/plus

Microsoft Plus! was an operating system enhancement package provided by Microsoft. The latest edition is the Plus! SuperPack, which includes an assortment of screensavers, themes, and games, as well as media editing applications. The Microsoft Plus! application was first announced on 31 January, 1994 under the internal codename Frosting.

The enhancements comprising Microsoft Plus! are typically developed by Microsoft itself. The Plus! packs also include games and content from third-party companies, for example in Plus! for Windows XP the HyperBowl game was developed by Hyper Entertainment Incorporated. Plus! features that actually enhance the base operating system or provide utility are generally included for free in the next release of Windows.

Microsoft Plus! was discontinued in favor of Windows Ultimate Extras in Windows Vista.[1]

Product Editions

Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95

Initially marketed as features for high-performance computers so Windows 95 could meet a minimum system requirement of a 80386 CPU with 4 megabytes of RAM. This version of Plus! included Space Cadet Pinball, the Internet Jumpstart Kit (which was the introduction of Internet Explorer 1.0), DriveSpace 3 disk compression, the initial release of desktop themes, and the graphical improvements of anti-aliased screen fonts and full-window drag. Task scheduler as it is present in later Windows versions was included as System Agent.

Microsoft Plus! for Kids!

Released in 1997 targeted at children 12 and under. Includes 3 new applications: Talk It!, a program that says what users type using text-to-speech, Play It!, an electronic keyboard with music and sound effects, and Paint It!, a graphics program. More cliparts, fonts, 10 new desktop themes, and a parental control for Internet Explorer.

Microsoft Plus! for Windows 98

The sequel to the original suite of enhancements to Windows, Plus! for Windows 98 included many new desktop themes and screensavers, including some of the themes from Plus! 95, along with new programs and tools for Windows 98. An organic art 3D screensaver rendered unique infinite 3D visual shapes. A Start Menu cleanup utlity was included. Microsoft updated the Disk Cleanup tool to add functionality of cleaning more unused files such as old ScanDisk files on the hard drive. ZIP file integration with Windows Explorer was first introduced with this version. New games, such as Microsoft Golf 98, Lose Your Marbles! and the now popular Spider Solitaire (which is now also included with Windows Me and Windows XP), were also added to Plus! for Windows 98. A Deluxe CD Player with CDDB support and a basic "express" version of Picture It! were also included. Finally, Plus! 98 came with McAfee VirusScan, along with a six month supply of free updates.

Microsoft Plus! Game Pack: Cards & Puzzles

This Plus! pack was released at the time of Windows Millennium Edition, however it could also be installed on other versions of Windows. It included the Microsoft Entertainment Pack: The Puzzle Collection - a collection of 10 arcade games and Microsoft Bicycle Card Collection, another set of 12 card games. A trial version of Microsoft Pandora's Box was also included.

Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP

Marketed as “The Ultimate Companion for Windows XP”, Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP was launched alongside the Windows XP operating system on October 25, 2001. This version of Plus! was created to show off the enhanced capabilities that Windows XP presented with its updated Windows Media Player and DirectX 3D core technologies. Continuing the feature categories of the previous Plus! products, the product features were desktop themes, screen savers, games, and utilities.

Plus! for Windows XP includes:

  • Plus! Themes
  • Plus! Screen Savers
  • Plus! Voice Command for Windows Media Player
  • Plus! Personal DJ
  • Plus! MP3 Converter
  • Plus! CD Label Maker
  • Plus! Speaker Enhancement
  • Plus! 3-D Visualizations for Windows Media Player
  • Plus! Skins for Windows Media Player
  • Plus! Hyperbowl
  • Plus! Russian Square
  • Plus! Labyrinth

Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition

Marketed as “The Ultimate Photo, Music, and Movie Enhancement Pack for Windows XP”, Microsoft developed Plus! Digital Media Edition for Windows XP Media Center Edition. Plus! Digital Media Edition signified the first time Microsoft had released a second Plus! product based on the same base operating system. Before this point, each Microsoft Plus! product had been created only once with each new major operating system version.

Released on January 7, 2003, Plus! Digital Media Edition built upon two newly enhanced Windows XP core components: Windows Media Player 9 Series and Windows Movie Maker 2. This product version focused more on utility features for photos, music and movies rather than including the more traditional Plus! features like themes, screen savers, and games.

Plus! Digital Media Edition includes:

  • Plus! Photo Story 2
  • Plus! Party Mode
  • Plus! Analog Recorder
  • Plus! CD Label Maker
  • Plus! Dancer
  • Plus! Audio Converter
  • Plus! Effects and Transitions for Windows Movie Maker
  • Plus! Alarm Clock
  • Plus! Sleep Timer
  • Plus! Skins for Windows Media Player 9 Series
  • Plus! Sync & Go for Pocket PC

Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for Windows XP

On October 19, 2004, Microsoft replaced its two separate Plus! products for the Windows XP operating system (Plus! for Windows XP and Plus! Digital Media Edition) with a single combined version called the Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for Windows XP. There were no new features or functionality added.

Trivia

  • Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 included an Internet Jumpstart Kit, which was in fact Microsoft Internet Explorer 1.0.
  • Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition was the first Microsoft product to be made available for sale to consumers via ecommerce as full product download through online retailers.
  • The "Space" theme was used for Nebulon from the Homestar Runner series
  • All consumer-oriented versions of Windows include features from a Plus! pack for a previous version of Windows. Windows 98 inherited some features from Plus! for Windows 95. Windows XP includes some Plus! 98 features and two games, one each from Plus! 95 and Plus! 98, namely, 3D Space Cadet Pinball and Spider Solitaire. Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 includes some of the themes and screensavers from Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP as well as most of the applications from Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition.

See also

References

  1. ^ Thurrott, Paul (2007-01-17). "http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_ultimate_extras.asp". SuperSite for Windows. Retrieved 2007-04-16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); External link in |title= (help)
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