TLDR: Windows 95, introduced by Microsoft on August 24, 1995, was a revolutionary operating system that combined a graphical user interface (GUI) with DOS-based underpinnings. It marked a significant step in Microsoft's effort to make personal computing accessible to the masses, offering features like Plug and Play support, a taskbar, and the Start Menu, which became staples of Windows design. Windows 95 was also notable for its ability to run both 16-bit and 32-bit applications, bridging the gap between older systems and modern computing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_95
Windows 95 introduced several innovations that simplified user interaction and improved system functionality. The Start Menu and taskbar provided intuitive navigation, allowing users to easily launch applications and manage tasks. Its Plug and Play feature automated hardware configuration, making it easier to install new devices without manual settings. With support for FAT16 and VFAT, Windows 95 improved file system performance and allowed for long file names, a significant improvement over previous versions.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health
Connectivity was another key focus of Windows 95, which included built-in support for dial-up networking and the TCP/IP protocol, facilitating internet access. The Microsoft Network (MSN), launched alongside Windows 95, provided users with an online experience. By blending usability with advanced functionality, Windows 95 became a cornerstone in the evolution of personal computing, influencing later Windows versions and shaping the broader software industry.
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft and the first of its Windows 9x family of operating systems, released to manufacturing on July 14, 1995, and generally to retail on August 24, 1995. Windows 95 merged Microsoft's formerly separate MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows products into a single product and featured significant improvements over its predecessor, most notably in the graphical user interface (GUI) and in its simplified "plug-and-play" features. There were also major changes made to the core components of the operating system, such as moving from a mainly cooperatively multitasked 16-bit architecture of its predecessor Windows 3.1 to a 32-bit preemptive multitasking architecture.
Windows 95 introduced numerous functions and features that were featured in later Windows versions, and continue in modern variations to this day, such as the taskbar, notification area, and the "Start" button which summons the Start menu. Accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign that generated much prerelease hype, it was a major success and is considered to be one of the biggest and most important products in the personal computing industry. Three years after its introduction, Windows 95 was followed by Windows 98. Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows 95 on December 31, 2000. Like Windows NT 3.51, which was released shortly before, Windows 95 received only one year of extended support, ending on December 31, 2001.