Windows URT

Windows URT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft (originally made by Fusoxide). It was mainly designed for developers and people using high-cost, powerful computers and it would perform very poorly on typical consumer computers. "URT" stands for Ultra Revolutionary Technology. Development started in late 1995, when Microsoft decided to code a new kernel from scratch. Despite the company's ambition, Microsoft was able to complete the project. Although URT isn't known for being particularly stable, especially when compared to Windows NT, URT 2.0 is still considered more stable than Windows 98 and ME. 
Windows URT 1.0 was the first release of the URT series and was released on June 15, 1997. It was followed up by Windows URT 2.0 on October 10, 2000. While URT 1.0 greatly resembles Windows NT 4.0 other than having an OOBE, URT 2.0 introduces visual styles, which would subsequently be introduced in Windows XP with some bits of Windows 2K splashed around here and there as XP still wasn't. 
After URT 2.0, Microsoft ceased development of URT. However, in 2002, Microsoft decided to start work on a new non-Windows OS codenamed Pallas. It was going to be built on the URT kernel, though it would use an entirely new shell named "Granda" and most likely have been released as Windows URT 3.0. It still had many Windows elements during development. However, in terms of design, it would mix flat design with some elements of skeuomorphism. It was also going to have two versions: a free version and a full, paid version. These would've been available for download from Microsoft's website. After its second beta release, the project was scrapped as Microsoft felt that it would not go anywhere and that its instability was comparable to that of later Longhorn builds. There are currently three known screenshots from various Microsoft documents that show what the shell would've looked like and when it was released. 
== Windows URT 1.0 (1997) ==
During the development of Windows NT 4.0, the URT development lab was opened in 1995. Which they would be charged with the development of a Windows version oriented towards hybrid workstations, and so does a hybrid audience (mainly for people who would like to work at home), making it well optimized for lower-end processors at the time.
Windows URT would begin, and the first version was introduced as build 1388. Being the pre-beta release of URT, it would include certain features such as in-start menu applications, but it was not functional yet until Beta 1 (build 1432), in August 1996. Windows URT also has functions aimed at workstations and big corporations.
Beta 2 was released as build 1457 in December 1996. This had an overhaul of the system interface, bringing a new boot screen with it with a new theme similar to the current one at the time to differ from the consumer and business platforms.
For Release Candidate builds 1483–1534, optimization purposes would begin for lower-end computers. In May 1997, Windows URT would be announced with the intention of being aimed at the audience of those who wanted to work at home without losing the capabilities of a business version, with a price tag of $340 for a legitimate copy. Finally, URT 1.0 build 1589 was released to manufacturers on May 30, 1997, and made available to consumers on June 15, 1997, and was met with largely positive acclaim.
Support for this version ended on October 4, 2004.
== Windows URT 2.0 (2000) ==
During the development of Windows XP in January 2000, the URT development lab was tasked with making a version of Windows 2000 mixed in with the Whistler project. The lab accepted the project, but there was one catch: they had to release it by late 2000. This was done by making builds in a day. 
From April 2000 on, things went downhill, as the rush was easily noticeable. The final build, 1776, was rushed. It should've been released to manufacturers on September 17, 2000, and released on November 10, 2000, but it was delivered on August 19, 2000, and released on October 10, 2000. URT 2.0 was met with a positive reception at first, but by January 2001, people started realizing that the OS was rushed and started taking it very negatively, resulting in most people sticking to Ver. 1.
Support for this version ended on March 4, 2006.
== Windows URT 3.0 (2006, cancelled) ==
After the failure of URT 2, Microsoft wanted the URT system to be better than it was. In May 2002, the Granda shell was approved and given the green light for the next version. They had a project known as the Pallas project in the works, and they decided to take the Granda shell into the system and work on it. 
In September 2002, build 1779 was released. Build 1782 in October 2002 came after Build 1779, which Builds 1785 and 1787 in November 2002, and Build 1790 in December 2002 came afterward. Development continued in 2003 with builds 1797 in January 2003, 1806 from March 2003, and 1810 from May 2003. Builds 1815 and 1824 from June 2003 had release notes saying that URT 3.0 was planned for release in May 2006, with general availability in July 2006. In September 2003, build 1834 was released, making it the first build to be a Beta 1.
Beta 1 builds continued from October 2003 to March 2004. Beta 2 started development in mid-2004 with build 1890, a Pre-Beta 2 build from April 2004, and build 1895. Another pre-Beta 2 build from April 2004, build 1897, came next in July 2004 and is close to Beta 2. On August 19, 2004, Beta 2 build 1906 was released. But by then, the URT development lab was shut down due to the boss in charge suffering a collapsed lung and being unable to continue on. He would later go missing in September 2004 and tragically pass away on October 12th of that same year, aged 55.
The URT series was unable to finish by October 12, 2004. Ultimately, this led to URT 3.0 being silently cancelled and its elements being reused for other Windows-related releases from 2004–2019.
Category:Windows
Category:Fictional Windows versions