Even an operating system has its set of Fan Works.
Windows Never Released is a series of Windows mockups, where a community can make fake desktops, bootscreens and logon screens of fictional versions of Microsoft's famous operating system - Windows and sharing them on various social media, showing their ideas for Microsoft Windows. The Fanon!Windows usually have remixed startup and shutdown sounds, sometimes they include existing ones from other OSes. The mockup screens can be made in any of computer graphics programs like Photoshop, GIMP, Krita or Paint.The first of WNRs started with Never Released Windows Versions by jhj22
in 2008, on YouTube, showcasing rather esoteric (and some, as a joke) ideas for fictional Windows versions. However, the idea of WNR took off, because it allowed the Windows community to experiment with ideas of what their dream Windows version would look like. Popular WNR creators include Nermal Cat, GuySwagger, Neptune98, MinderiaYoutuber and TLakituGamingTV.
Windows Never Released has examples of:
- Adaptational Expansion: A handful of WNR mockup feature real Windows versions with fictional editions (such as Windows XP Workstation Edition).
- Another variation is the WNR versions of Windows 1.0x, 2.0x/2.1x and 3.0 having their own startup and shutdown sounds, unlike their Real Life counterparts.
- The Aesthetics of Technology: Some WNR mockups have a rather sophisticated design that heavily deviates from the familiar Windows interface.
- Ascended Extra: Longhorn and Whistler and to lesser extent Neptune (prototype versions of Vista and XP, respectively) have gotten far more focus here than they did when they were developed.
- Aerith and Bob: With so many different names for codenames of Windows mockups, this is bound to happen. Most names are quite normal (for example: Harrah's, Winter, Chromium, Everest, Narquise, etc.), some have more unique ones (Nightlife, Vanta, Fahrenheit, Chlorophyll, Fidangör, etc.).
- Crossover: Some feature elements from non-Microsoft operating systems (mostly from IBM's OS/2 Warp or Apple's macOS).
- A few would feature crossovers outside Windows' respective market (such as Windows: Touhou Edition).
- Of course, there's also "Windows History with Never Released versions", which features both real Windows versions (read: XP, NT 4, 7, Vista) and fictionalised ones in chronological order.
- Sometimes with OS-tan, which makes sense, considering both are related to Windows itself.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Earlier WNR videos are made more of a joke, some of them rather poorly-done. However, the imagination was still there and it didn't take long before more serious WNR creators to make videos that are better-done and far more accurate to Microsoft official versions.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: None of the WNRs were actually made (let alone released) by Microsoft.
- The Future: Some WNRs with a more futuristic setting were made to look like they will be released in the future (say 2040).
- Product Placement: The cradle of the WNR series. After all, it's all about fictionalised versions of Windows, isn't it?
- Exaggerated: Few WNR mockups can feature products outside tech industry.
- Scenery Porn: Some wallpapers of OS mockups can feature quite few beautiful illustrations. An example is Microsoft Codename Everest.
- Viewer-Friendly Interface: Justified, and also Truth in Television, as most fanmade screenshots have a Start Button and Start Menu similar to most Windows versions since 95.
