Everyone assumed the Windows taskbar copied a rival OS. Microsoft says no

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Everyone assumed the Windows taskbar copied a rival OS. Many assumed NeXTSTEP inspired the Windows taskbar, but Microsoft veterans say its roots trace to a 1991 project called Cairo. In a recent social media thread, Microsoft veterans Brad Silverberg, Joe Belfiore, and Dave Plummer shared a few anecdotes and clarifications about how the taskbar became part of Windows. The taskbar, first introduced with Windows 95, allowed users to keep track of multiple active programs simultaneously, making it one of the highlight features of the cutting-edge operating system.