Q: Can I run Microsoft Windows on my Rainbow?
Yes, you can. Most people are surprised to hear that Digital modified MS-Windows version 1.03 to run on its Rainbow. It appears similar to the version created for the VAXmate. Windows operates in high resolution mode, therefore allowing only 4 colors.
When Microsoft Windows 1 was released, it was released on some varied platforms. All software designed to run under Microsoft Windows 1 could run on any system that could run Windows 1. This means that any software for Microsoft Windows 1 will work on the Rainbow 100.
Nobody is currently sure how to connect a mouse to a Rainbow for use in Microsoft Windows 1. Some people have said that you must connect a mouse to the printer port. No documentation seems to exist since Windows was not pushed during the 1980s.
A Canadian firm produced several future versions of Microsoft Windows for the Rainbow, culminating in Microsoft Windows 3.0 upgrade kit for the Rainbow. The upgrade kit basically provided graphics and print drivers specific to the Rainbow and some specialized software to allow easily switching between a modem and a mouse via the Rainbow's single serial port. While Windows 3.0 does run on a stock Rainbow, the Turbow-286 board is highly recommended for acceptable performance.