Version identifiers

Microsoft product and product component names can include version information by special identifier (Windows Vista), by year of release (Windows Server 2008), or by chronological version number (Windows 7).

When you list different versions of a product, list the most recent version first.

Microsoft style

Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP

Not Microsoft style

Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7

A complete product version number has three components:

  • Major release identifier: X.x.x

  • Minor release identifier: x.X.x

  • Update identifier: x.x.X

Only the major and minor release identifiers are usually significant to the user. Update identifiers appear in the Help About information in products and in Knowledge Base articles and other ...

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