I'm 39, born in 1983, so I have serious nostalgia around Windows 95. I was 12 when it came out, my parents bought a Dell when it was new and those years were very formative for me. I assumed that nostalgia would be the only driver to do this... But you weren't born until ~8 years after it was released. I'm genuinely curious (and impressed!)
Anyway, I think it’s probably something like how the brutalist architecture was all built before I was born, but it’s still something I can appreciate now.
Looking back, Win95-2000 was indeed an excellent UI. Looks as though ReactOS has recently moved away from having that look as its default, though: https://reactos.org/gallery/
I love pixel art, and Windows 95 looks so cute!
BTW, it is quite enjoyable how the linked Wikipedia article illustrates the evolution of BSOD into the polished, polite and careful error screen of current Windows. "We're always getting everything ready for you" vs "Dude, your data is surely gone; maybe get a different job? Error code for your brain: BFF9B3D4".
I still prefer the brutality, though. Like a bucket of cold water.
Also some nostalgia from that time! My dad was an early adopter of technology (as part of his work - he was head of R&D for a large corporation), so he'd bring home all sorts of cool computers that would be handed down to me. First laptop I ever remember using (when I was 5 or so?) was a ThinkPad (before Lenovo ruined the brand) running Windows XP. I was raised fending for myself in SMF / phpBB forums & IRC chatrooms, so I still hold an appreciation for the times pre-iPhone :P
Awesome work! The whole aesthetic is well done.
Just for future reference, Show HNs are for things you've made yourself, so while your website could be a Show HN, this would be a regular submission. More details here: https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html
Where do I find COMMAND.COM?