Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and the Small Business Server Desktop

As prices on business grade, network-ready PCs for Microsoft Small Business Server networks continued to drop throughout 1997 and early 1998, many of the larger, mail order PC OEMs began offering Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 as an inexpensive, time-of-purchase upgrade on many of their non-consumer desktop and laptop PC brands. 

With most vendors, this meant that you could upgrade the desktop operating at the time of purchase from Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft 98 to Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0 for under $100 (U.S.).

While Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0 was initially implemented only by large well-funded IT organizations during 1996, rapidly falling desktop PC prices led to more widespread adoption of Microsoft's high-end desktop operating system. 

The Sea Change with Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0 

However, by early 1997, the major mail order PC vendors all had network-ready desktop PCs, complete with monitor, that could be bundled with Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0 for about $1,500 (U.S.).

In August 1995, when Microsoft Windows 95 was released, Microsoft had positioned the desktop OS as the mainstream corporate OS, while Microsoft NT Workstation was the high-end corporate OS. 

Just prior to the Microsoft Windows 98 release in June 1998, Microsoft began a campaign to promote the benefits of Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0 for small businesses. 

By the time Windows 98 was released, Microsoft positioned Windows 98 as their consumer OS and Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 as their core business OS.

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