Windows Nashville
Nashville was the codename for a cancelled release of Microsoft Windows scheduled to be released in 1996, between "Chicago" (Windows 95) and "Memphis" (Windows 98, at the time scheduled for release in 1997),[1] causing it to be referred to as Windows 96 by the public. The release intended to focus on a tighter integration between Windows and Internet Explorer, in order to better compete with Netscape Navigator.[2]
Microsoft claimed that Nashville would add Internet integration features to the Windows 95 and NT 4.0 desktop, building on the new features in the Internet Explorer 3.0 web browser (due for release a few months before Nashville). Touted features included a combined file manager and web browser, the ability to seamlessly open Microsoft Office documents from within Internet Explorer using ActiveX technology and a way to place dynamic webpages directly on the desktop in place of the regular static computer wallpaper.
A leaked build had version number 4.10.999 (compare to Windows 95's 4.00.950, Windows 95 OSR2's 4.00.1111, and Windows 98's 4.10.1998). The project was eventually cancelled as a full release of Windows, Windows 95 OSR2 ("Detroit") being shipped as an interim release instead. The codename "Nashville" was reused for the Windows Desktop Update that shipped with Internet Explorer 4.0 and delivered most of the features promised for Nashville. The Athena PIM application would be released as Microsoft Internet Mail and News, later renamed to Outlook Express.
"Cleveland" was an earlier codename for "Nashville".[3] Chicago is the largest city in Illinois, Memphis is the largest city in Tennessee. Nashville and Cleveland are both cities in Tennessee, as well as villages in Illinois. Cleveland is also the most populous city of Ohio. Detroit is the largest city of Michigan, as well as a village in Illinois.