This is another "I didn't know I was this old!" moment for me.

Microsoft is well-known for its backwards compatibility. As an example: there are some elements of Windows 95 still present in modern-day operating systems - 30 years later!

I was working on a problem with a colleague on Windows Server 2022 and we needed to go into the Administrative Tools section in Control Panel.

I instructed my colleague to run "control.exe" to load up the Windows Control Panel (not the modern Settings app) and asked him to change it to the "old view".

He looked at me, perplexed, and asked "what's the old view?"

I showed him this dropdown that changes it from the "Category" view to the "Large/small icons" view.

Screenshot of the Control Panel in Category view in Windows Server 2022 and Windows 11
The Control Panel as seen in Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022 - in category view.

I didn't realise at the time that it was this old, but the category view was first introduced to Control Panel in Windows XP. Prior to that, it was a grid of icons.

Screenshot of the Windows Control Panel in Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022 in icons view
The Control Panel view in Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022, in icons view. Or as I like to call it, "the old view."

For a real throwback, here is the category view as it was in Windows XP Service Pack 3:

Screenshot of the Windows XP Control Panel in XP SP3