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:

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 content describing the update, but usually they do not appear elsewhere.

Microsoft style

Internet Explorer 4.0

Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0.829

Some products and product components may be identified by just their major release identifiers.

Microsoft style

Internet Explorer 8

Windows Media Player 9

In these cases, the version identifier by itself also encompasses minor releases of the same version. For example, Internet Explorer 5 identifies both the original release and minor releases such as Internet Explorer 5.1 and Internet Explorer 5.5. To identify only the original release of such a product, append .0 as the minor release identifier.

Microsoft style

Internet Explorer 5 (Refers to major release and all minor releases of Internet Explorer 5.)

Internet Explorer 5.0 (Refers only to major release of Internet Explorer 5.)

Use edition to refer to the different Windows Vista and Windows 7 SKUs. For example, Windows 7 Home Basic is one edition, and Windows 7 Ultimate is another edition. Use version only to refer to different operating systems, such as Windows Vista and Windows 7.