The settings that changed on systems about to be discontinued
A system on its way out is usually described as abandoned. The settings trees say otherwise: the last releases of three dead platforms were still adding, removing and renaming.
Three endings, measured
| System | Pair | Arrived | Gone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox OS | 2.2 to 2.5 | 99 | 81 |
| Windows 95 to 98 SE | 95 to 98 SE | 102 | 33 |
| Windows Phone | 8.0 to 8.1 | 89 | 28 |
Firefox OS is the striking one. Mozilla announced the end of commercial Firefox OS phones in December 2015, and version 2.5 still moved 180 settings rows.
What a final release spends its effort on
Firefox OS 2.5 removed 81 rows against 99 added — the only one of the three that removed anything substantial. A platform being wound down was still prepared to take settings away, which is the opposite of what you would expect from a team told to keep the lights on.
Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 98 SE both overwhelmingly added. Those are releases built to make an existing thing more complete rather than to change direction.
Why any of this is worth recording
These trees are the only remaining record of what these interfaces looked like. The devices are gone, the documentation is mostly gone, and the screenshots that survive are low resolution and incomplete.
What settings looked like before smartphones covers the shape of these systems; this is what was still moving at the end.
Open them
Every row with its path: Firefox OS 2.2 vs 2.5, Windows Phone 8.0 vs 8.1, Windows 95 vs 98 SE.
In the simulator: Firefox OS 2.5, Windows Phone 8.1, Windows 98 SE, Symbian Belle.
Try it yourself, on the real menusOpen any of 43 operating systems in your browser and walk the Settings tree exactly as it appears on the device. No download, no account.Frequently asked questions
Were discontinued systems still getting settings changes?
Yes. Firefox OS 2.5 moved 180 settings rows, Windows Phone 8.1 moved 117 and Windows 98 SE 135, all in releases shipped close to the end of those platforms.
Which dying system changed the most?
Firefox OS, and it is the only one of the three that removed a substantial number — 81 rows against 99 added.
Why keep settings trees for systems nobody uses?
Because they are the record. The devices are gone and the documentation largely with them; a navigable tree is the only way left to see how these interfaces were actually arranged.