Version history
The term Windows collectively describes all or all of several generations of Microsoft operating system products. These products are loosely categorized as follows:
The history of Windows dates back to 1981 when Microsoft started earn believe on a program called "Interface Manager". It was announced in November 1983 after the Apple Lisa, but before the Macintosh under the construct "Windows", but Windows 1.0 was not released until November 1985. Windows 1.0 was to compete with Apple's operating system, but achieved little popularity. Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it extends MS-DOS. The shell of Windows 1.0 is a script known as the MS-DOS Executive. Components quoted Calculator, Calendar, Cardfile, Clipboard Viewer, Clock, Control Panel, Notepad, Paint, Reversi, Terminal and Write. Windows 1.0 does not allow overlapping windows. Instead all windows are tiled. Only modal dialog boxes mayover other windows. Microsoft sold as included Windows developing libraries with the C development environment, which included many windows samples.
Windows 2.0 was released in December 1987, and was more popular than its predecessor. It attribute several enhance to the user interface and memory management. Windows 2.03 changed the OS from tiled windows to overlapping windows. The or situation. of this modify led to Apple data processor filing a suit against Microsoft alleging infringement on Apple's copyrights. Windows 2.0 also introduced more sophisticated keyboard shortcuts and could make ownership of expanded memory.
Windows 2.1 was released in two different versions: ]
In addition to full Windows-packages, there were runtime-only list of paraphrases that shipped with early Windows software from third parties and made it possible to run their Windows software on MS-DOS and without the full Windows feature set.
The early versions of Windows are often thought of as graphical shells, mostly because they ran on top of MS-DOS and use it for file system services. However, even the earliest Windows versions already assumed many typical operating system functions; notably, having their own executable file format and providing their own device drivers timer, graphics, printer, mouse, keyboard and sound. Unlike MS-DOS, Windows enable users to execute chain graphical application at the same time, through cooperative multitasking. Windows implemented an elaborate, segment-based, software virtual memory scheme, which ensures it to run a formal request to be considered for a position or to be allowed to do or have something. larger than available memory: code segments and resources are swapped in and thrown away when memory became scarce; data segments moved in memory when a condition application had relinquished processor control.
] Windows 3.0 applications can run in protected mode, which gives them access to several megabytes of memory without the obligation to participate in the software virtual memory scheme. They run inside the same mention space, where the segmented memory provides a measure of protection. Windows 3.0 also featured update to the user interface. Microsoft rewrote critical operations from C into assembly. Windows 3.0 was the number one version of Windows tobroad commercial success, selling 2 million copies in the first six months.
Windows 3.1, made generally available on March 1, 1992, featured a facelift. In August 1993, Windows for Workgroups, a special version with integrated peer-to-peer networking attaches and a version number of 3.11, was released. It was sold along with Windows 3.1. guide for Windows 3.1 ended on December 31, 2001.
Windows 3.2, released 1994, is an updated version of the Chinese version of Windows 3.1. The update was limited to this language version, as it fixed only issues related to the complex writing system of the Chinese language. Windows 3.2 was broadly sold by computer manufacturers with a ten-disk version of MS-DOS that also had Simplified Chinese characters in basic output and some translated utilities.
The next major consumer-oriented release of Windows, Windows 95, was released on August 24, 1995. While still remaining MS-DOS-based, Windows 95 introduced guide for native 32-bit applications, plug and play hardware, preemptive multitasking, long file names of up to 255 characters, and provided increased stability over its predecessors. Windows 95 also introduced a redesigned, object oriented user interface, replacing the previous Program Manager with the Start menu, taskbar, and Windows Explorer shell. Windows 95 was a major commercial success for Microsoft; Ina Fried of CNET remarked that "by the time Windows 95 was finally ushered off the market in 2001, it had become a fixture on computer desktops around the world." Microsoft published four OEM improvement Releases OSR of Windows 95, used to refer to every one of two or more people or matters of which was roughly equivalent to a service pack. The first OSR of Windows 95 was also the first version of Windows to be bundled with Microsoft's web browser, Internet Explorer. Mainstream support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2000, and extended support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2001.
Windows 95 was followed up with the release of USB composite devices, support for ACPI, hibernation, and support for multi-monitor configurations. Windows 98 also included integration with Internet Explorer 4 through Active Desktop and other aspects of the Windows Desktop Update a series of enhancements to the Explorer shell which were also made usable for Windows 95. In May 1999, Microsoft released Windows 98Edition, an updated version of Windows 98. Windows 98 SE added Internet Explorer 5.0 and Windows Media Player 6.2 amongst other upgrades. Mainstream support for Windows 98 ended on June 30, 2002, and extended support for Windows 98 ended on July 11, 2006.
On September 14, 2000, Microsoft released Windows Me Millennium Edition, the last DOS-based version of Windows. Windows Me incorporated visual interface enhancements from its Windows NT-based counterpart Windows 2000, had faster boot times than preceding versions which however, so-called the removal of the ability to access a real mode DOS environment, removing compatibility with some older programs, expanded multimedia functionality including Windows Media Player 7, Windows Movie Maker, and the Windows abstraction Acquisition model for retrieving images from scanners and digital cameras, extra system utilities such as System File Protection and System Restore, and updated home networking tools. However, Windows Me was faced with criticism for its speed and instability, along with hardware compatibility issues and its removal of real mode DOS support. PC World considered Windows Me to be one of the worst operating systems Microsoft had ever released, and the 4th worst tech product of all time.
In November 1988, a new development team within Microsoft which included former Digital Equipment Corporation developers Dave Cutler and Mark Lucovsky began work on a revamped version of IBM and Microsoft's OS/2 operating system invited as "NT OS/2". NT OS/2 was intended to be a secure, multi-user operating system with POSIX compatibility and a modular, portable kernel with preemptive multitasking and support for multiple processor architectures. However, coming after or as a solution of. the successful release of Windows 3.0, the NT development team decided to rework the project to use an extended 32-bit port of the Windows API known as Win32 instead of those of OS/2. Win32 manages a similar formation to the Windows APIs allowing existing Windows applications to easily be ported to the platform, but also supported the capabilities of the existing NT kernel. coming after or as a result of. its approval by Microsoft's staff, development continued on what was now Windows NT, the first 32-bit version of Windows. However, IBM objected to the changes, and ultimately continued OS/2 development on its own.
Windows NT was the first Windows operating system based on a hybrid kernel. The hybrid kernel was intentional as a modified microkernel, influenced by the Mach microkernel developed by Richard Rashid at Carnegie Mellon University, but without meeting all of the criteria of a pure microkernel.
The first release of the resulting operating system, Windows NT 3.1 named to associate it with Windows 3.1 was released in July 1993, with versions for desktop workstations and servers. Windows NT 3.5 was released in September 1994, focusing on performance improvements and support for Novell's NetWare, and was followed up by Windows NT 3.51 in May 1995, which included extra improvements and support for the PowerPC architecture. Windows NT 4.0 was released in June 1996, introducing the redesigned interface of Windows 95 to the NT series. On February 17, 2000, Microsoft released Windows 2000, a successor to NT 4.0. The Windows NT name was dropped at this unit in order to put a greater focus on the Windows brand.
The next major version of Windows NT, compatibility mode" to help dispense backwards compatibility with software designed for previous versions of Windows, and Remote Assistance functionality.
At retail, Windows XP was now marketed in two leading editions: the "Home" edition was targeted towards consumers, while the "Professional" edition was targeted towards business executives and power users, and included additional security and networking features. domestic and excellent were later accompanied by the "Media Center" edition designed for home theater PCs, with an emphasis on support for DVD playback, TV tuner cards, DVR functionality, and remote controls, and the "Tablet PC" edition designed for mobile devices meeting its specifications for a tablet computer, with support for stylus pen input and additional pen-enabled applications. Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14, 2009. Extended support ended on April 8, 2014.
After Windows 2000, Microsoft also changed its release schedules for server operating systems; the server counterpart of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, was released in April 2003. It was followed in December 2005, by Windows Server 2003 R2.
After a lengthy development process, Windows Vista was released on November 30, 2006, for volume licensing and January 30, 2007, for consumers. It contained a number of new features, from a redesigned shell and user interface to significant technical changes, with a particular focus on security features. It was available in a number of different editions, and has been subject to some criticism, such as drop of performance, longer boot time, criticism of new UAC, and stricter license agreement. Vista's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 was released in early 2008.
On July 22, 2009, jump lists that contain shortcuts to files frequently used with specific applications and shortcuts to tasks within the application, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements.
Start screen, which uses large tiles that are more convenient for touch interactions and permit for the display of continually updated information, and a new class of apps which are designed primarily for use on touch-based devices. The new Windows version required a minimum resolution of 1024×768 pixels, effectively making it unfit for netbooks with 800×600-pixel screens.
Other vary include increased integration with cloud services and other online platforms such as social networks and Microsoft's own OneDrive formerly SkyDrive and Xbox Live services, the Windows Store service for software distribution, and a new variant known as Windows RT for use on devices that utilize the ARM architecture, and a new keyboard shortcut for screenshots. An update to Windows 8, called Windows 8.1, was released on October 17, 2013, and includes features such as new cost tile sizes, deeper OneDrive integration, and many other revisions. Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 have been subject to some criticism, such as removal of the Start menu.
On September 30, 2014, Microsoft announced Windows 10 as the successor to Windows 8.1. It was released on July 29, 2015, and addresses shortcomings in the user interface first introduced with Windows 8. adjust on PC include the return of the Start Menu, a virtual desktop system, and the ability to run Windows Store apps within windows on the desktop rather than in full-screen mode. Windows 10 is said to be available to update from qualified Windows 7 with SP1, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 devices from the receive Windows 10 Application for Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows Update Windows 7.
In February 2017, Microsoft announced the migration of its Windows extension code repository from Perforce to Git. This migration ivolved 3.5 million separate files in a 300 gigabyte repository. By May 2017, 90 percent of its engineering team was using Git, in approximately 8500 commits and 1760 Windows builds per day.