on november 10, 1983, microsoft announced microsoft windows®, an extension of the ms-dos®

operating system that would provide a graphical operating environment for pc users. with windows,
the graphical user interface (gui) era at microsoft had begun.

1985: windows 1.0

the first version of windows provided a new software environment for developing and running
applications that use bitmap displays and mouse pointing devices. before windows, pc users relied
on the ms-dos® method of typing commands at the c prompt (c:\). with windows, users moved a
mouse to point and click their way through tasks, such as starting applications.
in addition, windows users could switch among several concurrently running applications. the
product included a set of desktop applications, including the ms-dos file management program, a
calendar, card file, notepad, calculator, clock, and telecommunications programs, which helped users
manage day-to-day activities.

1987: windows 2.0

windows 2.0 took advantage of the improved processing speed of the intel 286 processor, expanded
memory, and inter-application communication capabilities made possible through dynamic data
exchange (dde). with improved graphics support, users could now overlap windows, control screen
layout, and use keyboard combinations to move rapidly through windows operations. many
developers wrote their first windows–based applications for this release.
the follow-up release, windows 2.03, took advantage of the protected mode and extended memory
capabilities of the intel 386 processor. subsequent windows releases continued to improve the
speed, reliability, and usability of the pc as well as interface design and capabilities.

1990: windows 3.0

the third major release of the windows platform from microsoft offered improved performance,
advanced graphics with 16 colors, and full support of the more powerful intel 386 processor. a new
wave of 386 pcs helped drive the popularity of windows 3.0, which offered a wide range of useful
features and capabilities, including:

•program manager, file manager, and print manager.

•a completely rewritten application development environment.
•an improved set of windows icons.
the popularity of windows 3.0 grew with the release of a new windows software development kit
(sdk), which helped software developers focus more on writing applications and less on writing
device drivers. widespread acceptance among third-party hardware and software developers helped
fuel the success of windows 3.0

1993: windows for workgroups 3.11

a superset of windows 3.1, windows for workgroups 3.11 added peer-to-peer workgroup and
domain networking support. for the first time, windows–based pcs were network-aware and became
an integral part of the emerging client/server computing evolution.
windows for workgroups was used in local area networks (lans) and on standalone pcs and laptop
computers. it added features of special interest to corporate users, such as centralized configuration
and security, significantly improved support for novell netware networks, and remote access service
(ras).

1995: windows 95
windows 95 was the successor to the three existing general-purpose desktop operating systems
from microsoft—windows 3.1, windows for workgroups, and ms-dos. windows 95 integrated a 32-bit
tcp/ip (transmission control protocol/internet protocol) stack for built-in internet support, dial-up
networking, and new plug and play capabilities that made it easy for users to install hardware and
software.
the 32-bit operating system also offered enhanced multimedia capabilities, more powerful features
for mobile computing, and integrated networking.

1998: windows 98
windows 98 was the upgrade from windows 95. described as an operating system that "works
better, plays better," windows 98 was the first version of windows designed specifically for
consumers.
with windows 98, users could find information more easily on their pcs as well as the internet. other
ease-of-use improvements included the ability to open and close applications more quickly, support
for reading dvd discs, and support for universal serial bus (usb) devices.

2000: windows millennium edition (windows me)

designed for home computer users, windows me offered consumers numerous music, video, and
home networking enhancements and reliability improvements.
for example, to help consumers troubleshoot their systems, the system restore feature let users roll
back their pc software configuration to a date or time before a problem occurred. windows movie
maker provided users with the tools to digitally edit, save, and share home videos. and with
microsoft windows media® player 7 technologies, users could find, organize, and play digital media
easily.
windows me was the last microsoft operating system to be based on the windows 95 code base.
microsoft announced that all future operating system products would be based on the windows nt
and windows 2000 kernel.

2000: windows 2000 professional

more than just the upgrade to windows nt workstation 4.0, windows 2000 professional was also
designed to replace windows 95, windows 98, and windows nt workstation 4.0 on all business
desktops and laptops. built on top of the proven windows nt workstation 4.0 code base, windows
2000 added major improvements in reliability, ease of use, internet compatibility, and support for
mobile computing.
among other improvements, windows 2000 professional simplified hardware installation by adding
support for a wide variety of new plug and play hardware, including advanced networking and
wireless products, usb devices, ieee 1394 devices, and infrared devices.

2001: windows xp
with the release of windows xp in october 2001, microsoft merged its two windows operating
system lines for consumers and businesses, uniting them around the windows 2000 code base.
the "xp" in windows xp stands for "experience," symbolizing the innovative experiences that
windows can offer to personal computer users. with windows xp, home users can work with and
enjoy music, movies, messaging, and photos with their computer, while business users can work
smarter and faster, thanks to new technical-support technology, a fresh user interface, and many
other improvements that make it easier to use for a wide range of tasks.
 windows xp professional
windows xp professional brings the solid foundation of windows 2000 to the pc desktop, enhancing
reliability, security, and performance. with a fresh visual design, windows xp professional includes
features for business and advanced home computing, including remote desktop support, an
encrypting file system, and system restore and advanced networking features. key enhancements
for mobile users include wireless 802.1x networking support, windows messenger, and remote
assistance.

2001: windows xp home edition

windows xp home edition offers a clean, simplified visual design that makes frequently used
features more accessible. designed for home users, the product offers such enhancements as the
network setup wizard, windows media player, windows movie maker, and enhanced digital photo
capabilities.

2001: windows xp 64-bit edition

windows xp 64-bit edition satisfies the needs of power users with workstations that use the intel
itanium 64-bit processor. the first 64-bit client operating system from microsoft, windows xp 64-bit
edition is designed for specialized, technical workstation users who require large amounts of
memory and floating point performance in areas such as movie special effects, 3d animation,
engineering, and scientific applications.

2002: windows xp media center edition

for home computing and entertainment, microsoft released the windows xp media center edition
operating system in october 2002 for specialized media center pcs.
with all the benefits of windows xp professional, media center edition adds fun digital media and
entertainment options, enabling home users to browse the internet, watch live television,
communicate with friends and family, enjoy digital music and video collections, watch dvds, and
work from home.

2002: windows xp tablet pc edition

the long-held industry vision of mainstream pen-based computing became a reality when microsoft
unveiled the windows xp tablet pc edition in november, 2002. the logical evolution of notebook
computers, tablet pcs include a digital pen for handwriting recognition capabilities, yet can be used
with a keyboard or mouse, too.
in addition, users can run their existing windows xp applications. the result is a computer that is
more versatile and mobile than traditional notebook pcs.
a family of operating systems for personal computers. windows dominates the personal computer world,
running, by some estimates, on 90% of all personal computers. the remaining 10% are mostly macintosh
computers. like the macintosh operating environment, windows provides a graphical user interface (gui),
virtual memory management, multitasking, and support for many peripheral devices.

definitions of windows on the web:

a family of operating systems for personal computers, windows dominates the personal computer
world, running, by some estimates, on 90% of all personal computers. like the macintosh
operating environment, windows provides a graphical user interface (gui), virtual memory
management, multitasking, and support for many peripheral devices. in addition to windows 3.x
and windows 95, which run on intel -based machines, microsoft also sells windows nt, a more
advanced operating system that runs on a variety of hardware platforms.

an operating system for desktop computers, workstations, and network servers. windows
provides a standard interface based on drop-down menus, windowed regions on the screen, and
a pointing device such as a mouse.
microsoft's popular 16-bit gui that runs on top of dos. windows 95, previously known as windows
4.0 and code-named chicago, is a 32-bit os that integrates dos and windows. windows for
workgroups is microsoft's peer-to-peer network that uses a windows interface and netbios
communications.
a family of personal computer operating systems developed by microsoft corporation. windows 95
is currently the world's most prevalent system. an older version was known as windows 3.1.
windows nt is a more robust system intended for more demanding users. see also: microsoft
windows, windows 95, windows nt (webopedia).

windows is the operating system from microsoft. the windows source code is proprietary. that is,
only microsoft programmers can see it and work on it. this makes windows stable and permanent,
but it requires a commitment to microsoft and the way technology is defined by them.

the operating system for personal computers and networked computers. constantly 'upgraded'.
commonly used version are windows 95,windows 98, windows me, windows 2000, windows nt4,
windows xp (home and professional).

a family of operating systems created by microsoft, that run on intel based ibm compatible
machines.

windows 95, 98, me, nt, 2000, and xp are all operating systems produced by microsoft
corporation for non-macintosh personal computers. windows provides a graphical user interface
(gui), virtual memory management, and multitasking.

microsoft's gui (graphical user interface) that surrounds the dos operating system. like other gui
interfaces, such as ibm's os/2, unix's xwindows, and the macintosh' system seven, windows
allows mouse-selectable icons and menus and data-sharing between applications.

the microsoft windows operating system, which runs on dos-based pcs.

a generic reference to all microsoft windows operating system products.

microsoft corp.'s operating system, i.e., windows 97, windows 2000, windows nt.

trademark of microsoft corporation, a pc operating environment used with microsoft's ms-dos

operating system. a graphical user interface designed to facilitate multitasking; windows is similar
to macintosh gui but uses different application software.

originally introduced to provide a windowing system to ms-dos, microsoft windows now exists in
many incarnations, most of which have now replaced the ms-dos subsystem entirely.

the operating system made by microsoft for personal computers.

generic name for the various operating systems in the microsoft windows family. windows allows
pc users to employ a graphical user interface (gui) for ease of use.

a collection of operating systems created by microsoft corporation. windows operating systems

fall into two categories: those based upon microsoft's original operating system, "ms-dos"
(including windows 95, windows 98 and windows me), and those based upon their newer system,
windows nt (including windows 2000 and windows xp). the two sets of operating system look the
same to the user but are very different behind the scenes.

windows is software that typically runs on ibm compatible microcomputers, before the windows
95 system, it ran "on top of" dos. since many internet applications incorporate or use a graphical
presentation, people tend to be happier running internet applications under windows, rather than
just dos.

a powerful metaphor for how a user interacts with the computer. methaphorically, a way of
"looking into" computer files, directory structures, and applications. the first "windows" based
operating system made widely available was the macintosh operating system. microsoft later
developed its windows-based interface, now called "microsoft windows."

the most common operating system for personal computers, microsoft windows, which has a
graphical user interface (gui) that was conceived or at least inspired based on the macintosh
operating system. the mac os was mouse-operable from the earliest edition.
an operating system introduced by microsoft corporation in 1983. windows is a multitasking
graphical user interface environment that runs on both ms-dos-based computers (windows and
windows for workgroups) and as a self-contained operating system (windows 95, windows nt).
windows provides a standard interface based on drop-down menus, windowed regions on the
screen, and a pointing device such as a mouse.

a popular operating system for the ibm pc which was developed by bill gates. this operating
system paved the way for our modern user interface in which text based commands are kept to a
minimum. this makes the computing experience more enjoyable for all users.
when spelled with a capital w, windows is short for microsoft windows, which is a family of
operating systems for personal computers. windows dominates the personal computer world,
running, by some estimates, on 90% of all personal computers. the remaining 10% are mostly
macintosh computers.

operating environment written by microsoft. it is a graphical user interface that runs on top of ms-
dos.

an operating system for ibm's that offers a graphical user interface.

the purpose of an operating system is to organize and control hardware and software so that
the device it lives in behaves in a flexible but predictable way. in this article, we'll tell you
what a piece of software must do to be called an operating system, show you how the
operating system in your desktop computer works and give you some examples of how to
take control of the other operating systems around you.

what does it do?

at the simplest level, an operating system does two things:
1. it manages the hardware and software resources of the system. in a desktop
computer, these resources include such things as the processor, memory, disk
space, etc. (on a cell phone, they include the keypad, the screen, the address book,
the phone dialer, the battery and the network connection.)

2. it provides a stable, consistent way for applications to deal with the hardware without
having to know all the details of the hardware.
the first task, managing the hardware and software resources, is very important, as various
programs and input methods compete for the attention of the central processing unit (cpu)
and demand memory, storage and input/output (i/o) bandwidth for their own purposes. in this
capacity, the operating system plays the role of the good parent, making sure that each
application gets the necessary resources while playing nicely with all the other applications,
as well as husbanding the limited capacity of the system to the greatest good of all the users
and applications.
the second task, providing a consistent application interface, is especially important if there
is to be more than one of a particular type of computer using the operating system, or if the
hardware making up the computer is ever open to change. a consistent application
program interface (api) allows a software developer to write an application on one
computer and have a high level of confidence that it will run on another computer of the
same type, even if the amount of memory or the quantity of storage is different on the two
machines.

even if a particular computer is unique, an operating system can ensure that applications
continue to run when hardware upgrades and updates occur. this is because the operating
system and not the application is charged with managing the hardware and the distribution of
its resources. one of the challenges facing developers is keeping their operating systems
flexible enough to run hardware from the thousands of vendors manufacturing computer
equipment. today's systems can accommodate thousands of different printers, disk drives
and special peripherals in any possible combination.

wake-up call
when you turn on the power to a computer, the first program that runs is usually a set of
instructions kept in the computer's read-only memory (rom). this code examines the system
hardware to make sure everything is functioning properly. this power-on self test (post)
checks the cpu, memory, and basic input-output systems (bios) for errors and stores the
result in a special memory location. once the post has successfully completed, the software
loaded in rom (sometimes called the bios or firmware) will begin to activate the computer's
disk drives. in most modern computers, when the computer activates the hard disk drive, it
finds the first piece of the operating system: the bootstrap loader.
the bootstrap loader is a small program that has a single function: it loads the operating
system into memory and allows it to begin operation. in the most basic form, the bootstrap
loader sets up the small driver programs that interface with and control the various hardware
subsystems of the computer. it sets up the divisions of memory that hold the operating
system, user information and applications. it establishes the data structures that will hold the
myriad signals, flags and semaphores that are used to communicate within and between the
subsystems and applications of the computer. then it turns control of the computer over to
the operating system.

the operating system's tasks, in the most general sense, fall into six categories:

• processor management

• memory management

• device management

• storage management

• application interface

• user interface
while there are some who argue that an operating system should do more than these six
tasks, and some operating-system vendors do build many more utility programs and auxiliary
functions into their operating systems, these six tasks define the core of nearly all operating
systems. let's look at the tools the operating system uses to perform each of these functions.