Review of Windows operating systems. What is Windows and what operating systems are there? Start of development and prototype of a graphical OS
(June 25, 1998) - Windows 98 was the first system designed specifically for home users. It contained improved search for information on PC and on the Internet, support for DVD and USB, panel quick launch programs. It is noteworthy that this was the last system based on MS-DOS.
Windows NT family
Windows Embedded Family
Windows Security
Story
2018
Availability of commercial support for OpenJDK on the Microsoft Windows platform
A file was found in Windows that collects passwords and e-mail messages
In September 2018, it became known about the existence of Windows secret a file in which passwords and email correspondence are stored. The problem is relevant for users of devices with touch screens.
Windows is no longer Microsoft's core business
In April 2018, Bloomberg published an article entitled "Microsoft is officially no longer a Windows company." Journalists noticed that operating systems do not bring the American company the greatest income compared to other products, and the software giant itself is increasingly focusing on cloud technologies.
In 2012, the then incumbent general director Microsoft Steve Ballmer said that for the company "there is nothing more important than Windows" During one of the conferences, he emotionally chanted: “Windows! Windows! Windows!
Microsoft has become less likely to release regular updates and also made them part of the cost of buying a new computer or a contract to supply a batch of PCs to companies, instead of customers paying for new equipment or upgrading the operating system when the next version comes out.
Every year, no more than 15% of sales of smartphones, tablets and computers combined are made up of devices running Windows control, and the OS is not expanding into new areas, such as self-driving cars or smart home systems.
2014
Windows XP leads in the number of installations in enterprises
Windows 10 release
Windows 10 will support various types of devices:
- desktop PCs,
- laptops,
- tablets,
- TVs.
Windows 3.0 had a nice graphical user interface (compared to what had previously appeared on the IBM PC), provided a significant range of services, and handled all the memory addressable by the 80286, 80386 and higher microprocessors. With 32-bit microprocessors (80386 and higher) and at least 2 MB available Windows memory 3.0 could use virtual memory, this mode of operation was called extended (386 Enhanced Mode).
1988-1993: Lawsuit with Apple over visual interface
1983: Start of development and prototype of the graphical OS
On November 10, 1983, Microsoft announced the start of graphical development operating shell Windows, although at the end of 1982 Microsoft programmers began to create a universal set of graphics procedures called the Computer Graphic Interface (CGI).
By the November 1983 COMDEX exhibition, the first Windows prototype was ready. When presenting the first Windows variant It was promised that commercial sales would begin in May 1984. In the spring of 1984, the sales start date was pushed back to November. In November 1984, this date was moved to June 1985.
Windows and piracy
In 2007, Microsoft published interesting statistics. According to data obtained from the Windows Genuine Advantage program, one in five (22%) Windows in the world is unlicensed. At the same time, according to the analytical company Business Software Alliance, the percentage of use of pirated copies of the OS is much higher, amounting to about 35%.
Microsoft is actively fighting illegal use his operating system. So, in 2007, Microsoft provided corporate users with the opportunity to switch from pirated windows, to a licensed one, paying only for the “license”. By participating in this action, organizations were exempt from penalties for using pirated Windows.
In December 2008, Microsoft filed 63 lawsuits against sellers of counterfeit software from 12 countries. They were accused of selling pirated copies of the Windows XP operating system. By according to Microsoft, sellers offered the Windows XP Blue Edition operating system at online auctions. Buyers were informed that the Blue Edition was a special licensed version of Windows XP with a low price.
Around the same time, the Frunzensky District Court of Vladivostok sentenced a local resident to one year of suspended imprisonment and a fine of 117 thousand rubles for illegally installing the Windows XP operating system and a suite of Microsoft office applications. Then, the investigation established that the defendant installed counterfeit programs on four computers for 2 thousand rubles Microsoft Windows XP Professional and Microsoft Office XP.
Initially, the project of a graphical add-on for MS-DOS was called Interface Manager. Roland Hanson, the company's chief marketer, suggested changing the name to Windows.
The first officially released version of Windows was Windows 1.01. Version 1.0 was never released due to a serious bug.
Hello friends! In today's article, I decided to write for you my short history of the Windows operating system. I decided to do this after one small event.
Recently, my good friend, a computer science teacher at school, asked me to help set up local network in his computer lab. I didn’t have much to do that day and I came to school earlier than planned, but as it turned out, the second shift was still in its last lesson. My friend calmed me down and sat me down at the last desk, promising to let the children go home early. In short, before I knew it, I found myself in a real lesson. I must say, I was a little out of place, because there were students in the class and they all periodically turned around and looked at me, but pretty quickly everyone got used to me and stopped paying attention to someone else’s guy. After a few minutes, I also got used to it and was surprised to realize that the tenth grader, who was at the blackboard, was telling the history of the Windows operating system, but he was telling it in such a spirit that one could simply fall asleep! The young man was very confused about the details and it was noticeable that he was clearly not interested in this topic.
– But this is 20 years of my life! – I thought. And a most interesting life! I just couldn't stand it any longer and raised my hand. My friend looked at me in surprise and nodded purely mechanically. I stood up and said loudly:
- My friends! If someone tells me now what Bill Gates originally wanted to call the Windows operating system, I will set up a personal computer, laptop, MacBook and even a tablet for free within a year, and it doesn’t matter what operating system is installed on the listed devices!
And imagine, the whole class perked up and got involved in the discussion, but unfortunately no one could answer my question , and even my friend couldn’t, what can we say about the students! In the process of communicating with the almost grown-up generation, I was surprised to note that our children are perfectly able to use computer devices with any operating system, but they do not know their year of birth. No, who are Bill Gates and Steve Jobs they still know, but only one out of thirty was able to avoid misrepresenting the names of the founders of the Google search engine. No one could name the founders of the Yandex search engine. As a result, I made a remark to the tenth graders that all the computers in the class were installed Windows 10 and the situation is unlikely to change soon, so you need to know at least a little about the history of Windows!
Then the bell rang, the lesson ended, and the classroom was instantly empty. My friend thanked me for ruining the lesson and we slowly started setting up the local computer. In the process of work, I noted with interest that my friend is a particular “Apple” person, since his laptop runs on Mac OS and his phone runs on iOS.
In the evening, I returned home, deciding to do a little research and establish which operating systems are preferred by the user audience in our time. I also wrote for you my history of the Windows operating system and I hope without errors.
History of the Windows operating system
The concept of a “personal computer,” instead of being interpreted in its true meaning as a technical device that can only be operated by one person during a single session, has long been used as a term denoting a Windows-based computer. Whereas computer devices based on other operating systems have names associated with their software component - Macintosh, MacBook, Chromebook. The association with the general concept is the result of the popularity of Windows, although it was gained earlier in the conditions of little competition. For a long time, Windows held the lead in the desktop and laptop market: until 2011 inclusive, the share of this OS exceeded 80%. Windows 7 and 10 still occupy leading positions in the desktop niche - 40% and 27%, respectively, as of the end of 2016. But in general, among various user devices (desktops, laptops, mobile gadgets), the share of Windows at the end of 2016 did not exceed 40%. The user audience today prefers (or rather, not so much prefers as it is determined by the very rhythm of life) to work with mobile technology. And, accordingly, with their software Android platforms and iOS.
- However... Windows is a whole era in the development of computer technology. Whether Windows in the format of a desktop, mobile OS or holographic reality environment will be able to win the audience's former sympathy in the future, only time will tell. In the same article we will go to past Windows and let's remember her past - what was her path from version to version. The history of Windows should not be confused with the history of its creator, Microsoft. The company was founded in 1975 and for 10 years before the release of Windows it created primitive software (primitive from the heights of our days). In particular, it released the famous MS-DOS, which became the basis for the first versions of Windows.
Windows 1.0
The debut version of Windows 1.0 was released in 1985. It was essentially a graphical interface add-on to MS-DOS. Windows 1.0 ran under MS-DOS and expanded the capabilities of the latter. This, in particular, concerned OS multitasking. The history of the OS name is inextricably linked with the very first version of Windows. The final decision to name the product “Windows” was preceded by Bill Gates’ idea to name the system “Interface Manager”. The author of the idea called “Windows” was the head of the Microsoft marketing department. Based on the principles of marketing, he advised Gates to use a simple, uncomplicated name that would be understandable to the masses. The name “Windows” (translated as “Windows”) was exactly that, plus it reflects the principle of the OS window mode.
Windows 2.0
In 1987, Windows 2.0 was released. It was an OS that was generally not very different from the debut version, but with some improvements. In the second version of Windows, in particular, processor support was improved, operating speed was slightly increased, and the ability to overlap windows was added.
Windows 3.0
Neither Windows 1.0 nor 2.0 made a splash in the then IT market. Only Windows 3.0, released in 1990, achieved success among the user audience. The modernization affected primarily the functionality of the OS. Its graphical interface could run text editors written for MS-DOS. New ones have appeared system settings, possibility of change color scheme interface, functions for monitoring program activity and manipulating files. The third version of Windows is the ancestor of the well-known and now standard applications “Notepad”, “Calculator”, card games, in particular, beloved by many office employees, “Kosynka”.
Windows 3.1
An upgrade version of Windows 3.1 was released in 1992. Being a 16-bit OS, it supported 32-bit hard disk access. Other features of the version include support for networks, a computer mouse, the Drag & Drop function, and TrueType fonts. The system had its own antivirus.
Windows 95
A new milestone in the evolution of this OS was Windows 95, released, as we see in the name, in 1995. Its interface has been seriously redesigned, productivity and functionality have increased. It was Windows 95 that introduced the world to the functions that form the backbone of modern versions of this OS - a desktop with shortcuts, the Start menu, and the taskbar. A little later in part of Windows 95 began shipping Internet Explorer.
Windows 98
Windows 98, released in 1998, was a successor to Windows 95, but more stable and improved. The OS began to support the AGP graphics port, TV tuners, WebTV. The main feature of this version was the delivery of updates from Microsoft servers. It was in this version that for the first time it was possible to work with two or more monitors connected to the system unit. Windows 98 also debuted Windows Media Player and Hibernation Mode. This is the first operating system I started working with.
Windows 2000
The next stage in the evolution of the OS is Windows 2000, introduced in February 2000. Its base was Windows NT, a branch of Windows for servers. Her key features steel reliability, security, support for 64-bit processors (though only in a separate edition of the OS). This version of the OS became a symbiosis that absorbed the best that was in the systems of the Windows NT branch and the predecessor version of Windows 98. However, this version of the OS did not win success among ordinary people. And it was mainly used on the computers of employees of various companies.
Windows Me
Windows Me (its full name is Windows Millenium Edition) was officially introduced in the same year 2000, but at the end of the year - in September. This version of the OS is a “pure” successor to Windows 98. Windows Me has increased the capabilities of its predecessor in terms of working with multimedia content and the Internet. Its staff includes, in particular, an improved Windows Media Player, a simple video editor Windows Movie Maker, an updated Internet Explorer, and the IM client MSN Messenger. The standard conductor has been improved, support for those connected to the computer has expanded external devices. The weak point of Windows Me was frequent freezes and crashes. Despite the loud name dedicated to the transition to the new millennium, this version failed to leave a bright mark in the history of Windows itself.
Windows XP
The XP version left a bright mark on the history of Windows. Moreover, it is so bright that its light still cannot fade away. Windows XP, released in 2001 based on the Windows NT branch, essentially became a new format for this OS. It was stable, an order of magnitude more productive than its predecessors, with an impressive and customizable interface, with new standard functionality, including a multi-user mode, a remote assistant function, standard CD burning, standard archiving programs for ZIP and CAB formats, etc. Windows XP, despite the fact that its support by the developer was discontinued back in 2014, still runs about 9% of computers around the world, and this, for a minute, is more than the share of Linux systems with their 2.17%. Windows XP turned out to be such a successful project that all its improvements were packaged in service packs. Only 5 years later Microsoft introduced the world to the successor to XP.
Windows Vista
Officially introduced in 2007, Windows Vista was destined to become a failed project for Microsoft. Vista brings a new translucent interface style, Windows Aero. This version became the ancestor of many improvements in functionality, which migrated to successor versions of the system. These are, in particular, personalization settings, improved file search, multimedia software DVD Maker and Windows Media Center. The weaknesses of Windows Vista were the incompatibility of drivers and certain third-party programs developed for XP, increased requirements for computer hardware, and the system's use of more hard disk space. The weaknesses could not outweigh the innovations of Vista; the public appreciated its achievements later and already in next version OS.
Windows 7
Windows 7, released in 2009, was essentially a modified Vista - more productive, more stable, compatible with XP software, with an improved interface, support for touch screens and other technologies that eliminate the need to use third-party software. Windows 7 managed not only to repeat the success of XP, but even surpass it in popularity. Version 7 still remains a popular and in-demand OS. The secret of its success lies in the fact that it appeared on the market at the right time and under the right circumstances. Windows XP has become obsolete, upgrading computers has become more accessible (both financially and in terms of the availability of offers on the market, including the secondary market). And Microsoft contributed to the creation of version 7 more effort than usual, in fear of Vista history repeating itself. However, Vista history was destined to repeat itself.
Windows 8
The tradition of failed projects was continued in 2012 by Windows 8 - an OS created in the race for the tablet niche with an add-on in the form of the Metro (Modern) interface and the abolished Start menu. These innovations were subject to severe criticism. And this despite the fact that the Windows 8 desktop environment was the familiar version 7, in which to organize classic menu“Start” was possible using third-party software. In the avalanche of negativity, many worthy improvements went unnoticed, in particular, a more advanced recovery environment, expanded driver support, standard remedy reading ISO images, the Hyper-V hypervisor migrated from server editions, etc. Even its significantly improved upgrade version 8.1, in which the Metro interface was improved, did not save the reputation of Windows 8. Despite the fact that Windows 8.1 is currently the most stable system of all Windows, at the end of 2016, the share of Win 8.1 in the desktop OS market did not even exceed the share of Linux.
Windows 10
Windows 10 is the result of a thorough analysis of Microsoft's past mistakes. It returned and improved the Start menu, and the Metro interface was transformed into a standard functionality separate from the classic one in the format universal applications. Among the significant innovations in Windows 10: browser Microsoft Edge, new format standard settings, virtual desktops. Version 10 differs from its predecessors not only in functional and design innovations, it is a system open to user feedback and constantly updated. Functional updates are tested on test builds of the system as part of the Windows Insider project, and then major update(like patches) are implemented into the OS.
- At the end of the article I will express the opinion of the administration of the site http://site about the best on this moment operating system. In our opinion, this is Windows 8.1. This OS is absolutely polished and compatible with both old and new computer hardware. The same cannot be said about Windows 10 yet. For many users, version 1607, which works quite well, began to work unstable after updating to 1703. But I'm sure everything will be fixed in the future. I'm also sure that Windows history will not end at number 10!
Articles on this topic.
IN Windows world you won't surprise anyone. In our country, its name has become almost a household name. But most ordinary users do not think at all about what Windows systems are and how they work. And of course, few people have a complete understanding of the organizational structure of these operating systems.
What is Windows?
Most users are accustomed to the fact that when you turn on the computer, the OS loads, in the environment of which you can then work with various programs. But what is the role of the operating system itself?
The system on a computer, not to mention the hardware components present, plays both a dominant and an intermediate role. The intermediate role is that it is the link between the installed software (software), the user and the hardware. In other words, it is through the Windows functional set that the user can launch various applications that can interact with each other. But calculations are already being made central processor with parallel loading of components of currently active programs (not counting their own processes necessary for the operation of the system itself) into RAM. That is, what is “Windows”? A bridge connecting the user and application applications with hardware components, which are entrusted with the functions of executing all processes (computational operations, issuing results and their subsequent processing).
On the other hand, speaking about what Windows is, the system can be compared to some semblance of the organization of human society. “Windows” is a kind of leader who gives instructions to other members of a lower rank, and also establishes rights or prohibits the execution of certain processes.
A little history
But the family of these operating systems has not always been so popular. Previously, when mostly DOS-like systems were used on computers, and to interact with the computer it was necessary to enter quite a lot of commands, there was no need to talk about any ease of operation.
It wasn't until 1985, when the first version of Windows 1.01, developed using the latest principles object-oriented programming, users were able to work with the computer through a graphical interface, which later became even more convenient, but did not undergo fundamental changes.
Then modifications 2.0, 3.x followed, but the system as we see it today was finally formed only with the release of the then revolutionary Windows 95. This was followed by desktop versions 98, 2000, Millennium (ME), XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10 (the latest version of Windows), not counting the huge number of server modifications.
Basic interface elements
But the main element since the appearance of the system has been and remains windows (where, in fact, the name comes from). They are used to display absolutely all programs, processes, etc.
In version 95, several more elements appeared, without which today the system is almost impossible to imagine - the “Start” button (which, however, the developers tried to abandon in the eighth modification, but returned to its place in the tenth) and various types of panels, the main of which is "Taskbars".
Brief description of the Windows system and its competitors
But why did Windows become one of the most common operating systems, even if only until recently all modifications were paid? This is due not only to ease of use or the presence of hacked versions, the majority of which are accounted for by users in the post-Soviet space.
The fact is that the developers initially tried to create a universal system that could work with most known hardware devices ( motherboards, processors, RAM, hard drives, etc.), and in which any program could be run, regardless of its developer or purpose.
Of course, today Windows systems are being followed on the heels of both Linux (a system that was originally free) and Mac OS X. But the first is quite specific and is especially popular only among a narrow circle of users, while the second can only function on special equipment ( It’s not for nothing that Windows platforms are classified as PCs, and Mac systems are classified as Intel). But the most interesting thing is that competing operating systems are not affected by viruses, while Windows has quite a lot of security holes (this will be discussed separately).
How to find out the system version?
Now let's look at how to look at the characteristics of Windows version 7, for example, or any other. In each system, you can get brief information through the RMB menu on the computer icon and selecting the properties item (almost everyone knows this).
But to clarify system parameters or determine the exact build number, it is better to use the msinfo32 command entered in the Run console, or the winver line entered in the same menu. For convenience, you can also use the system section in the “Control Panel”.
Why does the system fail?
Naturally, the possibilities of Windows are very wide, but not limitless. Many users complain that this particular OS often crashes and causes a huge number of errors to appear.
Here it is worth clarifying that in almost 99.9% of cases it is not the system that is “buggy”, but the installed software, or the installed hardware does not meet the requirements of the OS itself. The same incorrectly installed drivers, different strips memory and many other things can cause conflicts. By the way, one of the latest modifications of Windows 10 Pro is the least susceptible to failures.
Security and update installation issues
The security system, despite many protective measures, is far from at the highest level. It was only in Windows 10 Pro and other versions of the tenth group that a built-in antivirus appeared, and before that it was necessary to use third-party developments. In addition, the firewall is quite problematic. Yes, and holes in the system through which viruses or malicious codes, enough.
This is why constant installation of Windows updates is required. In most cases, the release of such updates is precisely related to patching holes in the security system, although you can also install updates for other Microsoft software products, including office suites or specialized platforms like DirectX, .NET Framework, Visual C++, etc., which essential for correct operation sets modern programs, demanding on system resources.
As a rule, in any version, installing Windows updates in automatic mode activated by default. But if failures occur, you can find and install them yourself by asking manual search in the Update Center. But, unfortunately, some updates themselves can cause system errors due to their incorrect or incomplete installation, or even because they were initially performed incorrectly, but this is the fault of Microsoft programmers.
Rollback and restoration of system functionality
Finally, many users are interested in the question of whether it is possible to restore Windows. Can. Starting with the ME version, this family has become smarter. This was expressed in the fact that on the hard disk were created (and are being created) backups state of the OS at a certain point in time. In addition, in modern modifications you can not wait for automation of these processes, but create a disk or flash drive for quick system recovery, not to mention complete copying of hard drives.
Typically, after critical failures occur, recovery starts automatically without user intervention. If this does not happen, you can always use the additional boot menu, which in all systems except Windows 10 is called up by pressing the F8 key at startup, and select loading the latest successful configuration. True, the latest version of Windows (tenth) uses slightly different paths to enter such a menu, although if you wish, you can easily return to using F8.
If this does not help, when starting from removable media, you can launch the command line and restore the operating system using a specialized set of tools (disk or file system check, online recovery, overwriting boot sectors or the bootloader itself, etc.). In some cases, it is enough to use Safe Mode, which allows you to eliminate many problems if the system cannot boot into normal mode(installing and uninstalling programs, including drivers, removing viruses, changing settings of the OS itself, manual start"Recovery Center", etc.).
Brief conclusions
That's all about Windows systems in a nutshell. Purely technical issues related to the operating principles of the OS were not touched upon here, since the average user does not particularly need this. But to summarize, we can say that Windows is a unified shell that allows you to manage all elements of the computer (hardware and software) and interact between the computer and the user. It is quite problematic to describe all the capabilities of modern operating systems, since it will take more than one page. But we can say with confidence that the development of the family of these OSes does not stand still, and in the future we can expect the appearance of a fairly large number of innovations.
Annotation: 16-bit Windows. Windows 9x. Windows NT. Windows CE. Windows Mobile and Windows Phone.
16 bit Windows
The first Windows was Windows 1.0, released in November 1985. It was not a full-fledged operating system, but an add-on over the operating system MS-DOS system. Windows 1.0 provided the user with a graphical window interface and the ability to run multiple applications simultaneously (both of which were missing from MS DOS). At first they wanted to call this program Interface Manager, but then they decided to call it Windows (“windows”), as it more accurately reflected the essence of working with the new program. Minimum system requirements memory was limited to 256 KB.
Windows 2.0 (December 1987) introduced some improvements to the graphical interface (including support for overlapping windows) and memory handling. Also, for greater convenience, key combinations began to be used. In May 1988 and March 1989, Windows 2.10 and Windows 2.11 appeared, respectively, supporting the then new Intel 80286 and Intel 80386 processors.
In May 1990, Windows 3.0 was released with improved graphics and virtual memory support. In 1992 1993 versions of Windows for Workgroups 3.1 and 3.11 appear, which provide support for working in peer-to-peer networks and networks under server control. These were the latest versions of 16-bit Windows.
Windows 9x
In August 1995, Windows 95 was released - a 32-bit client operating system, which had built-in support for working with the Internet (Internet Explorer browser) and modem networks, as well as Plug-and-Play technology ("plug and play"), allowing you to quickly connect to your computer various devices. The Start button and Taskbar appeared for the first time. Windows 95 required a minimum of 4 MB random access memory.
Windows 95 was replaced in June 1998 by Windows 98 with many programs for working with the Internet (Internet Explorer 4, Outlook Express etc.), support for DVD and USB, the first appearance of the Quick Launch bar. Windows 98 was the last operating system based on MS DOS.
Latest version in the 9x family became Windows Me (Millennium Edition, September 2000). This system was aimed at home users, and therefore had broad support for multimedia (Windows Media Player 7, Windows Movie Maker), the Internet and home networks.
Another direction in the development of Windows operating systems in the 90s was the NT family.
Windows NT
In July 1993, the first operating system of the NT family, Windows NT 3.1, was released. Eat different variants explanation of the name NT, the most common option is an abbreviation for New Technology (“new technology”).
Development of a system based on a new kernel (not MS DOS) began in 1989. The new operating system had the following basic requirements:
- 32 bit;
- support for multiprocessor systems;
- support for preemptive multitasking and virtual memory;
- high performance;
- ability to work as a server and client;
- portability;
- compatibility with other versions of Windows and MS DOS, as well as partial compatibility with UNIX;
- safety;
- reliability;
- Unicode support.
Windows NT 3.1 met all these requirements, and all modern versions of Windows, including Windows 8, are based on the kernel of this system (with modifications, of course).
Windows NT 3.1 supported the Intel 80386, Intel 80486, MIPS R4000, and DEC Alpha processors. There were client and server versions of the system - Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced Server. Windows NT, in addition to other file systems, supported a file system specially developed by Microsoft NTFS system(New Technology File System).
In 1994-1996, the operating systems Windows NT 3.5, Windows NT 3.51 and Windows NT 4.0 were released successively. Goals Windows development NT 3.5 featured improvements in performance and reliability, as well as a reduction in system size. Windows NT 3.51 included support for the IBM PowerPC processor. Windows NT 4.0 had the same graphical interface as Windows 95.
Windows 2000, released in December 1999, was developed as a system for professional users, combining two directions - Windows 9x and Windows NT. Windows 2000 included Active Directory (a service and resource database for managing large networks) and support for a significant number of Plug-and Play devices, including wireless networks, USB, IEEE 1394, etc. There were 4 versions of Windows 2000 - one client (Professional) and three server versions (Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter Server). Windows 2000 was the last system for which both client and server versions were released.
The next step was to combine both areas of client systems: systems for professional users (Windows 2000 Professional) and systems for home users (Windows Me). The result of this merger was the Windows XP operating system (August 2001). Thanks to its stability, speed and convenient interface, Windows XP became (and still is) one of the most widely used operating systems in the world. An important step was the appearance of 64-bit versions of Windows XP (Windows XP 64-bit Edition). The number of lines of code in Windows XP is 45 million.
In March 2003, the server operating system Windows Server 2003 was released, which has greater performance and supports more powerful hardware than Windows 2000. The system has 4 main versions: Web, Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter. For example, the Datacenter edition supports 64 processors and up to 64 GB of RAM (up to 512 GB on 64-bit platforms).
The Windows Vista client operating system was released in November 2006. The emphasis in the development of this system was on security - control of user accounts (User Account Control), drive encryption (BitLocker Drive Encryption), anti-spyware software ( Windows Defender) etc. In Windows Vista, the user interface was also changed, in particular, the Start button changed its appearance.
In February 2008, the Windows Server 2008 operating system, based on Windows code Vista - Therefore, most of the innovations of Windows Vista carried over to Windows Server 2008.
In July 2009, Windows 7 was released, featuring expanded support for laptops and tablets. Key features of Windows 7 - new techniques for working with windows, instant search information on the computer, support for touch screens (Windows Touch), great opportunities for customizing the design of the working environment.
In 2012, Microsoft released the latest versions of operating systems - client Windows 8 (October 2012) and server Windows Server 2012 (September 2012). Windows 8 is an operating system equally designed for both regular desktop computers and laptops, and tablet computers, who won in Lately a significant share of the entire personal computer market (see lecture 3 "Windows 8").
Windows CE
Windows CE is a real-time operating system for embedded systems. The "CE" symbols, according to Microsoft, stand for "Compact, Connectable, Compatible, Companion, Efficient" 1 http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q166915. Currently this system has an official Windows name Embedded Compact (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded).
Windows CE is delivered to device developers as a set of components that can be used to create an operating system for a specific device. For example, Windows Mobile operating systems are built on top of Windows CE.
The first version of Windows CE 1.0 appeared in 1996 and was developed as a stripped-down version of Windows 95. Subsequently, the team Windows developers CE collaborated with the Windows 2000 team, then Windows CE developed as an independent system.
As of September 2012, the latest version is Windows CE 7.0.
Windows Mobile and Windows Phone
Windows Mobile is an operating system for smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs, Personal Digital Assistant - PDA), based on Windows CE.
The first versions of operating systems of this family were called Pocket PC (2000). Since 2003, the name Windows Mobile was established - the operating systems Windows Mobile 2003, Windows Mobile 5, Windows Mobile 6 were released. The latest version with this name was the Windows Mobile 6.5 system (2009).
Since October 2010, Microsoft has released a new operating system for mobile devices, Windows Phone 7, which is incompatible with Windows Mobile, although it is also based on Windows CE. Windows Phone 7 comes with a new user interface, currently called Modern UI.
In October 2012, Windows Phone 8 is expected to be released, based on Windows kernel N.T.
Summary
The lecture provides an overview of Windows operating systems from 1985 to 2012. The main families and their key representatives are considered - 16-bit Windows, Windows 9x, Windows NT, Windows NT Server, Windows Mobile/Windows Phone and Windows CE.
The next lecture provides an overview of the latest operating system from Microsoft - Windows 8.
Control questions
- List the main families of Windows operating systems and give a brief description of them.
- Name the main representatives of 16-bit Windows.
- List the main differences between the Windows NT and Windows 9x operating systems.
- What is the difference between client and server versions of Windows NT?
- Describe operating systems Windows family CE.
- Describe the operating systems of the Windows Mobile/Windows Phone family.
Over the 30-year history of the OS, nine major versions of the system have been released: from Windows 1.0 developed by Bill Gates to the latest release under the leadership of the new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Windows is the most common operating system and is installed on more than 88% of personal computers in the world.
The very first Windows 1.0 came out in November 1985. In truth, the first version released was Window 1.01, as 1.0 had a serious bug. This was Microsoft's first real attempt at creating a graphical user interface on a 16-bit architecture.
However, Windows 1.0, unlike Mac OS, was not an independent operating system and was only a graphical add-on over DOS. Because of this, many users continued to use “ Command line"to control the system, although there was mouse support in the system.
To get users used to the new input system, Microsoft came up with the game Reversi, which had to be played with the mouse. In this way, users learned to move the mouse by clicking on various objects on the screen. “Sapper” also pursued the same goal.
The second and third versions of Windows were also a “shell” for MS-DOS, but had a number of innovations. In 2.0, released on December 9, 1987, it became possible to arrange windows one above the other in any order, the “Control Panel” (which is still used today), and also program description files (PIF files) appeared for the first time. It also became the first Windows platform to feature Microsoft applications Word and Excel.
The third version, which appeared on May 22, 1990, received the “Program Manager” and “File Manager”, as well as updated version Control Panels and Solitaire, which is still an integral part of Windows. In addition, the new operating system looks much better thanks to support for 256 colors in the VGA video adapter and changes to the graphical interface.
However, the company is no stranger to experimentation. Thus, at the CES exhibition in 1995 it was presented software for Windows 3.0 Microsoft Bob, which was developed without the participation of Bill Gates. The idea was to create a “social interface” by replacing the “Program Manager” with a cartoon house, where the corresponding applications were stored in “rooms”, and a dog named Rover served as the default guide around the house.
Photo report: Bill Gates turns 60
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Then it was updated, and a character called Paperclip appeared in Microsoft Office. We can say that Bob anticipated the advent of modern virtual personal assistants like Cortana and Siri. In July 2013, Bill Gates commented: Windows legacy Bob: "We were simply ahead of our time, as with most of our mistakes."
A full-fledged Microsoft operating system appeared only in August 1995. Windows 95 was a significant milestone in the development of Windows. Compared to 3.0, it had a huge amount innovations.
The Start menu and icons already familiar to all users have appeared quick access to files and applications on the desktop. Windows 95 was the first to use a 32-bit environment, the "Taskbar" and was focused on multitasking. MS-DOS still played an important role in Windows 95 and was needed to run a number of programs and items. Interaction with files and folders was carried out using icons.
The Internet Explorer browser also appeared in Windows 95, but it was not installed by default - it required the Windows 95 Plus package. In later Internet versions Explorer was originally installed because Netscape Navigator and NCSA Mosaic browsers were popular at that time.
Windows 98, released on June 25, 1998, was even more consumer-oriented than its predecessor, Windows 95, and included a number of improvements user interface through Windows Desktop Update in Internet Explorer 4, including the Quick Launch bar, the active desktop, the ability to minimize a window by clicking on the window title, as well as the Back and Forward buttons and the address bar in Windows Explorer.
In 2000, the company introduced two completely different operating systems - Windows 2000 and Windows ME. The first belonged to the NT family of operating systems (new technologies), while the second was built on the Windows 9x platform. Windows Millennium can be called the next step in the development of Windows 98, adding some elements of the Windows 2000 interface and making it as simple as possible for modern home use.
Windows ME was heavily criticized by users due to its instability and unreliability, frequent freezes and crashes. Some users deciphered ME as Mistake Edition (erroneous edition). This version is still considered one of the worst products from Microsoft.
Windows 2000 was aimed at business customers, and it later became the basis for Windows XP.
In Windows 2000, they played an important role automatic updates. In addition, it introduced a hibernation mode for the first time. Windows 2000 Professional introduced numerous improvements, such as the plug-and-play concept: when a new peripheral device was connected, the operating system itself found the necessary drivers for it, and it began to work.
The triumphant release of Windows XP took place in October 2001. The new system was a kind of symbiosis of Windows 2000 and Windows ME. Like Windows 2000, it was based on Windows NT, but it added client-centric elements from Windows ME.
The new OS featured a new graphical interface design, text smoothing on LCD monitors, the ability to quickly switch between users, and many other nice features. Windows XP is a “long-liver” among operating systems: three large-scale updates were released for it, and support for the OS ceased only in 2014, that is, 13 years after its release - this support period is the longest among all Windows operating systems.
The system also had its shortcomings. For example, when installing an OS, the user is prompted to create a account with administrator rights, which leads to potential vulnerability of the system to viruses. Also, the disadvantages include the system requirements that were quite high at that time: a processor of at least 500 MHz and more than 128 MB of RAM.
After the grand Windows success XP Microsoft releases Windows Vista. The system was released in 2007. The new OS was a kind of attempt to revolutionize the design of the graphical interface. Microsoft also tried to eliminate the security flaws that plagued XP users.
However, the new system turned out to be extremely mediocre. This is evidenced by the fact that the OS took first place in the “Failure of the Year” competition in 2007.
Users were also disappointed in the new product from Microsoft. Particularly noteworthy are problems with performance, incompatibility with many old programs, as well as inflated system requirements that exceed those stated. Users also did not like the new Aero interface. After the release of Windows 7 in 2009, Vista, already unpopular, almost completely died out. As of 2015, Windows Vista's market share is less than 2%.
Microsoft's next operating system, Windows 7, was introduced on October 22, 2009. It was supposed to eliminate all the shortcomings that existed in Vista. Aero's design has been greatly improved, and support for older programs that were not available to run on Windows Vista has been implemented. Also appeared in Windows 7 Windows mode XP mode, which allows you to run old applications in virtual machine Windows XP, which provides almost complete support for older applications.
An important feature of the new system is closer integration with driver manufacturers: most are detected automatically. As a result, from the pen of Microsoft came an operating system that was to everyone's taste a large number users: in the first eight hours the number pre-orders exceeded the demand that Windows Vista had in its first 17 weeks.
But even here there was a fly in the ointment. The main disadvantage of the system is, again, high system requirements, which is why the autonomy of laptops in some cases was reduced by up to 30%. Despite this, the system remains popular to this day: as of September 2015, Windows 7 holds more than 55% of the market share.
In October 2012, Microsoft introduced another product - Windows 8. The new system received radical new interface, more “tailored” for use on tablets. Thus, in Windows 8, the Start button has disappeared, in its place is access to the Metro interface.
The interface was a tiled platform. The new system also features an application store. Windows Store, similar to Play Store and App Store. Main Windows innovations 8, in addition to the new interface, we can consider native support USB 3.0, improved search and new task manager.
However, most users did not appreciate the system: Microsoft made too much of a bias towards touch control. This affected the ease of system management on desktops.
The new version of Windows 8.1 was an attempt to correct the shortcomings. The “Start” button has returned to its rightful place and it has become possible to set the standard desktop to launch by default. Despite an attempt to correct the mistakes made in Windows 8, the update was also received without enthusiasm.
Microsoft's latest operating system is Windows 10, introduced in July 2015. Windows 10 should bring all devices together, including embedded systems, smartphones, tablets, laptops, PCs and game consoles. The upgrade to Windows 10 is available to users of devices running Windows 7, 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 free of charge for a year.
The main innovations of the system are the improved Start menu, voice Cortana assistant, as well as the ability to interact simultaneously with a touch interface and a traditional one on hybrid devices.
In Windows 10, Microsoft collects a lot of data about your computer usage. Examples of such data are name, email address and others. Because of this, Microsoft received a barrage of criticism. Some of the criticism also relates to Windows sharing Wi-Fi passwords with other users. In any case, data collection can be turned off at any time; all instructions are searched on the Internet.
Windows can rightfully be called an integral part of an entire generation of PC users. Thanks to Microsoft's OS, millions of people have discovered information technology and access to global network. And no matter how much they criticize it, it will in any case remain relevant for many more years.