WHAT IS AN OPERATING SYSTEM?

An operating system (OS) is a system software which manages different programs in a computing device for example mobile phones, computers, iPads etc. It is a layer of the Graphical User Interface (GUI) which acts like a bridge between the user and computer as it allows user to communicate with the computer without needing to know its complex language.

Hence, we conclude that it is the most important software in a computer as it processes the data further. Without an operating system, a computer is of no use.

One of the most important function of an operating system is to provide security. It protects user’s data and also prevents its accessibility from the unknowns. Another function of an OS is to manage the memory i.e. memory management. Its functionality also includes device management, program execution, processor and file management and much more.

In this blog, we will discuss about the Microsoft Windows and its versions.

Microsoft windows which is also known as Windows or Windows OS is an operating system formed by Microsoft Corporation to run Personal Computers. Most Window’s applications like PowerPoint, Word, Excel have officially added ‘Microsoft’ before the name of its application for example Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, etc.

Below, are discussed the versions of Microsoft:

Windows 1.0 is the first official release of Microsoft Windows launched on November 20, 1985. It was a 16-bit shell program which ran on MS-DOS. Windows 1.0 introduced the usage of mouse and many built-in programs like Paint, Calculator, Notepad, etc.

It contained four releases which had minor system updates. Its last version was Windows 1.04 which was afterwards replaced by Windows 2.0. However, Microsoft ended Windows 1.0 and its versions on December 31, 2001, which made it the most supported version of Windows out of all, till date.

As discussed above, Windows 2.0 was a successor to Windows 1.0, which was released on December 9, 1987 designed for the Intel 286 processor in which they added keyboard shortcuts, desktop icons, etc. The most commonly used application i.e. Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word also ran on Windows 2.0 for the very first time.

It was released on May 22, 1900 which allowed a new feature of clickable desktop icons. This version was the first one which performed well critically and commercially, both. It also made multi-tasking easier and also offered advanced graphics. This version of Microsoft Windows had better and expandable memory and much larger storage capacity.

As the name suggests, Windows 95 was released in 1995 in which the Start button and Start menu options were introduced. Furthermore, all the above discussed versions of Windows had 16-bit environment but Microsoft further updated the old version and this one had 32-bit environment. Internet Explorer was also launched on Windows 95. No doubt, this version had many technical improvements including the new feature to save files by long names.

Microsoft released this version of Windows in the year 1998 which also is evident from its name. It included new features like Outlook Express, Microsoft chat, Web publishing wizard, etc. This version had more support for USB hubs as compared to 1995 version. To be more precise, Windows 98 was just an improved and updated version of the Windows 95.

Windows ME, also known as the Windows Millennium Edition, was launched on June 19, 2000. This version specifically targeted Personal Computer (PC) users which also had multiple language options. Initially this version received positive feedback but later it was criticized due to stability issues. By now, it is known as the worst operating system Microsoft had ever came up with.

This version of Windows was released on August 24, 2001 which later became the second most popular version of the Microsoft Windows. Home Edition (for home users), Professional Edition (for more advanced usage) and Media Centre Edition (exclusively available for computer manufacturers) are the three main Windows XP versions. New networking features were also included in this version of Windows. This is the longest running Microsoft operating system and arguably, one of the best version of Windows till date.

Windows XP was replaced by Windows Vista on November 8, 2006. This version focused on increasing the level of communication between the machines on a home network by simply sharing files between computers and other devices. The satisfaction level of this version was lower than the Windows XP as it failed to meet the expectations set by the last version. This version demanded high system requirements and had lack of compatibility.

The expectation criteria bar was set low due to the lack of functionality of windows vista, hence people were looking forward for a better Windows version. Then on July 22, 2009, Windows 7 was released which acted as an incremental upgrade considering the lack of compatibility of Windows Vista. Windows 7 was very swift which included better features with the addition of a taskbar that allows user to pin applications. Hence, this Windows 7 proved to be a drastically better version due to its stability and proper functionality.

Windows 8 was released on August 15, 2012. This version made major changes to the operating system allowing users to use it on tablets as well. From the launch of this version, Windows is also competing with the mobile operating systems for example iOS, Android, etc. This version of Windows had received mixed reviews. i.e. improvement in performance, security and support for touch screen devices were applauded while it was highly criticized for being difficult to understand specially when used with a mouse or a keyboard. Despite these facts, 60 million licenses were dealt in by January 2013.

This Microsoft windows version was made public on July 15, 2015. Microsoft aimed to have this version downloaded on over one billion devices within the time span of three years of its release date. The goal was reached after five years of its release date. By now, 58% share of all PCs and 22% of all devices are currently running on Windows 10.

Windows 11 is the latest and fastest version released on October 5, 2021 by Microsoft windows. This version provides a user friendly environment to work. The best part of this version is that a user doesn’t need any heavy hardware to run and it is also accessible to anyone in any part of the world. It has released many new features like focus sessions, voice typing, and more importantly this version is much more efficient in battery usage. The features mentioned here are just a few offerings of the Windows 11. Hence the reason why this version of Microsoft Windows has received such positive feedback.

So far, we have concluded that a computer is nothing without an operating system (OS) and we must need an OS in order to run a computer. There are multiple operating systems from which we have discussed Microsoft Windows and its versions. Keeping it short, Microsoft has released many versions from which the latest is Windows 11 which is being updated from time to time and is expected to have much more improvements in future.

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