Microsoft Windows version history

The word Windows jointly describes any or all of more than a few generations of Microsoft operating system products. These products are usually categorized as follows: The history of Windows dates back to September 1981, when Chase Bishop, a computer scientist, designed the earliest model of an electronic machine and project boundary Manager was ongoing. It was announced in November 1983 (after the Apple

Lisa, but previous to the Macintosh) under the name "Windows", but Windows 1.0 was not at large until November 1985.  Windows 1.0 was to contend with Apple's operating structure, but achieve little good looks. Windows 1.0 is not an absolute operating structure; rather, it extends MS-DOS. The case of Windows 1.0 is a program documented as the MS-DOS Executive. Components incorporated Calculator, Calendar, Cardfile Clipboard viewer, Clock, Control Panel, Notepad, Paint, Reversi, Terminal and Write. Windows 1.0 does not permit overlapping windows. As an alternative all windows are tiled. Only modal dialog boxes may become visible over other windows. Windows 2.0 was free in December 1987, and was more well-liked than its precursor. It features some improvements to the user boundary and memory management. Windows 2.03 distorted the OS from tiled windows to overlapping windows. The effect of this change led to Apple Computer filing a suit next to Microsoft alleging breach on Apple's copyrights. Windows 2.0 also introduced additional sophisticated keyboard shortcuts and could make employ of expanded memory. Windows 2.1 was free in two dissimilar versions: Windows/286 and Windows/386. Windows/386 uses the virtual 8086 mode of the Intel 80386 to multitask several DOS programs and the paged memory model to imitate expanded memory using available extended memory. Windows/286, in spite of its name, runs on both Intel 8086 and Intel 80286 processors. It runs in actual mode but can make use of the high memory part.  In addition to complete Windows-packages, there were runtime-only versions that shipped with untimely Windows software from third parties and made it probable to run their Windows software on MS-DOS and not including the complete Windows feature set. The early versions of Windows are frequently consideration of as graphical shells, typically because they ran on top of MS-DOS and utilize it for file system services. However, even the initial Windows versions previously assumed many distinctive operating structure functions; notably, having their possess executable file format and providing their acquire device drivers (timer, graphics, printer, mouse, keyboard and sound). Different MS-DOS, Windows allow users to do multiple graphical applications at the similar time, through cooperative multitasking. Windows implemented an elaborate, segment-based, software practical memory scheme, which allows it to run applications better than obtainable memory: code segments and resources are swapped in and thrown away when memory became scarce; data segments moved in memory when a given application had relinquished CPU manage. Windows 3.0, free in 1990, improved the design, typically because of virtual memory and loadable practical device drivers (VxDs) that permit

 Windows to split arbitrary devices between multi-tasked DOS applications.  Windows 3.0 applications can sprint in protected mode, which gives them admission to several megabytes of memory without the compulsion to contribute in the software virtual memory scheme. They run inside the same address space, where the segmented memory provides a degree of defense. Windows 3.0 also featured improvements to the user boundary. Microsoft rewrote hazardous operations from C into assembly. Windows 3.0 is the earliest Microsoft Windows version to attain broad commercial success, selling 2 million copies in the earliest six months.  Windows 3.1, made usually available on March 1, 1992, featured a facelift. In August 1993, Windows for Workgroups, a special version with integrated peer-to-peer networking features and a version number of 3.11, was free. It was sold beside Windows 3.1. Support for Windows 3.1 finished on December 31, 2001.  Windows 3.2, free 1994, is an updated version of the Chinese version of Windows 3.1.  Update was incomplete to this language version, as it fixed simply issues related to the compound writing arrangement of the Chinese language.  Windows 3.2 was usually sold by computer manufacturers with a ten-disk version of MS-DOS that also had Simplified Chinese typescript in basic production and some translated utilities. The next major consumer-oriented free of Windows, Windows 95, was free on August 24, 1995. While still remaining MS-DOS-based, Windows 95 introduced hold for local 32-bit applications, plug and play hardware, preemptive multitasking,long file names of up to 255 characters, and provided enlarged constancy over its predecessors. Windows 95 also introduced a redesigned, object oriented user boundary, replacing the previous Program Manager with the Start menu, taskbar, and Windows Explorer shell. Windows 95 was a main commercial success for Microsoft; Ina Fried of CNET remarked that "by the time Windows 95 was lastly ushered off the market in 2001, it had become a contest on computer desktops around the world." Microsoft published four OEM Service Releases (OSR) of Windows 95, each of which was roughly alike to a service pack. The earliest OSR of Windows 95 was also the first version of Windows to be bundled with Microsoft's web browser, Internet Explorer.  Mainstream hold up for Windows 95 finished on December 31, 2000, and extended support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2001.   Windows 95 was followed up with the release of Windows 98 on June 25, 1998, which introduced the Windows Driver Model, support for USB composite devices, sustain for ACPI, hibernation, and hold up 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 casing which were also made accessible for Windows 95). In May 1999, Microsoft frees Windows 98 Second Edition, an updated version of Windows 98. Windows 98 SE supplementary Internet Explorer 5.0 and Windows Media Player 6.2 in the middle of other upgrades. Mainstream support for Windows 98 finished on June 30, 2002, and comprehensive hold up for Windows 98 ended on July 11, 2006. On September 14, 2000, Microsoft frees Windows ME (Millennium Edition), the last DOS-based version of Windows. Windows ME built-in visual boundary enhancements from its Windows NT-based counterpart Windows 2000, had faster boot times than previous versions (which however, necessary the taking away of the ability to access a real mode DOS environment, removing compatibility with some older programs),  prolonged multimedia functionality (counting Windows Media Player 7, Windows Movie Maker, and the Windows Image Acquisition framework for retrieve images from scanners and digital cameras), additional organization utilities such as System File Protection and System Restore, and updated home networking tools. Though, Windows ME was faced with criticism for its speed and instability, along with hardware compatibility issues and its removal of real mode DOS hold up. PC World measured Windows ME to be one of the most horrible operating systems Microsoft had ever free, and the 4th worst tech creation of all time. In November 1988, a fresh development side within Microsoft (which incorporated former Digital Equipment Corporation developers Dave Cutler as well as Mark Lucovsky) began work on a revamped version of IBM and Microsoft's OS/2 operating system recognized as "NT OS/2". NT OS/2 was intended to be a secure, multi user operating organization with POSIX compatibility and a modular, portable kernel with preventative multitasking and hold up for multiple processor architectures. Though, following the successful release of Windows 3.0, the NT development team determined to rework the project to use an extended 32-bit port of the Windows API recognized as Win32 instead of those of OS/2. Win32 maintained a alike structure to the Windows APIs (allowing existing Windows applications to easily be ported to the platform), but also supported the capabilities of the obtainable NT kernel. Following its approval by Microsoft's staff, development continued on what was now Windows NT, the earliest 32-bit version of Windows. Though, IBM objected to the changes, and in the end continued OS/2 development on its own.   The earliest free of the resulting operating system, Windows NT 3.1 (named to connect it with Windows 3.1) was free in July 1993, with versions for desktop workstations and servers. Windows NT 3.5 was

 released in September 1994, focusing on recital improvements and hold up for Novell's NetWare, and was followed up by Windows NT 3.51 in May 1995, which included extra improvements and hold up for the PowerPC planning. Windows NT 4.0 was free 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 point in arranges to put a better center on the Windows brand.  The next major version of Windows NT, Windows XP, was released on October 25, 2001. The opening of Windows XP aimed to unify the consumer-oriented Windows 9x series with the building introduced by Windows NT, a change which Microsoft promised would supply better performance over its DOS-based predecessors. Windows XP would also introduce a redesigned user border (including an updated Start menu and a "task-oriented" Windows Explorer), smooth multimedia and networking features, Internet Explorer 6, integration with Microsoft's .NET Passport services, modes to assist give compatibility with software designed for previous versions of Windows, and Remote Assistance functionality.  At retail, Windows XP was at the present marketed in two major editions: the "Home" edition was under attack towards consumers, while the "Professional" edition was under attack towards business environments and power users, and incorporated additional security and networking features. Home and Professional were afterward 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 distant 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 hold up for Windows XP finished on April 14, 2009. Extended hold up finished on April 8, 2014.

After Windows 2000, Microsoft also changed its free schedules for server in service systems; the server counterpart of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, was free in April 2003.  It was followed in December 2005, by Windows Server 2003 R2. After a long development process, Windows Vista was released on November 30, 2006, for volume licensing and January 30, 2007, for consumers. It controlled a number of new features, from a redesigned shell and user border to important technical changes, with a meticulous center on security features. It was available in a number of different editions, and has been subject to some criticism, such as drop of presentation, longer boot time, criticism of new UAC, and stricter license accord. Vista's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 was free in early on 2008. On July 22, 2009, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 were free as RTM (let go to manufacturing) even as the former was free to the public 3 months later on October 22, 2009. different its predecessor, Windows Vista, which introduced a great number of fresh features, Windows 7 was intended to be a additional focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being well-matched with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista was previously well-matched.  Windows 7 has multi-touch hold up, a redesigned Windows shell with an updated taskbar, a home networking arrangement called Home Group, as well as presentation improvements. Windows 8, the successor to Windows 7, was free normally on October 26, 2012. A number of important changes were made on Windows 8, including the foreword of a user border based around Microsoft's Metro design language with optimizations for touch-based devices for example tablets and all-in-one PCs. These changes comprise the Start screen, which uses large tiles that are more convenient for touch interactions and permit for the show of repeatedly updated information, as well as a fresh class of apps which are designed primarily for use on touch-based devices. Other changes include increased addition with cloud services as well as other online platforms (for example social networks and Microsoft's own One Drive (previously SkyDrive) and Xbox Live services), the Windows Store service for software distribution, along with a fresh variant recognized as Windows RT for use on devices that use the ARM architecture.  An update to Windows 8, called Windows 8.1, was free on October 17, 2013, and includes features such as

fresh live tile sizes, deeper One Drive integration, and a lot of other revisions. Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 has been topic to some criticism, such as taking away of Start Menu. On September 30, 2014, Microsoft announces Windows 10 as the successor to Windows 8.1. It was free on July 29, 2015, and addresses shortcomings in the user interface primary introduced with Windows 8. Changes include the go back 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 and Windows 8.1 computers from the Get Windows 10 Application (for Windows 7, On November 12, 2015,   inform to Windows 10, version 1511, was at large.  This update can be activated with a Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 creation key as well as Windows 10 product keys. Features contain fresh icons and right-click context menus, non-payment printer management, four times as numerous tiles allowed in the Start menu, Find My Device, and Edge updates. Multilingual hold up is built into Windows. The language for both the keyboard and the boundary can be changed from side to side the Region and Language Control Panel. Components for all supported contribution languages, such as Input Method Editors, are robotically installed throughout Windows installation (in Windows XP and previous, files for East Asian languages, such as Chinese, and right-to-left scripts, such as Arabic, may need to be installed discretely, also from the said Control Panel). Third-party IMEs may also be installed if a user feels that the provided one is inadequate for their needs. Border languages for the operating organization are free for download, but some languages are incomplete to convinced editions of Windows. Language Interface Packs (LIPs) are redistributable and may be downloaded from Microsoft's Download Center and installed for any edition of Windows (XP or later) – they translate most, but not all, of the Windows interface, and require a certain base language (the language which Windows initially shipped with). This is used for most languages in rising markets. Full Language Packs, which translates the whole operating system, are only available for specific editions of Windows (Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows Vista and 7, and all editions of Windows 8, 8.1 and RT apart from Single Language). They do not need a specific base language, and are usually used for more well-liked languages such as French or Chinese. These languages cannot be downloaded during the Download Center, but accessible as optional updates through the Windows Update service (except Windows 8). The interface language of installed applications is not exaggerated by changes in the Windows interface language. Ease of use of languages depends on the application developers themselves. Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 introduces a fresh Language manage Panel where both the border and contribution languages can be concurrently changed, and language packs, in spite of of type, can be downloaded from a middle location. The PC Settings app in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 also includes a counterpart settings page for this. Changing the border language also changes the language of preinstalled Windows Store apps (such as Mail, Maps and News) and convinced other Microsoft-developed apps (such as Remote Desktop). The above limitations for language packs are however still in outcome, except that full language packs can be installed for any edition apart from Single Language, which caters to up-and-coming markets.