History of the creation of Windows. "Windows": creator. Bill Gates: biography
Windows: Start
The ancient history of the most popular operating system in the world
2015 is an anniversary year for Microsoft. Firstly, this week the tenth version of Windows is officially released (round number!). Secondly, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Windows 1.0. In this regard, we decided to go back to the roots and remember where it all began.
1. Beginning
Microsoft founders Paul Allen and Bill Gates
In the winter of 1975, Paul Allen, a 22-year-old programmer for the Honeywell Corporation, showed 19-year-old Bill Gates, a student at Harvard University, the January issue of Popular Electronics magazine, the central article of which was devoted to the Altair 8800 computer. The Altair was one of the first inexpensive home computers: his the base cost was only $439 as a kit and $621 fully assembled and ready to use. In the first month, the number of orders for a computer based on the Intel 8080 processor exceeded a thousand units, which was a very good indicator for the nascent market. Gates and Allen had the idea to develop an interpreter for the BASIC language and pitch it to the Altair computer manufacturer, MITS. As Gates himself recalled in an interview for the documentary “Triumph of the Nerds,” it was clear that soon the price of home computers would drop so much that developing software for them would become a profitable business.
Altair 8800 became the first successful home computer
By this time, Gates and Allen already had experience in developing quite complex applications - in 1971, while still schoolchildren, they created the company Traf-O-Data, which processed statistical data on traffic on the roads of Seattle and other cities in Washington state. The company was not particularly successful, but the experience at Traf-O-Data gave the future founders of Microsoft confidence in their own abilities.
In early 1975, Allen and Gates sent MITS founder Ed Roberts a letter offering him a BASIC interpreter of their own design. An interesting point was that at that time Microsoft did not have a ready-made interpreter or an Altair computer, but it did have an Intel 8008 processor emulator for the DEC PDP-10 mainframe, which Allen had written three years earlier for Traf-O-Data. Allen and Gates modified the emulator according to the Altair 8800 documentation and used it to develop a BASIC interpreter on Harvard University's PDP-10 computer. When the university administration found out about this, they deprived Gates of access to a computer, so for further development he had to buy computer time from a company providing such services. In total, it took approximately 8 weeks to develop the interpreter.
Altair BASIC 8K on paper tape
The finished interpreter used less than 4 KB of RAM along with the code editor. Allen recorded it on paper and flew to meet Roberts in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where MITS was headquartered. Already on the plane, he realized that they had not written an interpreter loader program, and wrote it on the plane. Fortunately, the interpreter loaded and worked as it should the first time. (Gates and Allen later had a competition to see who could write the fastest and most efficient bootloader program. Gates won the competition.) Roberts was so impressed by the presentation that he agreed to distribute BASIC with Altair computers. The tape or paper interpreter cost $150, but MITS sold it for $60 with the purchase of a 4K memory card (which was still needed to use BASIC).
As a result, towards the end of 1975, the Micro-Soft company was founded (the name was invented by Allen, who proposed a portmanteau of the words Microcomputer Software), for which Gates dropped out of his studies at Harvard, and Allen left Honeywell. The company's third employee was Monte Davidoff, who developed a floating-point module for Altair BASIC.
Interpreters for BASIC and other programming languages remained the core of Microsoft's business until the early 1980s. The company developed versions for all popular home computers, including the Apple II (Applesoft BASIC) and Commodore 64 (Commodore BASIC).
Interestingly, already in 1975 the company was faced with widespread piracy among home computer users who did not buy BASIC, but copied it from each other. In 1976, Gates even wrote a very harsh “Open Letter to Enthusiasts,” in which he accused them of theft and the fact that such behavior makes it impossible to develop high-quality software for microcomputers.
2. IBM enters the scene
In 1979, IBM was watching the home computer market with concern. Although the company controlled 62% of the mainframe market, it slept through the minicomputer revolution (like the DEC PDP-11), causing its share of the computer market to decline from 60% in the mid-seventies to 32%. Microcomputers were another new and rapidly growing niche in which IBM was not present.
It was clear that IBM needed its own personal computer, but another problem arose: in the large and extremely bureaucratic IBM, everything happened very slowly. As the “father of the IBM PC” Don Estridge later said, if the PC had been developed in accordance with IBM procedures, its development would have taken at least five years - by that time the market would have already been divided among other players.
IBM PC Model 5150 - IBM's first personal computer
That's why IBM President John Opel and CEO Frank Carey approved the creation of an independent group, Entry Level Systems, which was located in Boca Raton (Florida), away from IBM's main headquarters. This group was given complete freedom of action to achieve its goal: to create a competitive microcomputer from standard and widely available components on the market. It must be said that the task was completed brilliantly: the first IBM PC (model 5150) had a completely open and standardized architecture; only the BIOS chip, which contained software procedures for initializing the computer, was unique and closed.
Traditionally, IBM developed software for its computers itself, but in the case of PCs, the company simply did not have the time, so it decided to look for the operating system, application applications and development environment outside. According to a preliminary agreement, IBM was to purchase the operating system from Digital Research, and the BASIC interpreter from Microsoft. However, at the last minute, the signing of the contract between IBM and Digital Research fell through because Digital Research's lawyers refused to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Tim Paterson, original developer of MS-DOS
Microsoft saw that the "deal of the century" was in jeopardy and offered IBM not only an interpreter, but also an operating system. The company did not have its own operating system, nor did it have time to develop it, so Microsoft bought the rights to the 86-DOS operating system from a small company, Seattle Computer Products (and its main developer, Tim Paterson, went to work for Microsoft).
At the end of 1980, Bill Gates, on behalf of Microsoft, entered into a contract with IBM to supply software for the IBM PC. For $80,000, IBM received the rights to use the MS-DOS operating system, the BASIC interpreter, and several other applications. If Bill Gates had been a smart person, he would have asked IBM for a royalty on every computer sold.
Bill Gates wasn't just smart. He was a genius. He did not insist on royalties; instead, he asked for a clause in the contract that Microsoft retained all rights to the software, including the right to sell it to other computer manufacturers. IBM's lawyers did not object: after all, there were no other PC manufacturers on the market at that time. Both sides left happy: Microsoft retained DOS as its property, and IBM received a lucrative contract.
But just a couple of years later, this “lucrative contract” became a real curse for IBM. Since the PC consisted of standard components and had an open architecture, anyone could create its analogue, completely compatible with the original. The only closed and copyright-protected component was the BIOS chip containing the PC firmware. But this problem was solved when Phoenix developed a copy of the original IBM PC BIOS, written from scratch and legal from a clean point of view. The last component was missing - the operating system. Of course, Bill Gates and Microsoft were happy to sell this operating system to everyone. As a result, Microsoft and Intel made great money selling software and processors left and right, while IBM could only look on and gnash its teeth.
3. Apple, Macintosh and the first version of Windows
Microsoft was one of the first developers of software for the Apple Macintosh platform
In 1983, Microsoft released the first version of the word processor Word, which was then called Multi-Tool Word. Apple, which already had experience collaborating with Microsoft, approached Bill Gates with a proposal to develop a version of Word and the Multiplan spreadsheet processor for the new Macintosh platform, which at that time was in development and was scheduled to debut in 1984.
It is generally accepted that it was the Macintosh that served as the prototype for Windows. But in fact, the development of the first version began back in 1982, immediately after Bill Gates saw a demo version of the VisiOn graphical shell at the COMDEX exhibition.
Another common misconception is that Microsoft “stole” the GUI from Apple. However, the graphical user interface (GUI) was not an invention of Apple; Steve Jobs got the idea during a visit to the Xerox research center in Palo Alto. In addition, Microsoft, as part of the agreement to develop Word and Excel for the Macintosh, received a license from Apple to use a limited set of graphical interface elements. Windows 1.0 only used items that Microsoft had a license for. That is why the first version of the shell had many restrictions, in particular, windows could not overlap each other.
VisiCalc VisiOn was the first graphical shell for the IBM PC
The name Windows itself was coined by Microsoft's head of marketing, Rowland Hanson. Previously, it was assumed that the new product would be called Interface Manager, but Hanson convinced Bill Gates that the name Windows would be better received by consumers. Windows 1.0 was announced in 1983 and went on sale on November 1, 1985. Of course, Steve Jobs was furious, and Apple eventually sued Microsoft. The trial ended only in 1993 - in favor of Microsoft.
Windows 1.0 had its fair share of problems. It was not particularly functional or stable. Today, Windows boasts a large catalog of applications, but back then the only programs for Windows were those that came bundled with it. So Windows users used it mainly with DOS applications. And there was one big problem: the fact is that Windows supported multitasking only for those DOS applications that did not contain direct calls to the hardware.
Essentially, Microsoft's main goal was to lay the groundwork for future improvements. Windows 1.0 coped well with this task. In addition, the Windows API (Application Programming Interface) has been quite stable since the first version. Programs for Windows 1.0, as a rule, launch and work normally in modern 32-bit versions of Windows (but do not work in 64-bit versions, since they do not support 16-bit applications).
GUI
Windows 1.0
4. The fight against OS/2 and the emergence of Windows NT
Today the OS/2 operating system is almost forgotten, but in fact its history is inseparable from the early history of Windows. In 1985, Microsoft and IBM entered into an agreement to develop an operating system codenamed Advanced DOS, which was supposed to have unheard-of capabilities: a graphical interface, support for true preemptive multitasking, memory protection, and a more reliable file system. Microsoft was involved in the development of OS/2, but IBM paid for this work, and it also formulated the technical specifications for the new OS. It was all part of one grand plan, which was to return control of the PC-compatible computer market to IBM.
One part of this plan was to release the PS/2 line of computers. Unlike the earlier IBM PC, PC XT and PC AT, which had an open architecture, the key element in PS/2 - the MCA bus - was patented. In addition, these computers introduced PS/2 connectors, which are still used in desktop computers today (they can be called IBM's last significant contribution to the development of the personal computer industry).
The second part of the plan was to release an operating system that would be entirely under IBM's control. Technically, OS/2 could run on any IBM-compatible PC, but advanced features - such as the networking suite - were only available to owners of purebred IBM computers.
Of course, nothing came of this venture for several reasons. First, IBM treated Microsoft as a regular contractor and paid for the writing of a new operating system... based on the amount of code. Thus, the more bloated and inefficient the OS/2 code was, the more Microsoft made. As a result, the first version of OS/2, released in 1987, required a minimum of 4 MB of RAM to run properly - and this despite the fact that it did not have a graphical user interface! RAM then cost about $500 per megabyte. (Windows at that time had a graphical interface and worked fine on computers with 1.5 MB of RAM.)
"Enjoy what you do and you will never have to work in your life."
Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft
The landmark date for Microsoft, which marks the publication of this article, is November 20, 1985, the day operating systems appeared on the market. Windows 1.0. Four years earlier, MS-DOS was released - a “disk OS” created by order of the famous IBM corporation for the world’s first mass-produced personal computer. Looking ahead, I would like to say that further joint work with IBM on new versions of DOS continued until 1993 and turned Microsoft from a programming language developer into a major software manufacturer. Let's remember together the main milestones of evolution Windows from 1.0 before XP, which I wrote about in detail.
Windows 1.0. The idea of a graphical user interface was taken from the Xerox Alto (1973) and Apple Lisa (1983) microcomputers. In fact, the “unit” was a graphical add-on to MS-DOS. The delivery package included 5 (later 6) 5.25" boot floppy disks, and the list of applications was limited to a calendar, clock, calculator, notebook and the game "Reversi". The main element of the "add-on" was the on-screen "windows" to which the OS owes with its own name, you could open several applications at once and switch between them, but the “windows” did not overlap and looked more like tiles than the Alto and Lisa interface. Users greeted the “one” very coldly, calling it “bloody software.” This is how the era began with difficulty. Windows, which made Bill Gates a multi-billionaire.
Windows 2x. Release Windows 2.0 took place on April 2, 1987. The list of applications has not changed, but there are overlapping windows, a control panel, hot key combinations, and support for VGA mode. "Dvoyka" was developed for the Intel 286 processor, and in the version 2.1 it was divided into two “branches”: Windows/286 And Windows/386, for the new Intel processor.
Windows 3x . Windows 3.0 was released on May 22, 1990 and had a significantly updated interface, which became “proprietary”. OS capabilities have been expanded 3.1 (1992) and 3.11 (1993): program, file and print managers appeared, their own antivirus, new games “Klondike”, “Hearts” and “Mineweeper”, support for CD drives. "Troika" was liked by users, and in two years 10 million copies were sold.
Windows NT 3.1. This is the first operating system in the NT line for servers and corporate workstations and the first thirty-two-bit Windows(July '93). Thanks to it, Microsoft was able to compete with Novell's professional solutions and subsequently completely push them out of the market.
Windows 95. At the time the OS was released (August 1995), over 80% of computers in the world were running earlier versions Windows and MS‑DOS. The dollars spent on a large-scale advertising campaign came back in the form of profits from a record 7 million copies in the first five weeks of sales. Which is not surprising, because the new “Windows” from a graphical shell for the command line have turned into a full-fledged “OS” with recognizable attributes in the form of a “Start” button, a desktop with icons and a taskbar. The Internet Explorer browser was also integrated into the system, and the technology " Plug and Play" ("Connect and Play"), the restriction on the length of file names has been removed.
Windows 98. No less popular than the previous one Windows 95, “ninety-eighth” continued to delight with new functionality: a quick launch panel for applications, support for USB devices, and the ability to work with multiple monitors. Second edition, Windows 98 SE(Second Edition) was released a year later, in May 1999, and included a number of fixes and additional drivers, and was also able to play DVDs.
Windows ME(Millennium Edition). Latest operating system based on codebase Windows 95. The System Restore applet and the Windows Movie Maker video editor have appeared. However, Millennium turned out to be less stable in operation than the “ninety-eighth”, and therefore was not popular among users.
Windows 2000. According to the developers, it was intended to replace the professional Windows NT and "home" Windows 95 on all desktop and mobile PCs. The new version of Windows, which brought the company $1 billion, was valued primarily for its reliability. Being the same age as M.E., had four editions: Professional, Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter Server. Additionally, the "Limited Editions" of the last two editions were designed to run on 64-bit Intel Itanium processors.
Today, many people use the operating system from Microsoft and don’t really think about how this interesting product was invented. In fact, there are many interesting things in the history of the emergence of the most popular OS. It is only worth mentioning that the history of Windows goes back several decades. During this time, the OS went through a number of metamorphoses: from an inconvenient graphical shell for MS-DOS to a full-fledged and very convenient operating system. Everyone knows that Bill Gates invented Windows, but few know how he did it. Let's try to look at all stages of Windows development. Because the history of the Windows operating system is very interesting and fascinating.
Origins
The history of Windows began in 1985, when a young and unknown student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bill Gates, created a graphical environment for the operating system of that time. He called his brainchild Windows 1.0. However, this version did not catch on because it contained serious errors. But version 1.01 was already devoid of shortcomings. However, many computer technology gurus considered Windows a useless add-on that had no future. They felt it distracted users from learning MS-DOS. And who was right?
Windows 95
In 1995, Microsoft released an operating system called Windows 95. It was the first full-fledged OS. Both the graphical interface and data protection - everything was at the proper level for that time. However, the system did not survive long because a critical vulnerability was discovered in its code. Nevertheless, 80% of personal computers at that time were running Windows 95. The history of Windows development begins exactly in 1995.
Around the same time, the first versions of the Microsoft Office suite of programs appeared, which provides work with documents. From this moment on, Windows becomes a complete and universal system. They are starting to use it for all tasks. And this is the first sign of the popularity of the operating system. However, version 95 did not become a truly “people's” system. The reason for this is many errors in the OS structure. That is why Microsoft decided to radically change the structure of Windows.
Windows 98
This is a revised version from 1995. In Win 98, all the errors of the previous version were already taken into account and corrected. It was she who became “folk”. Now Microsoft is being talked about as the genius of the computer world. The system combined ease of operation, high reliability and almost complete absence of freezes. After unsuccessful “miscarriages” in the form of previous versions, the company managed to release something really good and workable. All versions of the 90s can only work with 32-bit processors.
The 98th version of Windows made a real revolution in the world of operating systems. Now working on a computer has become available to everyone. And not like at the dawn of technology, when only a select few could work with a PC. In any case, the story of Windows does not end there. A lot of interesting and incredible things await us ahead.
Windows 2000
This is the first system based on the NT engine. This system opened a new milestone in the development of Windows. Version 2000 was positioned as a system for home and office. Among its innovations were some very interesting functions. For example, support for multimedia functions out of the box. This option has since become the hallmark of any Microsoft OS.
Windows 2000 also included the latest advances in computer security. The system has become very popular both among ordinary users and those involved in business. Because safety coupled with functionality is what is needed for this area. The professional version has been adopted by many organizations.
Windows ME
Perhaps the most disastrous version of Windows after Vista. It was released as an update to version 2000. The multimedia capabilities were expanded. But the stability of the system left much to be desired. Constant freezes and reboots did not add to the OS's popularity. As a result, Microsoft decided to shut down the project and not embarrass itself. Well, a very reasonable decision.
The most interesting thing is that ME was also created on the basis of NT. But something went wrong. And it turned out that ME is the most unpopular version of Windows. The history of the NT-based system does not end here, but only begins. Because after the failed version, the developers managed to release a real masterpiece. It was a generous gift to users. Probably for their patience.
Windows XP
The legendary "piggy" is still considered the most successful operating system from Microsoft. And it's not even about the beautiful interface. Much more valuable is that the system has amazing multimedia capabilities, increased stability and security. And after the release of all three Service Packs, it became very pleasant to work with it. No glitches, freezes or sudden reboots, plus support for text smoothing for more comfortable work - this is the recipe for an ideal operating system. Until now, many “oldfags” categorically do not want to change XP to something new.
The legendary OS managed to become such thanks to a successful combination of an updated interface, stability and security. But it would be wrong not to mention that the era of convenient Internet begins with XP. Sitting online with XP turned out to be much more comfortable than with the 2000 version. And all the games launched with a bang. Despite the fact that Microsoft has not supported XP for three years now, few people decide to switch to something new. With the XP version, the history of Windows takes a new turn and gives us access to new technologies.
Windows Vista
The most failed OS from Microsoft. Moreover, both users and serious critics think so. The fact is that Vista had many flaws. This is the main reason for failure. A secondary reason is that the world was not ready for such an OS. Too many graphical bells and whistles. Not all computers of that time were capable of providing smooth operation on Vista. This is another reason for her unpopularity.
Other shortcomings include frankly no stability and a problem with drivers. Manufacturers did not try very hard to release drivers for this OS because they did not believe in its success. And they turned out to be right. Another shameful page in the Redmond company's track record. By the way, the “microsoft” ones tried to correct this “jamb” as quickly as possible. The history of Windows operating systems continues.
Windows 7
Perhaps the most popular operating system at the moment. It represents what the developers intended Vista to be. The seventh version became a kind of work on bugs. And the programmers from Microsoft were quite successful. The result was a completely sane Windows 7. The history of its creation is simple. New technologies required a new system. And the developers had no choice.
System improvements include deep optimization in working with computer hardware. "Seven" works with the processor and RAM many times better than the legendary XP. And she looks several times better than "piggy". However, there is a problem that scared users away at the initial stage - gluttony. Running the "seven" on old PCs was problematic. The reason for this is the graphical interface. However, everything has settled down, and now most users use Windows 7. History once again surprised us.
Windows 8 and 8.1
The advent of the tablet era forced Microsoft to urgently do something in order not to lose its leadership in the operating system market. The technical features of the new devices did not allow the use of a desktop OS. This is how a new version of Windows appeared. It is based on the same properties of the NT engine, but from now on the OS has become adapted for devices with a touch screen. This is how Windows 8 appeared. The history of its popularity (or unpopularity) is ambiguous and requires some explanation.
The first thing that shocked users who “moved” from the “Seven” was the welcome screen with an incomprehensible Metro tiled interface. It was a shock. Undoubtedly, the interface is very convenient for touch screens. But it throws the average PC user into panic. The lack of the familiar “Start” button caused even more panic. That is, the button itself is there, but it opens the same tiled interface. Everything became very unusual. This is the reason for the failure of the G8 at the initial stage.
Windows 10. Latest OS
Yes, that's exactly what Microsoft said. There will no longer be a serial number for operating systems. All innovations will be introduced during the planned update of the “tens”. Disputes over the latter system have not subsided to this day. Some admire its unmatched optimization and the twelfth version of DirectX. Others criticize the spy “things” of the new system in every possible way. And they are absolutely right. A controversial thing is Windows 10. Its history is just beginning. So it’s impossible to say anything objectively yet.
It is worth noting what distinguishes this version from all previous Windows. The file history in it is hidden so deeply that it is very difficult to find it. According to the official statement, this is due to the policy of ensuring the best possible privacy. What kind of confidentiality is there if Ten regularly sends all user data to Microsoft? And she, in turn, provides this information to the NSA and FBI upon request. Even text entered from the keyboard is intercepted.
But we shouldn’t deny the obvious advantages of the new OS. Thus, we can note reduced loading time, better work with hardware and a power saving mode. The last option is only relevant for laptops, but this does not make it unnecessary. Viewing Windows history in version 10 is not difficult - this is also a plus. In addition, it supports all innovations in the world of IT technologies. Including virtual reality helmets.
Mobile segment
Along with desktop operating systems, Microsoft also developed a mobile platform. For these purposes, the company even bought the legendary Finnish brand Nokia. But the brainchild of Bill Gates did not achieve much success in this field. The history of Windows Mobile is full of tragic mistakes. Whatever version of the system is a failure. Why is that? Perhaps this is all because everyone should mind their own business and not interfere in areas where they don’t understand anything? Be that as it may, Microsoft did not succeed in the mobile segment.
Mobile versions of Windows are extremely buggy and unstable. They do not know how to work properly with smartphone hardware, and the Windows Store (analogous to the Market on Android) cannot boast of a wide range of applications and games. Developers are in no hurry to create versions for the Windows Phone platform. This is due to the fact that the share of devices on this platform is negligible. So there is no point in developers being scattered.
Conclusion
The history of Microsoft's Windows operating system has had everything: ups and downs, successes and failures. But hardly anyone will undertake to refute that Windows is the most popular OS in the world. Yes, “Linux-like” systems are now gaining momentum. And Mac OS has increased its market share. But they cannot reach the level of Microsoft in the operating systems market. At least for now. Windows is truly a "people's" system. Most manufacturers support this particular OS. Others experience complete disgrace with the availability of device drivers. Be that as it may, if you want a fast, productive and stable system, buy Windows. They haven't come up with anything better yet.
There are, of course, security problems, but this is specific to a particular OS. Linux, of course, is much safer, but very inconvenient. Therefore, feel free to put “Vidovs” - and you will be happy. Just remember that the pirated version will be of little use. It’s better to spend some rubles and forget about all the problems associated with pirated software and operating systems.
History of Windows development
Ahead of release I decided to remember how it all began. So I suggest you take a short excursion into history Windows.
(November 20, 1985)
The very first graphical operating system Microsoft - Windows, version 1.01 (version 1.0 was never released due to errors). Based on MS-DOS 2.0. Multi-window interface, 256 colors and the ability to use a mouse (left key only). There are a small number of built-in programs - a clock, a calendar, a notepad and the Reversi game.
(April 2, 1987)
Contains the same applications as , but with improved controls and mode support VGA. Now you can freely resize windows and move them to any area of the screen, as well as overlap one another.
(May 22, 1990)
Support for extended memory access mode has been introduced, allowing programs to use up to 16 MB of memory. Pseudo-multitasking and the ability to run DOS programs each in a separate window were implemented. The user interface has noticeably improved - there are Program Manager And File Manager(future Conductor), redone Control Panel, system settings are centralized.
(March 18, 1992)
Originally planned as a slight improvement to version 3.0. Added support for scalable fonts TrueType and a number of system errors were fixed. Starting from this system version Windows support 32-bit hard disk access. An extended version with network support was also released - Windows for Workgroups 3.1
Windows 3.11 for Workgroups (December 31, 1993)
The last and most famous of the line , based on MS-DOS. It became possible to connect computers into a peer-to-peer network, and also work as a network client for the server Windows NT. Version 3.11 introduced 32-bit virtual device drivers (VxD) and 32-bit file access, and removed support for standard mode, which meant the elimination of processors below 386.
(July 27, 1993)
Despite the fact that outwardly very similar to , it is not a continuation of it. This system opens a new line of operating systems designed for use on servers and high-performance workstations. IN the file system was first used NTFS. Also new is support for symmetric multiprocessing and technology OpenGL, allowing you to work with 3-dimensional objects. Improved versions appeared in 1994 Windows NT — Windows NT Workstation 3.5, and in 1995 - Windows NT Workstation 3.51, more productive and less demanding on hardware resources. All versions listed Windows NT have an interface With File manager And Program Manager.
(August 24, 1995)
Replaced and was intended mainly for home use. It was in it that such graphical interface elements as the desktop with icons, the taskbar and the Start menu first appeared, as well as support for long (up to 256 characters) file names and system plug and play. Was missing in the first version Internet Explorer, it had to be installed separately from the package Microsoft Plus!
Windows NT 4.0(July 29, 1996)
Latest operating system version Microsoft Windows NT, published under this title. (the next, fifth operating system of the family NT came out under the title ). Windows NT 4.0 had a user interface in the style and was intended for use as a workstation operating system ( Windows NT Workstation) and server ( Windows NT Server).
(June 25, 1998)
This is an updated version . Improved support AGP, drivers improved USB, added support for working with multiple monitors. In May 1999, the second edition was released - Windows 98 SE (Second Edition)), which included many corrections and additions - Internet Explorer 5, internet connection sharing ( ICS, Internet Connection Sharing), MS NetMeeting 3 and playback support DVD. The system was wildly popular, which is why Microsoft even extended its support.
(February 17, 2000)
Initially the system was called Windows NT 5.0, because it was the next version Windows NT after NT 4.0, but later received its own name . Published in four editions: Professional(for workstations), Server, Advanced Server And Datacenter Server(for servers). Win2K brought with it several very important innovations, namely support for directory services Active Directory, web server IIS 5.0, NTFS version 3.0 (this version introduced quota support for the first time) and the EFS file system ( Encrypted File System), with which you can encrypt files and folders. Compared with NT 4.0 The user interface was updated and the color scheme was redesigned.
Windows Millennium Edition (September 14, 2000)
Named in honor of the new millennium. Last (and not very successful) attempt Microsoft improve . A large number of changes have been made to it - system recovery ( System Restore), system file protection ( Windows File Protection), support for computer sleep mode (it did not always work), a new help system in the form of pop-up tips. New multimedia and Internet capabilities have emerged, such as Internet Explorer 5.5, Windows Media Player 7 And Windows Movie Maker with basic digital video editing functions. Despite all the innovations (and maybe because of them) Millenium Edition was the most “buggy” and unreliable operating system from the line Windows 9x.
(October 25, 2001)
Name XP comes from English e XP erience(experience). Is an improved option Professional, and initially the changes affected most of the appearance and user interface. Unlike , which was released for both workstations and servers, is exclusively a client system (its server version is Windows Server 2003). There were 2 major versions of XP released − Home And Professional Edition, for home and corporate use. Also released in April 2005 Windows XP Professional x64 Edition- first desktop 64-bit operating system Windows.
From 2003 to 2011 was the most popular operating system, and gave way only at the end of 2011, passing ahead . However, despite this, remains one of the company's most successful and well-known products Microsoft.
(November 30, 2006)
Sixth generation of operating systems Windows NT. Vista has a version number of 6.0, so the abbreviation “WinVI” is sometimes used to denote it, which combines the name “ Vista" and the version number written in Roman numerals. Like Windows XP, Vista- exclusively client system. Its server counterpart is Windows Server 2008. In total, as many as 6 versions of the system were released - Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Corporate And Ultimate, and each version (except Starter) in 32 and 64-bit versions.
IN contains a large number of innovations - interface Windows Aero, hibernation mode, technology Ready Boost(using flash drives for the swap file). There are a lot of changes in terms of security - a user account control system has appeared ( User Access Control, UAC), the EFS file encryption system has been improved, and a disk encryption system has also appeared Bitlocker, and included in the home versions Parental controls are enabled to help limit children's computer use.
And with all the wealth of possibilities Vista is the worst operating system released Microsoft. Due to the huge number of “jambs” and clearly inflated hardware requirements, users deleted them en masse from their computers and switched back to XP.
Windows 7 (October 22, 2009)
Released less than three years after and in fact is its “polished” and brought to mind version. For example, more flexible settings have been implemented User Account Control(UAC), which, unlike now has two more intermediate states, improved compatibility with old applications, changes to encryption technology BitLocker and added the function of encrypting removable media BitLocker to go, which allows you to encrypt removable media. The appearance has also been slightly changed, and the interface Aero added several new features ( shake, peak And snap). New network technologies have emerged - DirectAccess And Branch Cache although they are only available in older versions .
Like Vista, Windows 7 published in 6 editions - Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Corporate And Ultimate, and everything except Starter Available in 64-bit version. Server version of the seven - Windows Server 2008 R2, released only in 64-bit version.
To date occupies almost 50% of the desktop operating system market and is in first place in the world in terms of use.
(year 2012)
February 29, 2012 on the website Microsoft The beta version has become available for download (“ Consumer Preview") New logo, new splash screen and new interface Metro. What else awaits us in the new operating system, we will have to find out in the near future.
Welcome to the Windows universe! Microsoft's Windows operating system, without a doubt, has become a milestone in the development of not only the information industry, but also all of humanity. It is largely thanks to Windows that hundreds of millions of people around the world have personal computers and laptops on their desks. Thanks to Windows, working with a computer has become accessible to absolutely everyone, from preschool children to respected pensioners. Complex computer systems, once used only by engineers and scientists, are now used for a wide variety of tasks, work and entertainment, study and understanding the world.
For many years, Windows has occupied the overwhelming share of the operating system market in the world. As of February 2009, Windows' share was more than 88.41%. Its closest competitor, the Mac OS operating system installed on Apple computers, got 9.61%, and the Linux operating system – a pitiful 0.88%. In other words, when we say “home” or “work” computer, we clearly mean a computer on which one or another version of Windows is installed.
But Windows is not just an environment for playing solitaire or working with Word. In parallel with the operating system for home computers, Microsoft was developing a server version of Windows intended for companies and corporations. This version was called Windows NT and later Windows Server. This family of operating systems has gained significant popularity and has seriously displaced the former king of servers - the UNIX operating system.
The history of Windows resembles a victorious march that began back in 1985, when the first Windows with the number 1.01 was released. However, the history of Microsoft begins even earlier, back in 1975, when a young student Bill Gates created a version of the BASIC programming language for one of the first personal computers, the Altair 8800 model.
In general, the history of one of the richest people on the planet (and for many years he headed this pedestal) is undoubtedly of great interest and is described in many books. Several films have been made, tens of thousands of articles have been written, and all these are attempts to explain the phenomenon of Microsoft in general and Windows in particular.
Let's not delve into the affairs of distant days. If you're wondering how Bill Gates went from being a shy, nerdy student to the person he is today, all you have to do is fire up your computer, go online, and find all the information you need. It is significant that to perform this action, you will most likely be using a personal computer with one of the versions of Windows.
And the Internet itself has become so popular, not least because personal computers have become as much a part of our lives as teapots, cars and sneakers. The merit of Windows in this is undeniable.
The history of the development of Windows versions is undoubtedly an interesting topic that deserves its own book. Therefore, we will not carefully turn over the dusty tomes of history and will only briefly familiarize ourselves with the key events in the life of Microsoft Windows.
Contrary to popular belief, the first version of Windows was not an independent operating system at all. In reality, Windows was a graphical “add-on” to the DOS operating system and was designed to make working with the dark and gloomy command line easier. Many DOS users did not understand this innovation.
The famous excerpt from a book by Soviet engineers published in 1989 is still circulating on the Internet. The book is called “Personal Computers in Engineering Practice,” and stern engineers spoke about the Microsoft product as follows.
« One example of a cumbersome and, in the authors' opinion, useless add-on is Microsoft's integrated WINDOWS system. This system occupies almost 1 MB of disk memory and is designed primarily for use in conjunction with a mouse-type device... Thus, the reader has already realized that among the add-ons over DOS there are quite useless systems that only look beautiful, but in fact take up the user’s time , disk memory and computer RAM. The deceptive beauty of such systems, however, has a strong impact on inexperienced users who have not had experience working on the machine. The inertia of thinking can be so strong that the authors had to observe how people who started working with such a setting subsequently had difficulty forcing themselves to learn DOS commands. I would like to warn the reader against this mistake. ».
A Brief History of Windows
The history of Windows begins in November 1985, when the first version of the system appeared Windows 1.0. It was a set of programs that expanded the capabilities of existing operating systems for greater ease of use. A few years later the second version was released ( Windows 2.0), but did not gain much popularity.
Time passed, and in 1990 the next version was released - Windows 3.0, which began to be used on many personal computers.
The popularity of the new version of Windows was due to several reasons. The graphical interface made it possible to work with data not using commands entered on the command line, but using visual and understandable actions on graphic objects representing this data. The ability to simultaneously work with several programs has also significantly increased the convenience and efficiency of work.
Moreover, the convenience and ease of writing programs for Windows has led to the emergence of an increasing variety of programs that run on Windows. Work with a variety of computer equipment was better organized, which ultimately also determined the popularity of the system.
Subsequent versions of Windows provided improved reliability, as well as multimedia support (including Windows 3.1) and work in computer networks (version ).
In parallel with the development of Windows, Microsoft began work in 1988 on a new operating system called Windows NT. The main task was to create a system that provides a high level of reliability and effective support for working with the network. At the same time, the Windows NT interface did not differ from the Windows 3.0 interface. In 1992, Windows NT 3.1 was released, and in 1994, Windows NT 3.5.
In 1995, the famous one appeared, which became a new stage in the history of Windows and personal computers in general. Compared to Windows 3.1, the interface has changed significantly and the speed of programs has increased. The new operating system made it possible to automatically configure additional computer devices to eliminate conflicts when interacting between them. In addition, Windows 95 took the first steps to support the then nascent Internet.
The Windows 95 interface became the main one for the entire Windows family, and in 1996 a redesigned version of the server operating system appeared Windows NT 4.0, which has the same interface as Windows 95.
In 1998 it appeared Windows 98 with a significantly redesigned structure compared to Windows 95. In the new version, much attention was paid to working with the Internet, as well as supporting modern network protocols. There is also support for working with multiple monitors.
The next stage in the development of Windows was the appearance and Windows Me(Millenium Edition). The Windows 2000 system was developed on the basis of Windows NT and inherited from it high reliability and security of information from outside interference. Two versions were released: Windows 2000 Server for servers and Windows 2000 Professional for workstations, which many installed on their home computers.
The Windows Me operating system became, in essence, an enhanced version of Windows 98 with improved multimedia support. It is believed that Windows Me became one of the most unsuccessful versions of Windows, it was characterized by unstable operation, often froze and crashed.
As a result, just a year after its release, a new operating system appeared Windows XP. This happened in 2001.
The Windows XP operating system was based on the Windows NT kernel and therefore had the highest stability and performance compared to previous versions of Windows. It also seriously redesigned the graphical interface and introduced support for new functions and programs.
Surprisingly, Windows XP was so successful that even at the end of 2008, it held almost 70% of the operating system market. Three service packs have been released for Windows XP, the last of which was released in April 2008. Each of the packages expanded the capabilities of the operating system, eliminated errors, and made the system more reliable and secure. This system was and remains popular and has rightfully become the most successful and long-lived OS from Microsoft.
A new version was released in 2003 Windows Server 2003, which replaced Windows 2000. After some time, an update was released, called Windows Server 2003 R2. The Windows Server 2003 operating system set a new standard for reliability and performance, becoming one of Microsoft's most successful server systems.
Even before the release of Windows XP, Microsoft was actively developing a new version of the operating system, codenamed Windows Longhorn. Then the name was changed to Windows Vista.
New operating system Windows Vista appeared in 2007. According to an established tradition, the operating system for home users was based on the powerful and reliable Windows Server 2003 SP1 kernel (similar to how Windows XP was based on the Windows NT kernel).
In Windows Vista, the user interface was radically changed, the security system was seriously improved, and a lot of new features and functions appeared. However, despite the excellent inclinations, the system was greeted coolly, and some dubbed Windows Vista a “failure.”
The reasons for such a warm welcome are described in. Note that despite the excellent kernel, Windows Vista turned out to be too slow and demanding on system resources. After Windows XP, the requirements of Vista shocked many, and old computers were simply unable to ensure smooth operation of this system. Adding to the trouble is extremely poor compatibility with device drivers. Gradually the situation improved and Windows Vista became usable - but its reputation was forever ruined.
In 2009, another version was released - remarkable Windows 7. How did she distinguish herself? Let's start with the fact that the key errors of Windows Vista were fixed in this operating system. As a result, the “seven” turned out to be very fast, reliable and productive. In fact, it became what was expected from Vista from the very beginning.
With the release of Service Pack 1, its position has only strengthened. By 2012, Windows 7 had become the most popular OS in the world, finally overtaking the old Windows XP. In fact, the “seven” became what XP was for many years - the main operating system that coped with all the tasks assigned. She did not “slow down”, she had almost no problems with the drivers. I installed this system from the category - and it works, without reinstallation, for as long as you need. This is the real successor to Windows XP.
But Microsoft was not enough. Losing the race in the tablet and smartphone markets, the company desperately needed a new product that would unite all devices - smartphones, laptops, desktop computers and tablets - within a single Metro interface.
And the result is an operating system Windows 8, which came out in October 2012. For the first time, Microsoft decided to radically change the interface, which was much more shocking than the changes in Vista. Instead of the usual desktop, the user was greeted with strange tiles, and the Start button was completely absent. The interface intrigued some, scared others away.
In terms of technical capabilities, Windows 8 is an optimized version of Windows 7. The new system has become much faster to boot, however, again there are some problems with drivers and launching games - but this is clearly a temporary situation.
In 2013, the process of market acceptance of the new system is in full swing. It’s too early to say how successful it has become – time will tell. We can only say unequivocally that the fate of Windows 8 will not be easy. Some experts predict the fate of Windows Vista, a system that has never recovered from its negative image.
Meanwhile, the release is expected in 2014 Windows 9. But that’s not all – plans have been announced to release new versions of the OS every... year! Why, why, whether this means abandoning the Service Pack - we will find out all this very soon.
