About Microsoft Windows OS

Microsoft Windows

Windows is a series of operating systems (OS) developed by Microsoft. Each version of Windows includes a graphical user interface (GUI), with a Desktop that allows users to view files and folders in windows. For the past three decades, Windows has been the most widely used operating system for personal computers PCs.

Microsoft Windows is designed for both home computing and professional purposes. Past versions of Windows home editions include Windows 3.0 (1990), Windows 3.1 (1992), Windows 95 (1995), Windows 98 (1998), Windows Me (2000), Windows XP (2001), and Windows Vista (2006).

The first business-oriented version of Windows, called Windows NT 3.1, was in 1993. This was followed by Windows 3.5, 4.0, and Windows 2000. When Microsoft released Windows XP in 2001, the company simply created different editions of the operating system for personal and business purposes. Windows Vista and Windows 7 have followed the same release strategy.

Hardware Support

Windows is designed to run on standard x86 hardware, such as Intel and AMD Processors. Therefore, it can be installed on multiple brands of hardware, such as Dell, HP, and Sony computers, as well as custom-built PCs.

Windows 7

The most popular version, Windows 7, was released in 2009 and is still used by a lot of people. 

But after 10 years, support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, 2020. Microsoft will no longer provide the following:

• Technical support for any issues
• Software updates
• Security updates or fixes

Microsoft's mobile operating system, Windows Phone, is designed specifically for smartphones and runs on several brands of phones, including HTC and Nokia.

Windows 8 and 8.1

Windows 8 is the second last version of Microsoft's Windows operating system.

It was released on October 26, 2012, and is the first major update to Windows since Windows 7, which was released over three years earlier. Windows 8.1 came about a year after the retail release of its predecessor. It was released to manufacturing on August 27, 2013, and broadly released for retail sale on October 17, 2013.

Windows 10

Windows 10 is a major version of the Microsoft Windows OS that was released on July 29, 2015. It is built on the Windows NT kernel and follows Windows 8.

Part of the reason Microsoft decided to name the 2015 release "Windows 10" (and skipped "Windows 9") is because the operating system is designed to be a new direction for Microsoft. One of the primary aims of Windows 10 is to unify the Windows experience across multiple devices, such desktop computers, tablets and smartphones. As part of this effort, Microsoft developed Windows 10 Mobile alongside Windows 10 to replaces Windows Phone – Microsoft's previous mobile OS. Windows 10 also integrates other Microsoft services, such as Xbox Live and the Cortana voice recognition assistant.

Windows 10 Features:

While Windows 10 includes many new features, it also brings back the Start Menu, which was dropped in Windows 8. The new and improved Start Menu provides quick access to settings, folders, and programs and also includes tiles from the Windows 8 interface. The bottom of the Windows 10 Start Menu includes a search bar that allows you to search both your local PC and the web.

Another major change in Windows 10 is the introduction of the Edge web browser, which is designed to replace Internet Explorer (IE). While the OS still includes IE, Edge is the default browser in Windows 10. Other new features include Continuum, which automatically optimizes the user interface depending on whether you are using an external keyboard or touchscreen, and Action Center, which is similar to the Notifications bar in Mac OS. Windows 10 also supports multiple desktops on a single monitor and provides Snap Assist, a feature that helps organize windows on the screen.

Windows 10 Upgrade/ Price

One of the biggest differences between Windows 10 and previous releases of Windows is that the Windows 10 upgrade was available for free to Windows 7 and Windows 8 users for some time. However, now Microsoft charges a licensing fee for copies of Windows 10 shipped with new computers and for non-upgrade purchases. The full version of Windows 10 Home is available for $139 and Windows 10 Pro costs $199.

Reference:

Christensson, P. (2012, February 29). Windows Definition. Retrieved 2020, Aug 21, from https://techterms.com

Wikipedia contributors. (2020, August 21). Windows. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:35, August 21, 2020.