By May 2017, 90 percent of its engineering team was using Git, in about 8500 commits and 1760 Windows builds per day. ====Multilingual support==== Multilingual support has been built into Windows since Windows 3.0.
These products are generally categorized as follows: ===Early versions=== The history of Windows dates back to 1981 when Microsoft started work on a program called "Interface Manager".
It was announced in November 1983 (after the Apple Lisa, but before the Macintosh) under the name "Windows", but Windows 1.0 was not released until November 1985.
Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal computer (PC) market with over 90% market share, overtaking Mac OS, which had been introduced in 1984. Apple came to see Windows as an unfair encroachment on their innovation in GUI development as implemented on products such as the Lisa and Macintosh (eventually settled in court in Microsoft's favor in 1993).
Defunct Microsoft Windows families include Windows 9x, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone. Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985, as a graphical operating system shell for MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
It was announced in November 1983 (after the Apple Lisa, but before the Macintosh) under the name "Windows", but Windows 1.0 was not released until November 1985.
Microsoft sold as included Windows Development libraries with the C development environment, which included numerous windows samples. Windows 2.0 was released in December 1987, and was more popular than its predecessor.
PC World considered Windows Me to be one of the worst operating systems Microsoft had ever released, and the 4th worst tech product of all time. ===Windows NT=== ====Early versions (Windows NT 3.1/3.5/3.51/4.0/2000)==== In November 1988, a new development team within Microsoft (which included former Digital Equipment Corporation developers Dave Cutler and Mark Lucovsky) began work on a revamped version of IBM and Microsoft's OS/2 operating system known as "NT OS/2".
However, Windows NT and its successors are designed for security (including on a network) and multi-user PCs, but were not initially designed with Internet security in mind as much, since, when it was first developed in the early 1990s, Internet use was less prevalent. These design issues combined with programming errors (e.g.
Windows 3.0 is the first Microsoft Windows version to achieve broad commercial success, selling 2 million copies in the first six months. Windows 3.1, made generally available on March 1, 1992, featured a facelift.
Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal computer (PC) market with over 90% market share, overtaking Mac OS, which had been introduced in 1984. Apple came to see Windows as an unfair encroachment on their innovation in GUI development as implemented on products such as the Lisa and Macintosh (eventually settled in court in Microsoft's favor in 1993).
In August 1993, Windows for Workgroups, a special version with integrated peer-to-peer networking features and a version number of 3.11, was released.
The hybrid kernel was designed as a modified microkernel, influenced by the Mach microkernel developed by Richard Rashid at Carnegie Mellon University, but without meeting all of the criteria of a pure microkernel. The first release of the resulting operating system, Windows NT 3.1 (named to associate it with Windows 3.1) was released in July 1993, with versions for desktop workstations and servers.
Support for Windows 3.1 ended on December 31, 2001. Windows 3.2, released 1994, is an updated version of the Chinese version of Windows 3.1.
Windows NT 3.5 was released in September 1994, focusing on performance improvements and support for Novell's NetWare, and was followed up by Windows NT 3.51 in May 1995, which included additional improvements and support for the PowerPC architecture.
Windows 3.2 was generally sold by computer manufacturers with a ten-disk version of MS-DOS that also had Simplified Chinese characters in basic output and some translated utilities. ===Windows 9x=== The next major consumer-oriented release of Windows, Windows 95, was released on August 24, 1995.
Windows NT 3.5 was released in September 1994, focusing on performance improvements and support for Novell's NetWare, and was followed up by Windows NT 3.51 in May 1995, which included additional improvements and support for the PowerPC architecture.
Windows NT 4.0 was released in June 1996, introducing the redesigned interface of Windows 95 to the NT series.
It has been in the development stage since 1996. Linspire – formerly LindowsOS, a commercial Linux distribution initially created with the goal of running major Windows software.
Started in 1996, by Reece K.
Mainstream support for Windows 95 ended 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, support for ACPI, [(computing)|hibernation], and support for multi-monitor configurations.
In May 1999, Microsoft released Windows 98 Second Edition, an updated version of Windows 98.
The first version was called Pocket PC 2000; the third version, Windows Mobile 2003 is the first version to adopt the Windows Mobile trademark.
Mainstream support for Windows 95 ended 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, support for ACPI, [(computing)|hibernation], and support for multi-monitor configurations.
Mainstream support for Windows 98 ended on June 30, 2002, and extended support for Windows 98 ended on July 11, 2006. On September 14, 2000, Microsoft released Windows Me (Millennium Edition), the last DOS-based version of Windows.
On February 17, 2000, Microsoft released Windows 2000, a successor to NT 4.0.
Extended support ended on April 8, 2014. After Windows 2000, Microsoft also changed its release schedules for server operating systems; the server counterpart of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, was released in April 2003.
(Although some these platforms implement 64-bit computing, the operating system treated them as 32-bit.) However, Windows 2000, the successor of Windows NT 4.0, dropped support for all platforms except the third generation x86 (known as IA-32) or newer in 32-bit mode.
In versions of Windows after and including Windows 2000 SP3 and Windows XP, updates can be automatically downloaded and installed if the user selects to do so.
Support for Windows 3.1 ended on December 31, 2001. Windows 3.2, released 1994, is an updated version of the Chinese version of Windows 3.1.
Windows 95 was a major commercial success for Microsoft; Ina Fried of CNET remarked that "by the time Windows 95 was finally ushered off the market in 2001, it had become a fixture on computer desktops around the world." Microsoft published four OEM Service Releases (OSR) of Windows 95, each of which was roughly equivalent to a service pack.
Mainstream support for Windows 95 ended 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, support for ACPI, [(computing)|hibernation], and support for multi-monitor configurations.
The Windows NT name was dropped at this point in order to put a greater focus on the Windows brand. ====Windows XP==== The next major version of Windows NT, Windows XP, was released on October 25, 2001.
Mainstream support for Windows 98 ended on June 30, 2002, and extended support for Windows 98 ended on July 11, 2006. On September 14, 2000, Microsoft released Windows Me (Millennium Edition), the last DOS-based version of Windows.
The first version was called Pocket PC 2000; the third version, Windows Mobile 2003 is the first version to adopt the Windows Mobile trademark.
Extended support ended on April 8, 2014. After Windows 2000, Microsoft also changed its release schedules for server operating systems; the server counterpart of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, was released in April 2003.
It was followed in December 2005, by Windows Server 2003 R2. ====Windows Vista==== After a lengthy development process, Windows Vista was released on November 30, 2006, for volume licensing and January 30, 2007, for consumers.
Itanium versions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 were released at the same time as their mainstream x86 counterparts.
Windows Server line continues to support this platform until Windows Server 2012; Windows Server 2008 R2 is the last Windows operating system to support Itanium architecture. On April 25, 2005, Microsoft released Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions to support the x86-64 (or simply x64), the eighth generation of x86 architecture.
As a result, Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, as well as Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2003, were installed by users more quickly than it otherwise might have been. While the Windows 9x series offered the option of having profiles for multiple users, they had no concept of access privileges, and did not allow concurrent access; and so were not true multi-user operating systems.
It was followed in December 2005, by Windows Server 2003 R2. ====Windows Vista==== After a lengthy development process, Windows Vista was released on November 30, 2006, for volume licensing and January 30, 2007, for consumers.
Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, released in 2005, is the last Windows client operating systems to support Itanium.
Windows Server line continues to support this platform until Windows Server 2012; Windows Server 2008 R2 is the last Windows operating system to support Itanium architecture. On April 25, 2005, Microsoft released Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions to support the x86-64 (or simply x64), the eighth generation of x86 architecture.
In June 2005, Bruce Schneier's Counterpane Internet Security reported that it had seen over 1,000 new viruses and worms in the previous six months.
In 2005, Kaspersky Lab found around 11,000 malicious programs viruses, Trojans, back-doors, and exploits written for Windows. Microsoft releases security patches through its Windows Update service approximately once a month (usually the second Tuesday of the month), although critical updates are made available at shorter intervals when necessary.
Mainstream support for Windows 98 ended on June 30, 2002, and extended support for Windows 98 ended on July 11, 2006. On September 14, 2000, Microsoft released Windows Me (Millennium Edition), the last DOS-based version of Windows.
It was followed in December 2005, by Windows Server 2003 R2. ====Windows Vista==== After a lengthy development process, Windows Vista was released on November 30, 2006, for volume licensing and January 30, 2007, for consumers.
It was followed in December 2005, by Windows Server 2003 R2. ====Windows Vista==== After a lengthy development process, Windows Vista was released on November 30, 2006, for volume licensing and January 30, 2007, for consumers.
Vista's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 was released in early 2008. ====Windows 7==== On July 22, 2009, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 were released as RTM (release to manufacturing) while the former was released to the public 3 months later on October 22, 2009.
The client line of Windows NT family still runs on IA-32, although the Windows Server line has ceased supporting this platform with the release of Windows Server 2008 R2. With the introduction of the Intel Itanium architecture (IA-64), Microsoft released new versions of Windows to support it.
Windows Server line continues to support this platform until Windows Server 2012; Windows Server 2008 R2 is the last Windows operating system to support Itanium architecture. On April 25, 2005, Microsoft released Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions to support the x86-64 (or simply x64), the eighth generation of x86 architecture.
Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14, 2009.
Vista's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 was released in early 2008. ====Windows 7==== On July 22, 2009, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 were released as RTM (release to manufacturing) while the former was released to the public 3 months later on October 22, 2009.
Cedega ceased its service in February 2011. * Darwine – a port of Wine for macOS and Darwin.
Windows 7 has multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows shell with an updated taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements. ====Windows 8 and 8.1==== Windows 8, the successor to Windows 7, was released generally on October 26, 2012.
Availability of languages depends on the application developers themselves. Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 introduces a new Language Control Panel where both the interface and input languages can be simultaneously changed, and language packs, regardless of type, can be downloaded from a central location.
The PC Settings app in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 also includes a counterpart settings page for this.
Windows Server line continues to support this platform until Windows Server 2012; Windows Server 2008 R2 is the last Windows operating system to support Itanium architecture. On April 25, 2005, Microsoft released Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions to support the x86-64 (or simply x64), the eighth generation of x86 architecture.
An update to Windows 8, called Windows 8.1, was released on October 17, 2013, and includes features such as new live tile sizes, deeper OneDrive integration, and many other revisions.
Microsoft had begun to integrate Git into Team Foundation Server in 2013, but Windows continued to rely on Source Depot.
However, in 2014, Microsoft admitted losing the majority of the overall operating system market to Android, because of the massive growth in sales of Android smartphones.
In 2014, the number of Windows devices sold was less than 25% that of Android devices sold.
As of 2014, the following Windows families were being actively developed: Windows NT: Started as a family of operating systems with Windows NT 3.1, an operating system for server computers and workstations.
Extended support ended on April 8, 2014. After Windows 2000, Microsoft also changed its release schedules for server operating systems; the server counterpart of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, was released in April 2003.
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 have been subject to some criticism, such as removal of the Start menu. ====Windows 10==== On September 30, 2014, Microsoft announced Windows 10 as the successor to Windows 8.1.
It was released on July 29, 2015, and addresses shortcomings in the user interface first introduced with Windows 8.
Windows 10 is said to be available to update from qualified Windows 7 with SP1, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 devices from the Get Windows 10 Application (for Windows 7, Windows 8.1) or Windows Update (Windows 7). In February 2017, Microsoft announced the migration of its Windows source code repository from Perforce to Git.
By May 2017, 90 percent of its engineering team was using Git, in about 8500 commits and 1760 Windows builds per day. ====Multilingual support==== Multilingual support has been built into Windows since Windows 3.0.
The Windows 10-based Core had replaced the Windows 8-based one in this update, and the new system is sometimes referred to as "Windows 10 on Xbox One" or "OneCore". Xbox One's system also allows backward compatibility with Xbox 360, and the Xbox 360's system is backwards compatible with the original Xbox. ==Version control system== In 2017 Microsoft announced that it would start using Git, an open source version control system created by Linus Torvalds.
The latest version is Windows Server 2019.
Microsoft has been working on a new project called the Virtual File System for Git (VFSForGit) to address these challenges. ==Timeline of releases== ==Usage share and device sales== According to Net Applications, which tracked the use of operating systems in devices that are active on the Web, Windows was the most used operating-system family on personal computers in April 2020, with around 88% usage share.
Including personal computers of all kinds (e.g., desktops, laptops, mobile devices, and game consoles), Windows OSes accounted for 35.84% of usage share in May 2020, compared to Android (highest, at 37.48%), iOS's 15.52%, and macOS's 8.61%, according to StatCounter, which tracks use of operating systems by their use in devices active on the Web.
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05