Windows что это на английском

Microsoft Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for servers, and Windows IoT for embedded systems. Defunct Windows families include Windows 9x, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone.

Microsoft Windows

Developer	Microsoft
Source model	Closed-source Source-available (through Shared Source Initiative)
Initial release	November 20, 1985; 37 years ago
Latest release	22H2 (10.0.22621.2361) (September 26, 2023; 11 days ago[1]) [±]
Latest preview	Release Preview Channel 23H2 (10.0.22631.2361) (September 26, 2023; 11 days ago[2][3]) [±] Beta Channel 23H2 (10.0.22631.2338) (September 12, 2023; 25 days ago[4]) [±] Dev Channel 10.0.23560.1000 (October 4, 2023; 3 days ago[5]) [±] Canary Channel 10.0.25967.1000 (October 5, 2023; 2 days ago[6]) [±]
Marketing target	Personal computing
Available in	110 languages
Update method	Windows Update Microsoft Store Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
Package manager	Windows Installer (.msi, .msp),[7] App Installer (.msix,[8] .msixbundle[9][10]), Microsoft Store (.appx, .appxbundle),[11] Windows Package Manager
Platforms	IA-32, x86-64, ARM, ARM64 Previously: 16-bit x86, DEC Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC, Itanium
Kernel type	Windows NT family: Hybrid Windows Embedded Compact/Windows CE: Hybrid Windows 9x and earlier: Monolithic (MS-DOS)
Default user interface	Windows shell
License	Proprietary commercial software
Official website	www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows

The first version of Windows was released on November 20, 1985, as a graphical operating system shell for MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs).^[12]

Windows is the most popular desktop operating system in the world, with a 70% market share as of March 2023, according to StatCounter.^[13] However, Windows is not the most used operating system when including both mobile and desktop OSes, due to Android’s massive growth.^[14]

As of September 2022, the most recent version of Windows is Windows 11 for consumer PCs and tablets, Windows 11 Enterprise for corporations, and Windows Server 2022 for servers.

Genealogy

By marketing role

Microsoft, the developer of Windows, has registered several trademarks, each of which denotes a family of Windows operating systems that target a specific sector of the computing industry. 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. It consists of three operating system subfamilies that are released almost simultaneously and share the same kernel:
  • Windows: The operating system for mainstream personal computers and tablets. The latest version is Windows 11. The main competitor of this family is macOS by Apple for personal computers and iPadOS and Android for tablets (c.f. Usage share of operating systems § Market share by category).
  • Windows Server: The operating system for server computers. The latest version is Windows Server 2022. Unlike its client sibling, it has adopted a strong naming scheme. The main competitor of this family is Linux. (c.f. Usage share of operating systems § Market share by category)
  • Windows PE: A lightweight version of its Windows sibling, meant to operate as a live operating system, used for installing Windows on bare-metal computers (especially on many computers at once), recovery or troubleshooting purposes. The latest version is Windows PE 10.
• Windows IoT (previously Windows Embedded): Microsoft developed Windows CE as a general-purpose operating system for every device that was too resource-limited to be called a full-fledged computer. Eventually, however, Windows CE was renamed Windows Embedded Compact and was folded under the Windows Compact trademark which also consists of Windows Embedded Industry, Windows Embedded Professional, Windows Embedded Standard, Windows Embedded Handheld and Windows Embedded Automotive.^[15]

These Windows families are no longer being developed:

• Windows 9x: An operating system that targeted the consumer market. Discontinued because of suboptimal performance.^{[citation needed]} (PC World called its last version, Windows Me, one of the worst products of all time.^[16]) Microsoft still caters to the consumer market with Windows NT.
• Windows Mobile: The predecessor to Windows Phone, it was a mobile phone operating system. The first version was called Pocket PC 2000; the third version, Windows Mobile 2003 is the first version to adopt the Windows Mobile trademark. The last version was Windows Mobile 6.5.
• Windows Phone: An operating system sold only to manufacturers of smartphones. The first version was Windows Phone 7, followed by Windows Phone 8, and Windows Phone 8.1. It was succeeded by Windows 10 Mobile, which is also discontinued.

Version history

The term Windows collectively describes any or all of several generations of Microsoft operating system products. 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.^[17] Windows 1.0 was to compete with Apple’s operating system, but achieved little popularity. Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it extends MS-DOS. The shell of Windows 1.0 is a program known as the MS-DOS Executive. Components included Calculator, Calendar, Cardfile, Clipboard Viewer, Clock, Control Panel, Notepad, Paint, Reversi, Terminal and Write. Windows 1.0 does not allow overlapping windows. Instead, all windows are tiled. Only modal dialog boxes may appear over other windows. Microsoft sold as included Windows Development libraries with the C development environment, which included numerous windows samples.^[18]

Windows 2.0 was released in December 1987, and was more popular than its predecessor. It features several improvements to the user interface and memory management.^[19] Windows 2.03 changed the OS from tiled windows to overlapping windows. The result of this change led to Apple Computer filing a suit against Microsoft alleging infringement on Apple’s copyrights (eventually settled in court in Microsoft’s favor in 1993).^[20][21] Windows 2.0 also introduced more sophisticated keyboard shortcuts and could make use of expanded memory.

Windows 2.1 was released in two different 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 emulate 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 real mode but can make use of the high memory area.^{[citation needed]}

In addition to full Windows packages, there were runtime-only versions that shipped with early Windows software from third parties and made it possible to run their Windows software on MS-DOS and without the full Windows feature set.

The early versions of Windows are often thought of as graphical shells, mostly because they ran on top of MS-DOS and used it for file system services.^[22] However, even the earliest Windows versions already assumed many typical operating system functions; notably, having their own executable file format and providing their own device drivers (timer, graphics, printer, mouse, keyboard and sound). Unlike MS-DOS, Windows allowed users to execute multiple graphical applications at the same time, through cooperative multitasking. Windows implemented an elaborate, segment-based, software virtual memory scheme, which allows it to run applications larger than available 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 processor control.

Windows 3.x

 

Windows 3.0, released in 1990, improved the design, mostly because of virtual memory and loadable virtual device drivers (VxDs) that allow Windows to share arbitrary devices between multi-tasked DOS applications.^{[citation needed]} Windows 3.0 applications can run in protected mode, which gives them access to several megabytes of memory without the obligation to participate in the software virtual memory scheme. They run inside the same address space, where the segmented memory provides a degree of protection. Windows 3.0 also featured improvements to the user interface. Microsoft rewrote critical operations from C into assembly. Windows 3.0 was the first version of Windows to achieve broad commercial success, selling 2 million copies in the first six months.^[23][24]

 

Windows 3.1, made generally 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 released. It was sold along with Windows 3.1. Support for Windows 3.1 ended on December 31, 2001.^[25]

Windows 3.2, released in 1994, is an updated version of the Chinese version of Windows 3.1.^[26] The update was limited to this language version, as it fixed only issues related to the complex writing system of the Chinese language.^[27] 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. While still remaining MS-DOS-based, Windows 95 introduced support for native 32-bit applications, plug and play hardware, preemptive multitasking, long file names of up to 255 characters, and provided increased stability over its predecessors. Windows 95 also introduced a redesigned, object oriented user interface, replacing the previous Program Manager with the Start menu, taskbar, and Windows Explorer shell. 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.»^[28] Microsoft published four OEM Service Releases (OSR) of Windows 95, each of which was roughly equivalent to a service pack. The first OSR of Windows 95 was also the first version of Windows to be bundled with Microsoft’s web browser, Internet Explorer.^[29] Mainstream support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2000, and extended support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2001.^[30]

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, hibernation, and support 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 shell which was also made available for Windows 95). In May 1999, Microsoft released Windows 98 Second Edition, an updated version of Windows 98. Windows 98 SE added Internet Explorer 5.0 and Windows Media Player 6.2 amongst other upgrades. Mainstream support for Windows 98 ended on June 30, 2002, and extended support for Windows 98 ended on July 11, 2006.^[31]

On September 14, 2000, Microsoft released Windows Me (Millennium Edition), the last DOS-based version of Windows. Windows Me incorporated visual interface enhancements from its Windows NT-based counterpart Windows 2000, had faster boot times than previous versions (which however, required the removal of the ability to access a real mode DOS environment, removing compatibility with some older programs),^[32] expanded multimedia functionality (including Windows Media Player 7, Windows Movie Maker, and the Windows Image Acquisition framework for retrieving images from scanners and digital cameras), additional system utilities such as System File Protection and System Restore, and updated home networking tools.^[33] However, Windows Me was faced with criticism for its speed and instability, along with hardware compatibility issues and its removal of real mode DOS support. PC World considered Windows Me to be one of the worst operating systems Microsoft had ever released, and the fourth worst tech product of all time.^[16]

Windows NT

Version history

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». NT OS/2 was intended to be a secure, multi-user operating system with POSIX compatibility and a modular, portable kernel with preemptive multitasking and support for multiple processor architectures. However, following the successful release of Windows 3.0, the NT development team decided to rework the project to use an extended 32-bit port of the Windows API known as Win32 instead of those of OS/2. Win32 maintained a similar structure to the Windows APIs (allowing existing Windows applications to easily be ported to the platform), but also supported the capabilities of the existing NT kernel. Following its approval by Microsoft’s staff, development continued on what was now Windows NT, the first 32-bit version of Windows. However, IBM objected to the changes, and ultimately continued OS/2 development on its own.^[34][35]

Windows NT was the first Windows operating system based on a hybrid kernel. 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. 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. On February 17, 2000, Microsoft released Windows 2000, a successor to NT 4.0. The Windows NT name was dropped at this point in order to put a greater focus on the Windows brand.^[35]

Windows XP

The next major version of Windows NT, Windows XP, was released to manufacturing (RTM) on August 24, 2001 and to the general public on October 25, 2001. The introduction of Windows XP aimed to unify the consumer-oriented Windows 9x series with the architecture introduced by Windows NT, a change which Microsoft promised would provide better performance over its DOS-based predecessors. Windows XP would also introduce a redesigned user interface (including an updated Start menu and a «task-oriented» Windows Explorer), streamlined multimedia and networking features, Internet Explorer 6, integration with Microsoft’s .NET Passport services, a «compatibility mode» to help provide backwards compatibility with software designed for previous versions of Windows, and Remote Assistance functionality.^[36][37]

At retail, Windows XP was marketed in two main editions: the «Home» edition was targeted towards consumers, while the «Professional» edition was targeted towards business environments and power users, and included additional security and networking features. Home and Professional were later 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 remote 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).^[38][39][40] Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14, 2009. Extended support ended on April 8, 2014.^[41]

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.^[35] 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 contained a number of new features, from a redesigned shell and user interface to significant technical changes, with a particular focus on security features. It was available in a number of different editions, and has been subject to some criticism, such as drop of performance, longer boot time, criticism of new UAC, and stricter license agreement. 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 to manufacturing (RTM) and released to the public 3 months later on October 22, 2009. Unlike its predecessor, Windows Vista, which introduced a large number of new features, Windows 7 was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista was already compatible.^[42] Windows 7 has multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows shell with an updated taskbar with revealable jump lists that contain shortcuts to files frequently used with specific applications and shortcuts to tasks within the application,^[43] a home networking system called HomeGroup,^[44] and performance improvements.

Windows 8 and 8.1

 

Windows 8, the successor to Windows 7, was released generally on October 26, 2012. A number of significant changes were made on Windows 8, including the introduction of a user interface based around Microsoft’s Metro design language with optimizations for touch-based devices such as tablets and all-in-one PCs. These changes include the Start screen, which uses large tiles that are more convenient for touch interactions and allow for the display of continually updated information, and a new class of apps which are designed primarily for use on touch-based devices. The new Windows version required a minimum resolution of 1024×768 pixels,^[45] effectively making it unfit for netbooks with 800×600-pixel screens.

Other changes include increased integration with cloud services and other online platforms (such as social networks and Microsoft’s own OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) and Xbox Live services), the Windows Store service for software distribution, and a new variant known as Windows RT for use on devices that utilize the ARM architecture, and a new keyboard shortcut for screenshots.^{[46][47][48][49][50][51][52]} An update to Windows 8, called Windows 8.1,^[53] was released on October 17, 2013, and includes features such as new live tile sizes, deeper OneDrive integration, and many other revisions. Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 have been subject to some criticism, such as the 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. Changes on PC include the return 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, 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).^[54]

In February 2017, Microsoft announced the migration of its Windows source code repository from Perforce to Git. This migration involved 3.5 million separate files in a 300-gigabyte repository.^[55] By May 2017, 90 percent of its engineering team was using Git, in about 8500 commits and 1760 Windows builds per day.^[55]

In June 2021, shortly before Microsoft’s announcement of Windows 11, Microsoft updated their lifecycle policy pages for Windows 10, revealing that support for their last release of Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025.^[56][57] On April 27, 2023, Microsoft announced that version 22H2 would be the last of Windows 10.^[58][59]

Windows 11

On June 24, 2021, Windows 11 was announced as the successor to Windows 10 during a livestream. The new operating system was designed to be more user-friendly and understandable. It was released on October 5, 2021.^[60][61] As of May 2022, Windows 11 is a free upgrade to Windows 10 users who meet the system requirements.^[62]

Windows 365

In July 2021, Microsoft announced it will start selling subscriptions to virtualized Windows desktops as part of a new Windows 365 service in the following month. The new service will allow for cross-platform usage, aiming to make the operating system available for both Apple and Android users. It is a separate service and offers several variations including Windows 365 Frontline, Windows 365 Boot, and the Windows 365 app.^[63] The subscription service will be accessible through any operating system with a web browser. The new service is an attempt at capitalizing on the growing trend, fostered during the COVID-19 pandemic, for businesses to adopt a hybrid remote work environment, in which «employees split their time between the office and home». As the service will be accessible through web browsers, Microsoft will be able to bypass the need to publish the service through Google Play or the Apple App Store.^{[64][65][66][67][68]}

Microsoft announced Windows 365 availability to business and enterprise customers on August 2, 2021.^[69]

Multilingual support

Multilingual support has been built into Windows since Windows 3.0. The language for both the keyboard and the interface can be changed through the Region and Language Control Panel. Components for all supported input languages, such as Input Method Editors, are automatically installed during Windows installation (in Windows XP and earlier, files for East Asian languages, such as Chinese, and files for right-to-left scripts, such as Arabic, may need to be installed separately, also from the said Control Panel). Third-party IMEs may also be installed if a user feels that the provided one is insufficient for their needs. Since Windows 2000, English editions of Windows NT have East Asian IMEs (such as Microsoft Pinyin IME and Microsoft Japanese IME) bundled, but files for East Asian languages may be manually installed on Control Panel.

Interface languages for the operating system are free for download, but some languages are limited to certain 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 originally shipped with). This is used for most languages in emerging markets. Full Language Packs, which translate the complete 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 except Single Language). They do not require a specific base language and are commonly used for more popular languages such as French or Chinese. These languages cannot be downloaded through the Download Center, but are available as optional updates through the Windows Update service (except Windows 8).

The interface language of installed applications is not affected by changes in the Windows interface language. The availability of languages depends on the application developers themselves.

Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 introduce 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. Changing the interface language also changes the language of preinstalled Windows Store apps (such as Mail, Maps and News) and certain other Microsoft-developed apps (such as Remote Desktop). The above limitations for language packs are however still in effect, except that full language packs can be installed for any edition except Single Language, which caters to emerging markets.

Platform support

Windows NT included support for several platforms before the x86-based personal computer became dominant in the professional world. Windows NT 4.0 and its predecessors supported PowerPC, DEC Alpha and MIPS R4000 (although some of the platforms implement 64-bit computing, the OS treated them as 32-bit). Windows 2000 dropped support for all platforms, except the third generation x86 (known as IA-32) or newer in 32-bit mode. The client line of the Windows NT family still runs on IA-32 but the Windows Server line 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. Itanium versions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 were released at the same time as their mainstream x86 counterparts. Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, released in 2005, is the last Windows client operating system 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 x86-64 (or simply x64), the 64-bit version of x86 architecture. Windows Vista was the first client version of Windows NT to be released simultaneously in IA-32 and x64 editions. x64 is still supported.

An edition of Windows 8 known as Windows RT was specifically created for computers with ARM architecture, and while ARM is still used for Windows smartphones with Windows 10, tablets with Windows RT will not be updated. Starting from Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 1709) and later includes support for ARM-based PCs.^[70]

Windows 11 is the first version to drop support for 32-bit hardware.^[62]

Windows CE

Windows CE (officially known as Windows Embedded Compact), is an edition of Windows that runs on minimalistic computers, like satellite navigation systems and some mobile phones. Windows Embedded Compact is based on its own dedicated kernel, dubbed Windows CE kernel. Microsoft licenses Windows CE to OEMs and device makers. The OEMs and device makers can modify and create their own user interfaces and experiences, while Windows CE provides the technical foundation to do so.

Windows CE was used in the Dreamcast along with Sega’s own proprietary OS for the console. Windows CE was the core from which Windows Mobile was derived. Its successor, Windows Phone 7, was based on components from both Windows CE 6.0 R3 and Windows CE 7.0. Windows Phone 8 however, is based on the same NT-kernel as Windows 8.

Windows Embedded Compact is not to be confused with Windows XP Embedded or Windows NT 4.0 Embedded, modular editions of Windows based on Windows NT kernel.

Xbox OS

Xbox OS is an unofficial name given to the version of Windows that runs on Xbox consoles.^[71] From Xbox One onwards it is an implementation with an emphasis on virtualization (using Hyper-V) as it is three operating systems running at once, consisting of the core operating system, a second implemented for games and a more Windows-like environment for applications.^[72]
Microsoft updates Xbox One’s OS every month, and these updates can be downloaded from the Xbox Live service to the Xbox and subsequently installed, or by using offline recovery images downloaded via a PC.^[73] It was originally based on NT 6.2 (Windows kernel, and the latest version runs on an NT 10.0 base. This system is sometimes referred to as «Windows 10 on Xbox One» or «OneCore».^[74][75]
Xbox One and Xbox Series operating systems also allow limited (due to licensing restrictions and testing resources) backward compatibility with previous generation hardware,^[76] and the Xbox 360’s system is backwards compatible with the original Xbox.^[77]

Version control system

Up to and including every version before Windows 2000, Microsoft used an in-house version control system named Source Library Manager (SLM). Shortly after Windows 2000 was released, Microsoft switched to a fork of Perforce named Source Depot.^[78] This system was used up until 2017 once the system could not keep up with the size of Windows.^{[citation needed]} Microsoft had begun to integrate Git into Team Foundation Server in 2013,^[79] but Windows (and Office) continued to rely on Source Depot.^[80] The Windows code was divided among 65 different repositories with a kind of virtualization layer to produce unified view of all of the code.^{[citation needed]}

In 2017 Microsoft announced that it would start using Git, an open source version control system created by Linus Torvalds and in May 2017 they reported that the migration into a new Git repository was complete.^[81][82][55]

VFSForGit

Because of its large, decades-long history, however, the Windows codebase is not especially well suited to the decentralized nature of Linux development that Git was originally created to manage.^{[citation needed]} Each Git repository contains a complete history of all the files,^[83] which proved unworkable for Windows developers because cloning the whole repository takes several hours.^{[citation needed]} Microsoft has been working on a new project called the Virtual File System for Git (VFSForGit) to address these challenges.^[82]

In 2021 the VFS for Git has been superseded by Scalar.^[84]

Timeline of releases

Use of Windows 10 has exceeded Windows 7 globally since early 2018.^[91]

For desktop and laptop computers, according to Net Applications and StatCounter (which track the use of operating systems in devices that are active on the Web), Windows was the most used operating-system family in August 2021, with around 91% usage share according to Net Applications^[92] and around 76% usage share according to StatCounter.^[93]

Including personal computers of all kinds (e.g., desktops, laptops, mobile devices, and game consoles), Windows OSes accounted for 32.67% of usage share in August 2021, compared to Android (highest, at 46.03%), iOS’s 13.76%, iPadOS’s 2.81%, and macOS’s 2.51%, according to Net Applications^[94] and 30.73% of usage share in August 2021, compared to Android (highest, at 42.56%), iOS/iPadOS’s 16.53%, and macOS’s 6.51%, according to StatCounter.^[95]

Those statistics do not include servers (including so-called cloud computing, where Microsoft is known not to be a leader, with Linux used more than Windows) as Net Applications and StatCounter use web browsing as a proxy for all use.

Security

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (May 2020)

Early versions of Windows were designed at a time where malware and networking were less common, and had few built-in security features; they did not provide access privileges to allow a user to prevent other users from accessing their files, and they did not provide memory protection to prevent one process from reading or writing another process’s address space or to prevent a process from code or data used by privileged-mode code.

While the Windows 9x series offered the option of having profiles for multiple users, it had no concept of access privileges, allowing any user to edit others’ files, however, Windows 98 included each profile to have their own My folders (My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, etc) separate from other profiles. In addition, while it ran separate 32-bit applications in separate address spaces, protecting an application’s code and data from being read or written by another application, it did not protect the first megabyte of memory from userland applications for compatibility reasons. This area of memory contains code critical to the functioning of the operating system, and by writing into this area of memory an application can crash or freeze the operating system. This was a source of instability as faulty applications could accidentally write into this region, potentially corrupting important operating system memory, which usually resulted in some form of system error and halt.^[96]

Windows NT was far more secure, implementing access privileges and full memory protection, and, while 32-bit programs meeting the DoD’s C2 security rating,^[97] yet these advantages were nullified by the fact that, prior to Windows Vista, the default user account created during the setup process was an administrator account; the user, and any program the user launched, had full access to the machine. Though Windows XP did offer an option of turning administrator accounts into limited accounts, the majority of home users did not do so, partially due to the number of programs which required administrator rights to function properly. As a result, most home users still ran as administrator all the time. These architectural flaws, combined with Windows’s very high popularity, made Windows a frequent target of computer worm and virus writers.^[98][99]

Furthermore, although Windows NT and its successors are designed for security (including on a network) and multi-user PCs, they 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.^[100]

In a 2002 strategy memo entitled «Trustworthy computing» sent to every Microsoft employee, Bill Gates declared that security should become Microsoft’s highest priority.^[101][102]

Windows Vista introduced a privilege elevation system called User Account Control.^[103] When logging in as a standard user, a logon session is created and a token containing only the most basic privileges is assigned. In this way, the new logon session is incapable of making changes that would affect the entire system. When logging in as a user in the Administrators group, two separate tokens are assigned. The first token contains all privileges typically awarded to an administrator, and the second is a restricted token similar to what a standard user would receive. User applications, including the Windows shell, are then started with the restricted token, resulting in a reduced privilege environment even under an Administrator account. When an application requests higher privileges or «Run as administrator» is clicked, UAC will prompt for confirmation and, if consent is given (including administrator credentials if the account requesting the elevation is not a member of the administrators group), start the process using the unrestricted token.^[104]

Leaked documents published by WikiLeaks, codenamed Vault 7 and dated from 2013 to 2016, detail the capabilities of the CIA to perform electronic surveillance and cyber warfare,^[105] such as the ability to compromise operating systems such as Windows.^[106]

In August 2019, computer experts reported that the BlueKeep security vulnerability, CVE-2019-0708, that potentially affects older unpatched Windows versions via the program’s Remote Desktop Protocol, allowing for the possibility of remote code execution, may include related flaws, collectively named DejaBlue, affecting newer Windows versions (i.e., Windows 7 and all recent versions) as well.^[107] In addition, experts reported a Microsoft security vulnerability, CVE-2019-1162, based on legacy code involving Microsoft CTF and ctfmon (ctfmon.exe), that affects all Windows versions from Windows XP to the then most recent Windows 10 versions; a patch to correct the flaw is available.^[108]

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.^[109] Versions subsequent to Windows 2000 SP3 and Windows XP implemented automatic download and installation of updates, substantially increasing the number of users installing security updates.^[110]

Windows integrates the Windows Defender antivirus, which is seen as one of the best available.^[111] Windows also implements Secure Boot, Control Flow Guard, ransomware protection, BitLocker disk encryption, a firewall, and Windows SmartScreen.

File permissions

All Windows versions from Windows NT 3 have been based on a file system permission system referred to as AGDLP (Accounts, Global, Domain Local, Permissions) in which file permissions are applied to the file/folder in the form of a ‘local group’ which then has other ‘global groups’ as members. These global groups then hold other groups or users depending on different Windows versions used. This system varies from other vendor products such as Linux and NetWare due to the ‘static’ allocation of permission being applied directly to the file or folder. However using this process of AGLP/AGDLP/AGUDLP allows a small number of static permissions to be applied and allows for easy changes to the account groups without reapplying the file permissions on the files and folders.

Alternative implementations

Owing to the operating system’s popularity, a number of applications have been released that aim to provide compatibility with Windows applications, either as a compatibility layer for another operating system, or as a standalone system that can run software written for Windows out of the box. These include:

• Wine – a free and open-source implementation of the Windows API, allowing one to run many Windows applications on x86-based platforms, including UNIX, Linux and macOS. Wine developers refer to it as a «compatibility layer»^[112] and use Windows-style APIs to emulate Windows environment.
  • CrossOver – a Wine package with licensed fonts. Its developers are regular contributors to Wine.
  • Proton – A fork of Wine by Steam to run Windows games on Linux and other Unix-like OS.
• ReactOS – an open-source OS intended to run the same software as Windows, originally designed to simulate Windows NT 4.0, later aiming at Windows 7 compatibility. It has been in the development stage since 1996.

See also

References

External links

• Official website
• Official Windows Blog
• Microsoft Developer Network
• Windows Developer Center
• Microsoft Windows History Timeline
• Pearson Education, InformIT – History of Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Business Software Solutions
• Windows 10 release Information

Каждый раз, когда мы запускаем компьютер, мы видим перед собой рабочий стол и окна, которые отображают открытые программы, файлы и папки. Все это называется «Windows». Но что же означает это слово?

«Windows» — это английское слово, которое переводится как «окна». Оно часто используется в контексте компьютерных программ, операционных систем, таких как «Microsoft Windows» и «macOS», где многие задачи выполняются в окнах.

Общепринято, что название «Windows» было выбрано из-за их особой роли в пользовательском интерфейсе. Первоначально компанию «Microsoft» основали Билл Гейтс и Пол Аллен, и в первых версиях операционной системы использовались общепринятые интерфейсы командной строки. Однако в 1983 году была выпущена первая версия «Windows», которая предоставила пользователям новый уровень интерфейса с графическими элементами и удобным способом управления приложениями.

Таким образом, название «Windows» было выбрано из-за того, что они стали ключевым элементом нового интерфейса. Сегодня «Windows» продолжает быть одной из самых популярных операционных систем в мире, используемой на миллиардах компьютеров по всему миру.

Определение слова «windows»

Windows является одним из самых популярных операционных систем для персональных компьютеров. Но что означает это слово в переводе на русский язык?

Согласно словарю Cambridge, слово «windows» переводится как «окна» или «оконные проемы». Но как это связано с операционной системой?

Название «Windows» было выбрано в 1985 году, когда Майкрософт выпустила свою первую версию операционной системы с графическим интерфейсом пользователя. Название «Windows» отражало основную концепцию системы — использование отдельных окон на экране для отображения приложений и файлов. Таким образом, каждое приложение работало в своем «окне», что давало пользователю большую свободу действий и возможность мультитаскинга.

С тех пор операционная система Windows развивалась, и объединяет в себе множество инструментов и функций для работы с компьютером. Название «Windows» стало символом надежности, удобства и простоты использования для миллионов пользователей по всему миру.

Происхождение названия «windows»

Windows – это операционная система, разработанная компанией Microsoft в 1980-х годах. Она получила такое название из-за ее пользовательского интерфейса, который был построен на базе графических элементов в виде окошек (англ. windows).

В 1983 году Майкрософт начал разрабатывать новую операционную систему, которая получила название Interface Manager. Он был представлен на выставке в Нью-Йорке в 1983 году и представлял собой операционную систему с графическим пользовательским интерфейсом и мышью в качестве управляющего устройства.

Позже, когда система была полностью готова к выпуску, название было изменено на Windows. Это, конечно, было связано с тем, что пользователи могли открывать множество различных приложений в отдельных окошках – окнах.

Windows сейчас является одной из самых популярных операционных систем в мире и используется на миллионах компьютеров во всем мире.

Как использовать слово «windows» в английском языке?

Слово «windows» в английском языке имеет несколько значений и использований.

1. Окна (оконные рамы)

Первое значение слова «windows» — это окна (оконные рамы), как элементы архитектуры зданий. Например: «I opened the windows to let some fresh air in». (Я открыл окна, чтобы пропустить свежий воздух внутрь).

2. Операционная система Windows

Самое известное значение слова «windows» — это операционная система компьютера, разработанная компанией Microsoft — Windows. Например: «I prefer using Windows 10 for my work». (Я предпочитаю использовать Windows 10 для своей работы).

3. Оконное приложение

В программировании слово «windows» используется для обозначения оконного приложения, которое работает в операционной системе Windows. Например: «I created a new windows application to manage my data». (Я создал новое оконное приложение для управления своими данными).

4. Оконный интерфейс

В информационных технологиях слово «windows» может обозначать оконный интерфейс, который включает в себя элементы управления окном приложения — кнопки, поля ввода, и т.д. Например: «The user interface of this software has multiple windows and menus». (Интерфейс этого программного обеспечения имеет несколько окон и меню).

• Использование слова «windows» может быть полезным при общении с англоязычными коллегами и друзьями в сферах компьютеров и информационных технологий.
• Важно понимать контекст, в котором используется слово «windows», чтобы не возникло недопонимания.

Вопрос-ответ

Как происходило развитие программного продукта Windows?

Windows начал свое развитие в 1981 году как проект интерфейса для операционной системы MS-DOS. В 1985 году вышла первая версия Windows, которая называлась Windows 1.0. Постепенно система эволюционировала и развивалась, выходили более совершенные версии: Windows 2.0, Windows 3.0, Windows 95, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 и др.

Что означает слово «windows» на английском языке?

Слово «windows» — это множественное число от существительного «window», что переводится как «окно». В контексте операционных систем, окна — это представление графических элементов на экране, используемые для процессов взаимодействия пользователя с компьютером.

Могу ли я использовать Windows, если мой компьютер устарел?

Для работы Windows, необходимы определенные технические характеристики компьютера, такие как объем оперативной памяти, процессор и др. В зависимости от версии операционной системы, могут быть разные требования, но в целом, если компьютер не очень устарел, то можно использовать более старые версии Windows, такие как Windows 7 или Windows 8. Однако, если устройство уже очень старое, то лучше использовать менее требовательные операционные системы или обновить компьютер.

Microsoft Windows is a group of several graphical operating system families, all of which are developed, marketed, and sold by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. Active Windows families include Windows NT and Windows Embedded; these may encompass subfamilies, e.g. Windows Embedded Compact (Windows CE) or Windows Server. Defunct 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).^[1] 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). On PCs, Windows is still the most popular operating system. However, in 2014, Microsoft admitted losing the majority of the overall operating system market to Android,^[2] 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. This comparison however may not be fully relevant, as the two operating systems traditionally target different platforms. Still, numbers for server use of Windows (that are comparable to competitors) show one third market share, similar to for end-user use.

As of October 2021, the most recent version of Windows for PCs and tablets is Windows 11. The most recent versions for server computers is Windows Server 2022. The last version available for smartphones and embedded devices was Windows 10. A specialized version of Windows runs on the Xbox One video game console.^[3] Microsoft rolled out its first release of Windows 11 on October 5, 2021.^[4]

Versions[]

There have been many versions of Windows since its introduction in 1985, ranging from 16-bit to 64-bit, for both client and server applications.

Major releases of the consumer operating system[]

• Windows 1.0 (1985)
• Windows 2.0 (1987)
• Windows 2.1 (1988)
• Windows 3.0 (1990)
• Windows 3.1 (1992)
• Windows 95 (1995)
• Windows 98 (1998)
• Windows 2000 (1999)
• Windows Me (2000)
• Windows XP (2001)
• Windows Vista (2006)
• Windows 7 (2009)
• Windows 8 (2012)
• Windows RT (2012)
• Windows 8.1 (2013)
• Windows 10 (2015)
• Windows 11 (2021)

Major releases of the business / server operating system[]

• Windows NT 3.1 (1993)
• Windows NT 3.5 (1994)
• Windows NT 3.51 (1995)
• Windows NT 4.0 (1996)
• Windows 2000 Server (2000)
• Windows Server 2003 (2003)
• Windows Server 2003 R2 (2005)
• Windows Server 2008 (2008)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 (2009)
• Windows Server 2012 (2012)
• Windows Server 2012 R2 (2013)
• Windows Server 2016 (2016)
• Windows Server 2019 (2018)
• Windows Server 2022 (2021)

History[]

Windows was first originated as an add-on to MS-DOS to provide a graphical user interface to the traditional command-line system.

Windows 1.0[]

The first independent version of Microsoft Windows, version 1.0, released in November 1985, lacked a degree of functionality and achieved little popularity.

Windows 2.0[]

Windows 2.0 was released in November 1987 and was slightly more popular than its predecessor. Windows 2.03 (release date January 1988) had introduced overlapping windows, which led to Apple Computer filing a suit against Microsoft alleging copyright infringement.

Windows 3.0[]

Windows 3.0, released in 1990, was the first Windows version to achieve broad commercial success, selling 2 million copies in the first six months. It featured improvements to the user interface and to multitasking capabilities. It was updated to version 3.1 in 1992.

Windows NT 3.1[]

In July 1993, Microsoft released Windows NT based on IBM OS/2 technology (which Microsoft had been co-developing for several years prior). NT was targeted at businesses rather than home users, although these separate lines would later be combined.

Windows 95[]

On August 24, 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95, which introduced support for native 32-bit applications and long file names of up to 255 characters. The most significant addition, however, was the Start Menu – a graphical menu which provides a central launching point for programs and performing other tasks.

Windows 98[]

The next in line was Microsoft Windows 98 released in June 1998. Substantially criticized for its slowness compared with Windows 95, many of its basic problems were later rectified with the release of Windows 98 Second Edition in 1999.

Windows 2000/Me[]

As part of its business line, Microsoft released the NT-based Windows 2000 in February 2000, which was used for servers and workstations alike. The consumer version was the 9x-based Windows Me (Millennium Edition), released in September 2000. Windows Me attempted to implement a number of new technologies for Microsoft, most notably Universal Plug and Play, however, the OS was substantially criticized for its lack of compatibility and stability.

Windows XP[]

In October 2001, Microsoft released Windows XP, a version built on the Windows NT kernel that also retained the consumer-oriented usability of Windows 95 and its successors. It shipped in two distinct editions, «Home» and «Professional», the former lacking many of the superior security and networking features of the Professional edition. Additionally, the «Media Center» edition was released in 2003, with an emphasis on support for DVD and TV functionality including program recording and a remote control.

Windows Server 2003[]

Windows Server 2003 was introduced in April 2003, replacing the Windows 2000 line of server products with a number of new features and a strong focus on security; this was followed in December 2005 by Windows Server 2003 R2 (Release 2).

Windows Vista[]

The long-awaited Windows Vista, codenamed Longhorn, was released in 2007 with 5 editions. Vista was built on the more recent and more stable platform of Server 2003. Windows Server 2008 was introduced in February 2008.

Windows 7[]

In October 2009, Windows 7 was launched as the successor to Vista, and is considered to be a lot more stable and usable than its predecessor. At the same time, Windows Server 2008 R2 was launched as an update to the server line.

Windows 8[]

In October 26, 2012, Windows 8 was launched as the successor to Windows 7 and introduced major changes to the OS’s platform and user interface to improve experience on mobile devices, because Windows was now competing with mobile OS’s. Windows Server 2012 was also released.

Windows 8.1[]

Windows 8.1 was released on October 17, 2013 to address complaints of Windows 8. It included visual enhancements, new apps, and support for new technologies. It received more acceptance than Windows 8. Windows Server 2012 R2 was released at that time.

Windows 10[]

Windows 10 was released on July 29, 2015 as the successor to Windows 8.1, and addresses shortcomings in the user interface first introduced with Windows 8. Changes include the return of the Start menu, a virtual desktop system, and the ability to run Windows Store apps within windows on the desktop instead of in full-screen mode. The user interface is designed to handle changes between mouse and touchscreen interfaces. The server equivalents for Windows 10 are Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019. The current version of Windows 10 is version 21H1, released in May 2021.

Windows 11[]

Windows 11, codenamed «Sun Valley«, was leaked on June 15, 2021 and was formally announced on June 24 as the successor to Windows 10 during a livestream. Preview builds began being released through the Windows Insider Program on June 28, demonstrating the return of a rounded user interface and a Start Menu and Taskbar that are centered by default.^[5] Windows 11 was released as a free upgrade to eligible customers on October 5, 2021.^[4][6] A phased rollout of the Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2) began on September 20, 2022.^[7] The next annual update is codenamed «Copper» (23H2) and is scheduled for release in 2023. New features in development include the ability to expand the view of Widgets, an improved Xbox Game Pass Widget, redesigned «Rename this PC» and date/time picker UI.^[8]

Future[]

Microsoft announced that major new versions of Windows are being scheduled for release every 3 years, placing the next such version in 2024.^[9] Upcoming features from a prototype build that was demonstrated at Microsoft Ignite 2022 included a rounded floating Taskbar, weather information and system icons at the top corners, an elongated pill-shaped search bar at the top center, and a working codename of «Next Valley«.^[10] In December 2022, Microsoft began the Zinc (24H2) development semester.^[11] On March 8, 2023, the Windows Insider Program initiated the Canary Channel to begin separate testing of experimental features believed to be intended for Windows 12.^[12]

Interface[]

The most obvious feature of Windows is a window or a container for other graphical objects. A Window in Microsoft Windows typically contains a status bar, title bar, minimize and maximize buttons, close button, and system menu (also called the windows menu or control menu). Another prominent feature since Windows 95 and NT 4.0 is the desktop, which holds various icons that the user can double-click to open. The Start Button and Start Menu, attached to the taskbar and typically below the desktop, gives users access to installed programs and many of the other features of the operating system.

Due to these and features, Windows makes it possible to perform most common tasks, some quite complex, with very little computer knowledge. Windows also comes with features to help the disabled through its accessibility options. Under Windows XP, these features include the Narrator, Magnifier, and contrast display mode.

Logo timeline[]

1985-2001 as Microsoft Windows 1.0x-2.x

1988-2001 as Microsoft Windows 3.0

1991-2010 as Microsoft Windows 3.1-2000

1995-2006 as Microsoft Windows 9x

2001-2014 as Windows XP

2006-2012 as Windows Vista-7

2012-2015 as Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

2015-2021 as Windows 10

2021-present as Windows 11

Widespread usage[]

Microsoft Windows is installed on the vast majority of personal computers. A July 2005 poll of Network Computing magazine readers found that 90% of their organizations used Microsoft’s desktop operating systems. It has achieved enormous market penetration due to the domination of MS-DOS in the early days of PC compatible computers (IBM PC clones). It is also the primary platform for Microsoft Office and most non-console computer games.

The widespread use of Microsoft’s operating system has benefited from not being tied to the success of one hardware manufacturer and from Microsoft’s willingness to license the operating system to manufacturers. This is in contrast with Apple Computer, which does not license Mac OS X to other manufacturers, and Sun Microsystems, which did not license Solaris before it was made free and open-source. However, the wide spectrum of possible hardware permutations with Microsoft Windows is also a major source of computer problems because of hardware-software incompatibilities for consumers.

In the past, companies who wanted to be in the computer business had to create their own operating systems (such as the Amiga, BBC Micro or ZX Spectrum) or choose another OS; even an exclusive license with one vendor was significantly cheaper than developing and supporting a new operating system and software base.

Due to Microsoft’s extensive licensing agreements with many computer vendors, Windows presently comes pre-installed on most computers as a bundled OEM version, making it the default or only choice for most of the market.

For some consumers, Windows is the only valid option for a computing environment, or it is mandated by their workplace; additionally, an unfamiliarity with other operating systems results in a lack of desire to switch to other operating systems. A significant percentage of computer users simply lack the technical knowledge needed to install an operating system.

Finally, the large base of software available exclusively for the Windows family of operating systems has become the single largest self-perpetuating reason for the popularity of Windows. In recent years, many companies have been started with the sole intention of releasing Windows software; the fact that there is already a large customer base in place is reason enough for such companies to spend their resources solely on Windows software development. As a result, the fact that many companies are supporting Windows exclusively is a self-reinforcing reason for customers to choose Windows.

Maintaining compatibility in a new release of Windows with this large collection of software designed to run on older flavors of Windows consumes a large part of the resources of the Windows development team.

Security[]

Security has been a major weakness of Windows for many years, and even Microsoft itself has been the victim of cracks and hacks. Due to the widespread usage of Windows on personal computers, many crackers (also known as black hat hackers) have targeted Windows rather than the lesser-used operating systems such as Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, and FreeBSD. Some believe that due to being designed for security in a multi-user and/or networked environment some other operating systems have a relatively small number of security issues. Windows was originally designed for ease-of-use on a single-user PC without a network connection and did not have security features built-in from the outset. Combined with occasionally flawed code (such as buffer overflows), Windows is a continuous target of worms and virus writers. Furthermore, until Service Pack 2 of Windows XP most versions of Windows were shipped with important security features disabled by default, and vulnerable albeit useful system services enabled by default. 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.

Microsoft publicly admitted their ongoing security problems shortly after the turn of the century and now claims to regard security as their number one priority. As a result, Service Pack 2 for Windows XP greatly increased the security of the operating system. 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. In Windows 2000 (Service Pack 3 and later), Windows Me, and Windows XP, updates can be automatically downloaded and installed if the user selects to do so.

As another step in their focus on security, Microsoft has released Windows Defender (formerly Windows AntiSpyware and Giant AntiSpyware) a free program designed to protect against spyware and other unwanted software.

A study conducted by Kevin Mitnick and marketing communications firm Avantgarde found that an unprotected and unpatched Windows XP system lasted only 4 minutes on the Internet before it was compromised. The AOL/National Cyber Security Alliance Online Safety Study of October 2004 determined that 80% of Windows users were infected by at least one spyware/adware product. Much documentation is available describing how to increase the security of Microsoft Windows products. Typical suggestions include deploying Microsoft Windows behind a hardware or software firewall, running anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and installing patches as they become available through Windows Update.

See also[]

• General
  • Microsoft

• Further reading
  • Architecture of the Windows NT operating system line
  • History of Microsoft Windows
  • List of Microsoft Windows components
  • Microsoft Windows topics
  • Windows Explorer
  • Windows Genuine Advantage
  • Windows Media

References[]

External links[]

Official[]

• Microsoft’s Official Windows Website
• Official Promotional Website (Windows.com)
• Windows history time line from Microsoft
• Windows official Twitter
• Windows official YouTube channel

Tips and documentation[]

• How to run multiple versions of Windows on one PC
• Tech-Recipes Windows Guide – listing of almost 500 Windows Tutorials
• The Windows Documentation Project (wiki)
• Securing Microsoft Windows (for Home and Small Business Users)
• Symantec Anti-Virus Research Center – excellent informational security resource, and Symantec are makers of Norton Anti-Virus (third party software sold separately).
• dotwhat? — File Extension Listing – a huge listing of file extensions and the programs that use them
• Windows – tips and tricks for Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000 and XP
• Windows Support Script
• The Windows Wiki
• Vernalex’s Windows Services Utility – an unofficial list of most Windows services with detailed descriptions and recommended run states

Programming Microsoft Windows[]

• Microsoft Development Network for programming Microsoft Windows
• Windows API tutorial in C++

Libraries[]

• RSWL – free Reliable Software C++ Windows API library.

Reviews and evaluation[]

• Paul Thurrott’s SuperSite for Windows – an exhaustive evaluation of Microsoft’s products and technologies
• «Time to Live on the Network» – a security study by Kevin Mitnick and AvantGarde (PDF)
• Windows XP: rough around the edges – an UI review of Windows XP
• Frank Mahler’s Interface Hall Of Shame (in German)
• AOL/National Cyber Security Alliance Online Safety Study (October 2004) (PDF)
• Interface Hall of Shame – an analysis of user interfaces with a focus on Windows

Other[]

• Windows history – a Windows history time line graph by Éric Lévénez (detailed, continually updated)
• GUIdebook: Windows Gallery – a website dedicated to preserving and showcasing graphical user interfaces
• Windows 20th Birthday

Microsoft Windows family
Versions • Components • History
Original
DOS-based
Windows 1.0 • Windows 2.0 • Windows 2.1 (Windows/286 • Windows/386) • Windows 3.0 • Windows 3.1
Windows 9x
Windows 95 • Windows 98 • Windows Me
Windows NT
Early versions
Windows NT 3.1 • Windows NT 3.5 • Windows NT 3.51 • Windows NT 4.0 • Windows 2000
Client
Windows XP (development) • Windows Vista (editions • development) • Windows 7 (editions • development) • Windows 8 • Windows 10 • Windows 11
Windows Server
Server 2003 • Server 2008 (2008 R2) • HPC Server 2008 • Home Server • Small Business Server • Essential Business Server • Windows Server 2012 • Windows Server 2016 • Windows Server 2019 • Windows Server 2022
Specialized
Windows Embedded • Windows PE • Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
Mobile
Windows Mobile • Windows Phone
Cancelled
Cairo • Nashville • Neptune • Odyssey • Windows 10X
Related
Metro • Midori • OS/2 • Windows Aero • Windows Setup • Windows XP themes • Microsoft Plus!

Детище Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation,
широко известная как Microsoft,
— американская многонациональная технологическая компания, основанная
Биллом Гейтсом и Полом Алленом 4 апреля 1975 года. Штаб-квартира компании
расположена в Редмонде, штат Вашингтон.

Компания впервые стала известна благодаря разработке и
продаже дисковой операционной системы Microsoft (MS-DOS), которая использовалась
в персональных компьютерах IBM.
Однако 1985 году Microsoft
выпустила Windows,
которая быстро стала доминирующей операционной системой для персональных
компьютеров и сделала ее лидером рынка.

На протяжении 1990-х и 2000-х годов Microsoft продолжала доминировать на
рынке персональных компьютеров именно благодаря своей операционной системе Windows и пакету программного
обеспечения Office.

Сейчас Microsoft
является одной из крупнейших технологических компаний в мире с рыночной
капитализацией более 2 триллионов долларов. В компании работает более 181 000
сотрудников по всему миру, а ее деятельность осуществляется в более чем 190
странах.

С чего все началось

История операционной системы Windows началась в начале 1980-х
годов, когда соучредитель компании Microsoft Билл Гейтс осознал потенциал
графических пользовательских интерфейсов (GUI) в вычислительной технике. Он
представлял себе удобную операционную систему, которая могла бы работать на
IBM-совместимых персональных компьютерах.

В 1983 году компания Microsoft начала разработку
операционной системы на основе графического интерфейса пользователя под
названием Windows, которая должна была работать поверх существующей
операционной системы MS-DOS. Первая версия, Windows 1.0, была выпущена в 1985
году и имела простой интерфейс с плиточными окнами, выпадающими меню и системой
навигации с помощью мыши.

Windows 2.0 была выпущена в 1987 году и содержала
значительные усовершенствования, включая возможность перекрытия окон и улучшенные
графические возможности. За ней последовала Windows 3.0 в 1990 году, которая
стала первой широко успешной версией Windows, было продано более 10 миллионов
копий.

Windows 95 была выпущена в 1995 году и стала важной вехой в
истории операционной системы Windows. В ней появились знаковое меню «Пуск» и
панель задач, которые стали неотъемлемой частью пользовательского интерфейса
Windows. Она также отличалась повышенной производительностью и стабильностью, а
также поддержкой оборудования Plug and Play.

Последующие версии Windows: Windows 98, Windows 2000 и
Windows NT — продолжали развивать эти улучшения и добавляли
новые функции, такие как подключение к Интернету и улучшенные мультимедийные
возможности.

В 2001 году компания Microsoft выпустила Windows XP, которая
представляла собой значительную переработку операционной системы и ввела ряд
новых функций, включая переработанный пользовательский интерфейс, улучшенную
производительность и встроенную поддержку беспроводных сетей.

С тех пор Microsoft продолжает выпускать новые версии
Windows, включая Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 и Windows 11.
Каждая новая версия привносит новые функции и улучшения.

Сегодня Windows — самая распространенная операционная
система в мире, насчитывающая более 1,3 миллиарда активных пользователей.

Развитие пользовательского интерфейса

За прошедшие годы интерфейс Windows претерпел множество
изменений, предлагая пользователям все больше удобств.

Windows 1.0 (1985): Первая версия Windows имела простой
графический интерфейс пользователя (GUI), который позволял пользователям
использовать мышь для навигации по меню и открытия программ.

Windows 95 (1995): В этой версии появилось знаковое меню «Пуск»,
которое позволяло пользователям быстро открывать программы и файлы. В ней также
появилась панель задач, которая отображала запущенные программы и позволяла
пользователям переключаться между ними.

Windows XP (2001): В Windows XP были переработаны меню «Пуск»
и панель задач, которые имели более современный вид. В ней также были
представлены визуальные стили, которые позволяли пользователям настраивать
внешний вид операционной системы.

Windows Vista (2006): В Vista был значительно переработан
пользовательский интерфейс с новой темой Aero, включающей полупрозрачные окна и
анимацию. В ней также появилась боковая панель, которая позволяла пользователям
добавлять и настраивать гаджеты.

Windows 7 (2009): Windows 7 усовершенствовала тему Aero,
представленную в Vista, улучшила производительность и добавила новые функции,
такие как Jump Lists, которые обеспечивали быстрый доступ к часто используемым
файлам.

Windows 8 (2012): Windows 8 существенно отличается от
предыдущих версий Windows, представляя собой интерфейс, ориентированный на
сенсорное управление и оптимизированный для планшетов и других сенсорных
устройств. Меню «Пуск» было заменено полноэкранным экраном «Пуск» с живыми
плитками, отображающими информацию и обновления приложений.

Windows 10 (2015): Windows 10 объединила традиционный
интерфейс рабочего стола с сенсорно-ориентированным дизайном Windows 8, вновь
представив меню «Пуск» и добавив новые функции, такие как Task View и
виртуальные рабочие столы. В ней также была представлена система Fluent Design
System, которая обеспечивает более современный и последовательный внешний вид и
ощущение на различных устройствах и в приложениях.

Windows 11 (2021): появился новый вариант многозадачности с
большим количеством окон, обновленный проводник имеет современный и более
чистый вид с новыми элементами дизайна пользовательского интерфейса, появились
макеты прикрепления с двумя колонками для упрощения многозадачности. Также Windows
11 поддерживает анимированный фон экрана блокировки на компьютерах, оснащенных
акселерометром.

Провалы и неудачи

Хотя у каждой версии Windows есть свои сильные и слабые
стороны, некоторые считаются неудачными и провалились в продажах. Обычно к ним
относят следующие версии:

Windows ME (Millennium Edition): выпущенная в 2000 году,
Windows ME страдала от проблем со стабильностью и совместимостью, ее
критиковали за низкую производительность, частые сбои и отсутствие новых
функций. Она не была хорошо принята критиками и потребителями, и считается
одной из худших версий Windows.

Windows Vista: хотя Vista внесла несколько значительных
улучшений по сравнению со своей предшественницей, Windows XP, она также
страдала от проблем с производительностью и совместимостью, а также от высоких
системных требований. Vista критиковали за медлительность, ошибки и отсутствие
новых интересных функций, что заставило многих пользователей отказаться от нее
или перейти на Windows XP.

Windows 8: Ориентируясь на удобные сенсорные интерфейсы и
мобильные устройства, Windows 8 значительно отличалась от предыдущих версий
Windows и столкнулась с критикой со стороны пользователей, которые сочли новый
интерфейс запутанным и сложным в использовании на настольных компьютерах и
ноутбуках. Отказ от традиционного меню «Пуск» и ставка на начальный экран также
вызвали критику.

Стоит отметить, что даже в этих версиях были свои сильные
стороны и были представлены некоторые инновационные функции, но они не были
приняты пользователями.

Особенности системы

Операционная система Windows имеет различные особенности,
которые делают ее популярной и широко используемой. Вот некоторые из них:

Пользовательский интерфейс: Windows предоставляет
графический интерфейс пользователя (GUI), который прост в использовании и
настраивается. Пользователи могут легко перемещаться по различным приложениям и
настройкам.

Многозадачность: Windows позволяет пользователям запускать
несколько приложений одновременно, что облегчает переключение между различными
программами.

Управление файлами: Windows имеет мощную систему управления
файлами, которая позволяет легко организовывать, искать и извлекать файлы.

Совместимость: Windows совместима с широким спектром
аппаратного и программного обеспечения, что облегчает поиск совместимых
устройств и приложений.

Безопасность: Windows имеет встроенные функции безопасности,
такие как антивирус и брандмауэр, которые помогают защитить пользователей от
вредоносных программ и других угроз безопасности.

Регулярные обновления: Windows регулярно обновляется для
повышения производительности, исправления ошибок и добавления новых функций.

Универсальные приложения: Windows имеет платформу
универсальных приложений, которая позволяет разработчикам создавать приложения,
которые могут работать на различных устройствах, включая ПК, планшеты и
смартфоны.

Cortana: Cortana — это персональный цифровой помощник,
который может помочь пользователям в решении различных задач, таких как
установка напоминаний, планирование встреч и поиск информации в Интернете.

Microsoft Store: Microsoft Store — это цифровой магазин, где
пользователи могут загружать приложения, игры и другой контент.

Игры: Windows также является популярной платформой для игр,
поддерживая DirectX и другие игровые технологии.

Модели распространения

Microsoft использует различные модели коммерческого
распространения своей операционной системы Windows, включая:

Розничная торговля: Windows можно приобрести в розничных
магазинах в виде коробочных пакетов программного обеспечения, включающих
установочные диски и лицензионные ключи.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): Windows
предустановлена на компьютерах и устройствах, продаваемых такими
производителями, как Dell, HP и Lenovo. Эти производители приобретают лицензии
на Windows у Microsoft и устанавливают операционную систему на свои устройства,
прежде чем продавать их потребителям.

Объемное лицензирование: Эта модель предназначена для
предприятий и организаций, которым необходимо установить Windows на несколько
компьютеров. Microsoft предлагает лицензии на объем, которые позволяют
организациям устанавливать Windows на определенное количество устройств, как
правило, по более низкой цене за лицензию, чем розничные или OEM-лицензии.

Подписка: Microsoft предлагает модель Windows на основе
подписки под названием Microsoft 365, которая включает доступ к операционной
системе, приложениям Microsoft Office и другим облачным сервисам. Эта модель
предназначена для предприятий и частных лиц, которые хотят вносить ежемесячную
или ежегодную плату за доступ к программному обеспечению и услугам Microsoft.

В целом, модели коммерческого распространения Windows
позволяют Microsoft охватить широкий круг клиентов, от индивидуальных
потребителей до крупных организаций, предлагая различные варианты ценообразования
и лицензирования.

В России сейчас есть определенные затруднения с покупкой
лицензий, но они преодолимы.

Альтернативы – преимущества и недостатки

Windows, Linux и MacOS — три популярные операционные
системы, используемые частными лицами и предприятиями по всему миру. Каждая из
них имеет свои уникальные особенности и характеристики, которые отличают ее от
других. Вот некоторые ключевые различия между Windows, Linux и MacOS, а также
их преимущества и недостатки.

Пользовательский интерфейс:

Одно из самых значительных различий между тремя
операционными системами — это пользовательский интерфейс. Windows известна
своим простым и легким в использовании интерфейсом, который делает ее удобной
для начинающих пользователей. Linux, с другой стороны, предлагает настраиваемый
интерфейс, который может быть настроен по вкусу пользователя. MacOS имеет
изящный и минималистичный интерфейс, в котором основное внимание уделяется
эстетике и простоте использования.

Открытый исходный код против закрытого:

Linux — это операционная система с открытым исходным кодом,
что означает, что исходный код доступен для всех желающих, его можно свободно
просматривать, изменять и распространять. Windows и MacOS являются
операционными системами с закрытым исходным кодом, что означает, что исходный
код недоступен для общественности.

Доступность программного обеспечения:

Windows имеет самую большую библиотеку программного
обеспечения и поддержку, так как это самая распространенная операционная
система в мире. MacOS имеет меньшую библиотеку программного обеспечения, но она
предлагает высококачественное программное обеспечение, оптимизированное для
этой платформы. Linux имеет обширную коллекцию программного обеспечения с
открытым исходным кодом, но найти совместимое с ней коммерческое программное
обеспечение может быть сложнее.

Безопасность:

Windows считается наиболее уязвимой для вирусов и
вредоносных программ, что делает ее частой мишенью для хакеров. MacOS известна
как более безопасная, чем Windows, но и она не полностью защищена от угроз
безопасности. Linux — самая безопасная из трех систем, с меньшим количеством
уязвимостей в безопасности благодаря своей природе с открытым исходным кодом,
что позволяет чаще получать исправления и обновления.

Совместимость оборудования:

Windows совместима с широким спектром аппаратного
обеспечения, что делает ее популярной среди геймеров и пользователей, которым
требуется высококлассное оборудование. MacOS имеет ограниченный спектр
аппаратных возможностей, поскольку она доступна только на устройствах Apple.
Linux имеет ограниченную совместимость с оборудованием, но популярен для работы
на старых машинах и серверах.

Преимущества Windows:

Большая библиотека программного обеспечения и поддержка

Удобный интерфейс

Совместимость с широким спектром аппаратных средств

Широко используется и знакома многим пользователям

Недостатки Windows:

Уязвимость к вирусам и вредоносным программам

Закрытый исходный код

Ограниченные возможности настройки

Преимущества MacOS:

Изящный и минималистичный интерфейс

Высококачественное программное обеспечение

Повышенная безопасность по сравнению с Windows

Интеграция с устройствами Apple

Недостатки MacOS:

Ограниченная совместимость с аппаратным обеспечением

Меньшая библиотека программного обеспечения

Закрытый исходный код

Преимущества Linux:

Код с открытым исходным кодом

Высоко настраиваемый интерфейс

Более безопасный, чем Windows и
MacOS

Свободен в использовании и распространении

Недостатки Linux:

Ограниченная совместимость с коммерческим программным
обеспечением

Может быть более сложным для начинающих пользователей

Ограниченная совместимость с аппаратным обеспечением

Перспективы развития Windows

Основываясь на отраслевых тенденциях, можно сделать
предположения о направлениях развития Windows.

Интеграция облака: Microsoft продвигает интеграцию облака с
Windows, облегчая пользователям доступ к облачным службам прямо с рабочего
стола. Сюда входят такие функции, как интеграция OneDrive, поддержка Azure
Active Directory и Windows Virtual Desktop.

Безопасность: В связи с ростом числа кибератак компания
Microsoft уделяет большое внимание повышению безопасности Windows. Сюда входят
такие функции, как распознавание лица Windows Hello, улучшенная биометрическая
аутентификация и интеграция с Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

Интеграция искусственного интеллекта: Microsoft работает над
интеграцией искусственного интеллекта в Windows, чтобы обеспечить более
интеллектуальный и персонализированный опыт для пользователей. Сюда входят
такие функции, как Cortana, виртуальный помощник на базе ИИ, который может
помочь пользователям в решении задач, и платформа Windows AI, которая
предоставляет разработчикам инструменты для создания интеллектуальных
приложений.

Интеграция между устройствами: Microsoft работает над
созданием более унифицированного опыта работы на различных устройствах, включая
ПК с Windows, планшеты и смартфоны. Это включает в себя такие функции, как
приложение Your Phone, которое позволяет пользователям получать доступ к своему
смартфону с ПК, и Windows Timeline, которая обеспечивает временную шкалу
действий на разных устройствах.

Пользовательский интерфейс: Microsoft вносит изменения в
пользовательский интерфейс Windows, чтобы сделать его более современным и
удобным. Сюда входит внедрение системы Fluent Design System, которая
обеспечивает более плавный и интуитивно понятный интерфейс, а также добавление
темного режима, который снижает напряжение глаз и увеличивает время автономной
работы на устройствах с OLED-экранами.

Это лишь несколько примеров направлений развития Windows.
Microsoft постоянно развивает и адаптирует Windows для удовлетворения
меняющихся потребностей пользователей и технологического ландшафта.

Здравствуйте, начинающие пользователи компьютера! Вместе с вами постараемся разобраться в том, что такое Windows и зачем оно нам нужно.

Windows — это операционная система, сделанная корпорацией Microsoft (Майкрософт). Операционная система (ОС) — это главная программа, которая запускается при включении компьютера. Она позволяет пользователям компьютера работать с файлами, пользоваться Интернетом и запускать в окошках другие программы, игры, фильмы, музыку. Windows переводится как «окна».

Операционная система Windows платная. Если вы покупаете компьютер с уже установленной Windows, то часть денег вы платите за операционную систему. Для подтверждения того, что вы являетесь владельцем Windows, может потребоваться лицензионный ключ. Такое бывает, например, если вы переустановили Windows. Лицензионный ключ это набор символов вида «XXXXX-XXXXX-YYYYY-YYYYY-ZZZZZ». Он может быть указан в наклейке на корпусе вашего компьютера или на диске с Windows. Перепишите лицензионный ключ на листок и сохраните, может пригодиться. Наклейка выглядит примерно так:

Вместе с Windows на компьютер устанавливается набор программ, необходимых для повседневного использования:

• Калькулятор.
• Редактор Notepad (блокнот) для работы с текстовыми файлами.
• Редактор WordPad для работы с документами.
• Редактор картинок Paint.
• Браузер Edge или Internet Explorer для работы в Интернет.
• Проигрыватель видео и музыки.
• Антивирус от Microsoft (защитник).
• другие программы и даже игры.

Можно устанавливать другие программы и игры из Интернета или с дисков. Такие программы также могут быть платные.

История и разновидности Windows

Даты выхода ОС Windows для персональных компьютеров (ПК):

• Windows 1.0 (1985)
• Windows 2.0 — 2.1 (1987-1988)
• Windows 3.0 — 3.2 (1990-1994)
• Windows NT 3.1 — 3.51 (1993-1995)
• Windows 95 — Windows 4.0 (1995)
• Windows NT 4.0 (1996)
• Windows 98 — Windows 4.1 (1998)
• Windows 2000 — Windows NT 5.0 (1999)
• Windows ME — Windows 4.9 (2000)
• Windows XP — Windows NT 5.1 — 5.2 (2001-2005)
• Windows Vista — Windows NT 6.0 (2006)
• Windows 7 — Windows NT 6.1 (2009)
• Windows 8 — Windows NT 6.2 (2012)
• Windows 8.1 — Windows NT 6.3 (2013)
• Windows 10 — Windows NT 10.0 (2015)
• Windows 11 — Windows NT 10.0 (2021)

В последних версиях Windows есть сборки, отличающиеся функционалом и ценой:

• Home Edition — сборка для домашнего использования с простой конфигурацией. 
• Professional — сборка с дополнительным функционалом для более продвинутых пользователей.
• Enterprise — корпоративная версия для организаций.

Интерфейс Windows

Интерфейс — это внешний вид операционной системы. У отдельных частей интерфейса есть свои названия.

• Рабочий стол — основное место, занимает большую часть экрана. Здесь можно располагать ярлыки.
• Панель задач — здесь можно закреплять программы, с которыми вы чаще всего работаете. Здесь же показываются открытые в данный момент программы, выбранный язык, дата и время.
• Кнопка ПУСК — при нажатии открывается меню для быстрого доступа к программам.
• Ярлык — картинка, при нажатии на которые открывается соответствующая программа или документ.

Кнопка ПУСК может также находиться на вашей клавиатуре.

Внешний вид меню ПУСК:

Ссылки

Linux — что это такое?

Разновидности операционных систем

Рассмотрим какие ещё бывают операционные системы, кроме Windows. Речь пойдёт об операционных системах для персональных компьютеров. Не будем акцентировать внимание на операционных системах для серверов, мобильных телефонов и специализированной техники.

• MacOS — операционная система от компании Apple. Установлена как основная операционная система на продуктах компании. Платная.
• Linux — операционная система распространяется бесплатно. Сложна в освоении, поэтому мало распространена. Имеет несколько разновидностей (модификаций), которые поддерживаются различными компаниями и сообществами, например:
  • Ubuntu
  • Fedora
  • Elementary OS
  • Chrome OS
  • OpenSuse
  • Linux Mint
  • Mageia
  • PCLinuxOS
  • Manjaro
  • Arch
  • Puppy
  • и ещё много других
• FreeBSD — современная операционная система семейства UNIX, распространяется свободно.

Интересные факты об операционных системах

На одном компьютере может быть установлено одновременно несколько операционных систем. В этом случае при включении компьютера вас спросят, какую операционную систему нужно загрузить.

Microsoft Windows и ядро Linux могут быть запущены одновременно на одной и той же машине с помощью специального программного обеспечения CoLinux. В windows 10 уже появилась встроенная подсистема linux.

Для обучения пользователей обращению с мышкой в Microsoft разработали и внедрили в Windows компьютерную версию игры Reversi. Таким образом пользователи привыкали использовать мышь, кликая с её помощью на фишки. Задумайтесь, для чего сделана игра «сапёр»?

На рекламу Windows 95 было потрачено более 300 миллионов долларов.

В Windows нельзя создать папку с названиями con, prn, aux, nul. Это ограничение восходит относят к временам операционной системы MS-DOS. Некоторые слова были зарезервированы для обозначения устройств ввода-вывода, поэтому нельзя создать папки с такими именами.

Линус Торвальдс использовал операционную систему Minix, однако был недоволен многими ограничениями в ней и решил написать свою систему. Когда была выпущена более-менее стабильная версия, интерес Торвальдса к проекту угас, и он был готов его забросить. Но в тот же период он случайно испортил раздел на жёстком диске, где стояла Minix, и вместо её переустановки Торвальдс решил всё-таки закончить начатое. Так благодаря случайности появилось ядро Linux и впоследствии ОС GNU/Linux.

На данный момент более 75% серверов обеспечивающие надежную работу Интернет работают под управлением Linux.

MenuetOS — самая маленькая операционная система. Написана на ассемблере и помещается на дискету.