Microsoft Windows

"Windows" redirects here. For the part of a building, see Window. For the version of the OS used on phones, see Windows Phone.

Microsoft Windows

Company / developer	Microsoft
OS family	Windows NT
Working state	Active
Source model	Closed source
Initial release	(1985-11-20) November 20, 1985
Latest stable release	10.0.16299.15 / October 17, 2017 (2017-10-17)
Kernel type	Hybrid
License	Proprietary software
Official website	windows.microsoft.com

Microsoft Windows is an operating system for computers which is made by Microsoft, a company from the United States. Almost 90% of desktop and laptop computers use Windows.

History

The first version of Windows came out on November 20, 1986 and was called Windows 1.0. Since then, new versions of Windows go on sale every three years. The newest version, Windows 10, came out July 29, 2015. Most newly bought personal computers come with Windows 10, although some older or cheaper ones may have older versions such as Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 installed.

Windows makes it easier to run programs (applications) than MS-DOS did. To use DOS, you typed commands to make the computer do something. You had to use the correct syntax of each command. If you made a mistake, the computer usually gave an error message and did nothing.

Design

Users control their Windows computer by its graphical user interface (or GUI for short). It only needs a keyboard or a mouse or, in later versions, a touch screen to work. However, many things become easier by using both a keyboard and a mouse. By clicking a few buttons on the screen, Windows helps keep your files safe, and easier to change and move. Versions of Windows after 2005 also work with touch screens, making it even easier for some users with disabilities. Because of the touch screen, Windows comes on some mobile devices. Tablet computers and smartphones that use Windows include Microsoft Surface and Microsoft Lumia.

Programs

Some programs are included with Windows. Some examples are:

• WordPad – to write simple documents, typically using words/text.
• Windows Photo Viewer – to look at pictures.
• Microsoft Paint – to make simple drawings or change pictures.
• Microsoft Edge web browser – to use the Internet to look at web pages and download files.
• Windows DVD Player to watch videos.
• Windows Groove to play and listen to music

Many kinds of applications/programs are available for Windows. Some popular applications are games, word processors (to write words) or additional programs like Adobe Flash Player (to watch some videos and play many games on internet sites). Adding new applications to Windows is called "installing". Applications can be bought/purchased on a CD or DVD. Applications can also be downloaded from the Internet, some for free, and others you can buy using the internet.

Versions

Release date	Product name	Notes	Last IE
May 22, 1990	Windows 3.xxx	Unsupported (help for problems no longer given by Microsoft)	5.x
July 27, 1993	Windows NT	Unsupported	5.x
August 24, 1995	Windows 9x	Unsupported	6
November 17, 1996	Windows CE	Unsupported	6
February 17, 2000	Windows 2000	Unsupported	6
September 14, 2000	Windows Me	Unsupported	6
October 25, 2001	Windows XP	Unsupported	8
November 30, 2006 (volume licensing) January 30, 2007 (retail)	Windows Vista	Unsupported Version Changed to NT 6.0.6001 with SP1 (4 February 2008)	9
July 2007	Windows Home Server 20xx	Supported (Microsoft will help fix problems for this kind of Windows, including problems that make your computer less safe)	8
February 2008	Windows Server 2008	Supported	9
October 22, 2009	Windows 7	Supported	11
October 26, 2012	Windows 8.x	Supported	11
August 26, 2012	Windows RT 8.x	Supported	11
September 4, 2012	Windows Server 2012	Supported
July 29, 2015	Windows 10	Supported	11 or Edge

Criticism

Many users complain that Windows creates problems for them. Some people say that their computers become slower/less fast when they changed from DOS to Windows. Many people also complain about problems that make their computer less safe to use, even though Microsoft tries to fix these problems. Because Windows was until recently the most popular operating system (today mobile operating systems such as Android are more popular), many computer viruses are created to infect computers running Windows.

Other websites

• The Microsoft Windows website
• The Windows Team Blog – Official blog of the Windows Team at Microsoft