| Revision as of 05:44, 15 June 2005 view sourceCanisRufus (talk | contribs)Bots73,747 editsm dab Macintosh← Previous edit | Revision as of 02:41, 18 June 2005 view source 144.139.163.108 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| Windows Sucks forget about it- Wally | |||
| {{otheruses2|Window}} | |||
| ] | |||
| '''Microsoft Windows''' is a range of ] ] ] ]s for ]s and ]s. The range was first introduced by ] in ] and eventually has come to dominate the world personal ] market. All recent versions of Windows are fully-fledged ]s. | |||
| ''Windows'' was developed for ] computers (these were based on ] ] architecture), and today, almost all versions of ''Windows'' are made for this ] (although ] was written as a cross-platform system for Intel and MIPS processors, and later appeared on the PowerPC and DEC Alpha architectures<!-- TODO: a list of which versions of windows were made for other architectures, and which architectures they were made for. -->). The popularity of Windows made Intel ] more popular and vice versa. In fact, the term '']'' became used to describe PC-compatible computers running a version of Windows. | |||
| ==Versions== | |||
| The term ''Windows'' is used as a collective term for several generations of products, which can be classified into the following categories: | |||
| * '''16-bit operating environments'''. Although they are often thought of as just ]s or ]s, mostly because they use ] for file system services, 16-bit Windows versions already have their own executable file format and provide their own device drivers (graphics, printer, mouse, keyboard and sound). Most importantly, from the beginning they allow the user to (non-preemptively) multi-task graphical applications, something which competitors like ] do not offer. Finally, they implement an elaborated segment-based software virtual memory scheme, which allows to run applications larger than available memory: code segments and ] are swapped in and thrown away when useless or memory becomes scarce and data segments move in memory when a given application has relinquished processor control. Examples include ] (1985) and ] (1987) and its close relative ''Windows/286''. | |||
| * '''Hybrid 16/32-bit operating environments'''. ''Windows/386'' introduced a 32-bit ] ] and ] monitor. For the duration of a Windows session, it provided a device virtualization for the disk ], video card, keyboard, mouse, timer and ] controller. The user-visible consequence was that it became possible to preemptively multitask multiple MS-DOS environments in separate windows (graphical applications required switching the window to full screen mode). Windows applications were still multi-tasked cooperatively inside one of such real-mode environments. ] (1990) and Windows 3.1 (1992) perfected the design, notably thanks to ] and loadable virtual device drivers (]s) which allowed them to share arbitrary devices between multitasked DOS windows. Most important, Windows applications could now run in 16-bit protected mode (when Windows was running in Standard or 386 Enhanced Mode), which gave them access to several megabytes of memory and removed the obligation to participate in the software virtual memory scheme. They still ran inside the same address space, where the segmented memory provided a degree of protection, and multi-tasked cooperatively. For Windows 3.0 Microsoft also rewrote critical operations from ] into ], making this release faster and less memory-hungry than its predecessors. | |||
| * '''Hybrid 16/32-bit operating system'''. With the introduction of 32-Bit File Access in Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows could finally stop relying on DOS for file management. Leveraging this, ] introduced Long File Names, reducing the ] DOS to the role of a boot loader. MS-DOS was now bundled with Windows; this notably made it (partially) aware of long file names when its utilities were run from within Windows, but angered the competition. The most important novelty was however the possibility of running 32-bit multi-threaded preemptively multitasked graphical programs. There were three releases of Windows 95 (the first in 1995, then subsequent bug-fix versions in 1996 and 1997, only released to OEMs, which added extra features such as ] support). Microsoft's next OS was ]; there were two versions of this (the first in 1998 and the second, named "Windows 98 Second Edition", in 1999). This was an evolutionary enhancement, in much the same relation to Windows 98 as Windows 3.1 had been to 3.0. In 2000, Microsoft released ], which used the same core as Windows 98 but adopted the visual appearance of Windows 2000, as well as a new feature called system restore, allowing the user to set the computer's settings back to an earlier date. Compared to previous upgrades, comparatively few people bothered to switch to ME: by this time most power users had already jumped over to the NT family. This can be defended by the fact that Microsoft left little time for Windows Millennium to become popular before announcing their next version of Windows. | |||
| * '''32-bit operating systems''' originally designed and marketed for higher-reliability business use with no DOS heritage. The first release was Windows NT 3.1 (1993, numbered "3.1" to match the Windows version and to 1-up ] 2.1, its main competitor at the time), which was followed by NT 3.5 (1994), NT 3.51 (1995), and NT 4.0 (1996); the latter of which introduced the Windows 95 interface. Microsoft then moved to combine their consumer and business operating systems. Their first attempt, ], failed to meet their goals, and was released as a business system. The home consumer edition of Windows 2000, ] "Windows Neptune", ceased development and Microsoft released Windows ME in its place. Eventually "Neptune" was merged into their new project, Whistler, which later became ]. XP finally rendered DOS obsolete, and since then a new business system, ], has expanded the top end of the range, and the forthcoming ] will complete it. ], Microsoft's offering in the mobile and embedded markets, is also a true 32-bit operating system. | |||
| * '''64-bit operating systems''', the newest category, are designed for ]'s ] CPU architecture, ]'s ], and ]. The 64-bit Windows family comprises Windows XP Itanium edition and x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003; Windows XP Professional and server x64 editions were released on ], ]. Itanium editions already came out in ]. Early indications are that Windows Longhorn, the projected successor to Windows XP, will be released in both 32-Bit and 64-Bit versions. | |||
| ==Interface== | |||
| ] | |||
| The most obvious feature of the more recent Windows versions (since Windows 95 and NT 4.0) is the desktop, which is similar to the "Workplace Shell" introduced by IBM for OS/2 2.0 in 1992, an object-oriented GUI running on the OS/2 ]. The Windows desktop has produced a significant change in the way people and computers interact; it is possible to perform many common tasks with very little computer knowledge, including some quite complex ones. | |||
| Windows XP introduced a new visual style dubbed "Luna", which updated the classic Windows style (a plain grey box look) with a more graphical appearance. The new style features bold colors and a larger titlebar and start button, leading many to call it the "]" interface (after a popular brand of children's toys) and others to call it the "Teletubbies" interface (after the children TV show ], also partly because of Windows XP's default wallpaper, a grassy plain with a blue sky, which resembles the set of the TV show) . Users can still elect to use the old Windows 95/2000 visual style. | |||
| There is a view that modern operating systems need to cater to the vastly increased user base with a lower average computer skill level and the increased power and complexity of modern computer systems. Therefore, some technically savvy users accuse the Windows interface of isolating the user from too much of the inner workings of the computer, making it more difficult to control and configure some system features, although many such features can be now controlled also from the command-line or by scripting. However, this has always been an issue to some extent with GUI operating systems, and, to a lesser extent, almost all operating systems, by definition. | |||
| ==Popularity== | |||
| Thought to be installed on over 90% of personal computers, ''Windows'' has achieved enormous ] due in large part to the domination of MS-DOS in the early days of PC compatible computers (] clones), and also because it is the primary platform for ] and gaming software programs used by many ] users. Although some of these factors have faded over the years (such as the sunset of the MS-DOS, the ability of third-party software like ] to create and/or modify Microsoft Office documents, or the porting of notable games to ] and ]), these factors helped create a dedicated early userbase. | |||
| Microsoft's operating system has also benefited from the fact that they are one of the few companies that are willing to license their OSes to hardware manufacturers. (For example, ] is loath to license ] and ] does not license ] to anyone.) Before, companies who wanted to be in the computer business had to create their own operating system (such as the ]) or use a OS without a ] (like ] or ]); even an exclusive license was significantly cheaper than developing a new operating system and creating a software base. Thus, Microsoft won much early support. | |||
| Due to Microsoft's exclusive licensing agreements with many computer vendors, ''Windows'' today comes pre-installed on most computers as a bundled ] version, making it the default choice for much of the market. Most consumers do not delete ''Windows'' and install another ]. For some consumers, ''Windows'' is the only valid option as their computing environment is mandated by their workplace; additionally, the unfamiliarity of most other operating systems limits the desire to switch to other ]s. Additionally, a growing part of the computer market (the "]") lacks the technical knowledge needed to install an operating system. | |||
| Finally, the software base of programs available for the Windows family of operating systems (generally greater than that of all other operating systems combined) has become the single largest self-perpetuating reason for the popularity of Windows. In recent years, many companies have started up 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 only spend resources on Windows software development. In turn, the fact that many companies are supporting Windows exclusively is reason for many customers to choose Windows. | |||
| ==Security== | |||
| Security has been a major weakness of Windows for many years. Most modern operating systems were designed for security in a multi-user and/or networked environment and 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 overruns) Windows has been the successful target of ] and ] writers numerous times. In June 2005, ]'s ] reported that it had seen over 1,000 new viruses and worms in the previous six months. | |||
| Some say Microsoft Windows gets more than its fair share of attacks simply because it is the dominant desktop operating system. Others say it gets more attacks because poor engineering design makes it such an easy target: its monolithic and entangled structure is in stark contrast to the rigorous modularity and carefully defined layers of its rivals. Microsoft publicly admitted their ongoing security problems shortly after the turn of the century and (according to their press statements) now claims to regard security as their number one priority. | |||
| Microsoft releases security patches through its ] service approximately once a month, although critical updates are made available at shorter intervals. In Windows 2000 and Windows XP, updates can be automatically downloaded and installed if the user elects to do so. | |||
| Many security experts are advising Windows users to take steps to increase the security of their systems. A study conducted by ] and marketing communications firm, Avantgarde, found that an unpatched Windows XP system only lasted 4 minutes on the Internet before it was compromised. The ]/] Online Safety Study of October ] determined that 80% of Windows users were infected by at least one ]/] product. Much documentation is available describing how to increase the security of Microsoft Windows products. Typical suggestions include deploying Microsoft Windows behind a hardware firewall, running ] and anti-spyware software, and installing patches as they become available through ]. Some suggest replacing specific programs which are often targeted by ] with alternatives, such as replacing the web browser ] with ], and replacing the email client ] with ]. | |||
| In ], Microsoft started talking about a controversial security initiative called ]. The system has since been renamed "Next Generation Secure Computing Base". Palladium is a system intended to allow a program to verify that it is unmodified, and is running on "trusted" hardware with "trusted" drivers and a "trusted" architecture. This, in theory, assures the software that it is running on unmodified software and hardware. Palladium has a particular use in ] systems. A side effect will be to lock out "untrusted" operating systems at the hardware level: this is likely to impact Linux in particular, since there is no single canonical Linux which can be certified, and many users consider the ability to customize the system one of its main attractions. Some conspiracy theorists hold that this is the secret reason behind the system, although in practice it is unlikely that Microsoft will try to prevent Linux vendors such as Red Hat from having their products certified. As of ], Palladium has not resulted in any commercial products. | |||
| <!--==Contemporary Versions== | |||
| ] and ] are the current versions of Windows. Windows XP is designed for desktop computers, while Windows Server 2003 is designed for servers and comes in four different versions: Web Edition, Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition. Web Edition is designed mostly for ], while Datacenter is the flagship product for extremely high end infrastructure. Standard and Enterprise fall in the middle.--> | |||
| == Current versions == | |||
| *] for embedded systems including Consumer Electronics products (note: CE is a different operating system from DOS and Windows NT/2000/XP, and Microsoft makes the source code available) | |||
| *] for smart phones and PDAs (a version of Windows CE)] | |||
| **Portable Media Center for Digital Media Players | |||
| *] for desktops and notebooks | |||
| **Windows XP Starter Edition, for new computer users in developing countries | |||
| **Windows XP Home Edition, for home desktops and notebooks | |||
| **Windows XP Home Edition N, as above, but without a default installation of ], as mandated by an EU ruling | |||
| **Windows XP Professional Edition, for business and power users | |||
| **Windows XP Professional Edition N, as above, but without a default installation of ], as mandated by an EU ruling | |||
| **Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, for PC's with 64-bit processors (based on Windows Server 2003) | |||
| **Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, for ]s with a ] or a pen-sensitive screen | |||
| **] for desktops and notebooks with an emphasis on audio, video, and ] capability | |||
| *] for servers | |||
| **Small Business Server for first server installations (up to 2 processors) | |||
| **Web Edition for basic web serving (up to 2 processors) | |||
| **Standard Edition for smaller server applications that don't require clustering (up to 4 processors) | |||
| **Enterprise Edition for larger server applications, and clustering (up to 8 processors) | |||
| **Datacenter Edition for mainframe like servers (up to 128 processors) | |||
| **Storage Server for Network Attached Storage Devices | |||
| *] for embedded systems | |||
| == Past versions == | |||
| *DOS-Based | |||
| ** ] ] - ] <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - ] <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - ] <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - Windows 3.1 <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - Windows for Workgroups 3.1 <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - Windows for Workgroups 3.11 <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - ] (Version number: 4.00.950) | |||
| ** ] ] - ] (Version number: 4.1.1998) | |||
| ** ] ] - Windows 98 Second Edition (Version number: 4.1.2222) | |||
| ** ] ] - ] (Version number; 4.9.3000) | |||
| *NT Kernel-Based | |||
| ** ] ] - ] <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - ] <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - ] <!-- unverified --> | |||
| ** ] ] - ] - the last version which ran on ] architectures like ], ] and ]. Later versions concentrated on x86-based hardware and - mainly as server OSs - the IA-64 line of CPUs. | |||
| ** ] ] - ] (Version number: NT 5.0.2195) | |||
| == Cancelled versions == | |||
| * ] ] - ] (windows 96) (cancelled) (Became windows 95B.) | |||
| * 1997-1998 - ] (a "true object-oriented OS") planned after Windows NT; if released would be similar to ] (but at a lower level) (Became Windows NT 4) | |||
| * ] ] - ] was sent out to beta testers but was never released. Should have been successor to Windows 2000. | |||
| == Future versions == | |||
| * ] - Windows codename "]" is scheduled to be released. | |||
| * ]–] - Windows codename "]". | |||
| * Windows Eiger - is in early development, designed for old machines. | |||
| ==Emulation and virtual machine software== | |||
| Emulation or the use of "virtual machines" allow the use of some Windows applications without using Microsoft Windows. | |||
| *] - an incomplete ] implementation of the ], allowing one to run some Windows applications on x86 ]-based platforms, including Linux. | |||
| *] (formerly known as ]) is ]' proprietary ] of ], which is designed specifically for running games written for Microsoft Windows under Linux | |||
| *] by ] - Java is an object-oriented programming language developed initially by James Gosling and colleagues at Sun Microsystems. (see also ] - the Java Virtual Machine) | |||
| *] Web Application Platform (Compare alternatives: The ] and ] Projects) | |||
| *] - ] ], aimed to be compatible with Windows NT apps and drivers, although still very much in its infancy at the moment. | |||
| *] and ] - A very ambitious project, and a subsequent spinoff, that tried to clone Windows but withered away. | |||
| *] - Ambitious and controversial project to fully emulate Windows programs to run on other OSs. | |||
| *] ] product, also to fully emulate Windows programs to run on other OSs. | |||
| *] PC Emulator software | |||
| *] ] (formerly by ]) | |||
| *] - A software "]" for fuller, more-compatible open-source implementations of the Windows NTFS file system | |||
| *] - ] written by Fabrice Bellard that implements a fast ], allowing a user to run one operating system within another | |||
| *] - An ] which creates a DOS-like environment primarily intended for running older, ]-based PC ] which may not run properly on newer ]s. | |||
| *] - A ] which allows one to play ] games which use the ] system on ] other than those where versions were originally released. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *Hardware | |||
| **] | |||
| **] | |||
| **] | |||
| **] | |||
| **] | |||
| **] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] - Next Generation Windows Platform | |||
| *] - Next Generation Server Platform | |||
| == External links == | |||
| * | |||
| * – a Windows history time line graph of by Éric Lévénez | |||
| * - A website dedicated to preserving and showcasing Graphical User Interfaces | |||
| * (aka WinPE) - for making boot-able "Live" Administrative Windows CD's | |||
| * - An exhaustive evaluation of Microsoft's products and technologies | |||
| * - a powerful free 3rd-party "PE" alternative (not endorsed nor supported by Microsoft) | |||
| * - An open-source effort to create a "]" around the original Windows ] file-system ]'s in order to more fully implement compatibility between file read/write operations for Unix-like operating systems | |||
| * Project to make a compatible Open Source version of Windows | |||
| * Free Windows Help Tutorials | |||
| * Free user support-group community forums | |||
| * a Security Study by ] and AvantGarde | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * (security, stability, etc.) | |||
| * - Application Programs for download, for Windows Operating Systems | |||
| * - Excellent Security information about Windows NT (2000/XP/2003 Server/Longhorn) | |||
| * - Excellent informational security resource, and Symantec are makers of Norton Anti-Virus (3rd party software sold separately) | |||
| * - makers of McAfee Anti-Virus (3rd party software sold separately) | |||
| * makers of AVG Anti-Virus (free version available) | |||
| * makers of Avast Anti-Virus (free version also available) | |||
| * - Clam Anti-Virus for PC's, workstations, and gateways (free and open-source) | |||
| * An excellent security information resource, and makers of Sophos Anti-Virus for PC's, workstations, and gateways | |||
| * (formerly known as the "Giant.com" Anti-Spyware application) - anti-spyware/adware/malware/trash-ware cleaner-upper | |||
| * - Official website of the "SpyBot Search and Destroy" program - anti-spyware/adware/malware/trash-ware cleaner-upper | |||
| * - anti-spyware/adware/malware/trash-ware cleaner-upper | |||
| * - anti-spyware/adware/malware/trash-ware cleaner-upper | |||
| * - anti-spyware/adware/malware/trash-ware cleaner-upper | |||
| * Tips and tricks for Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000 and XP | |||
| * - An analysis of user interfaces with a focus on Windows | |||
| * - a UI review of Windows XP | |||
| * - A look at the UIs of Windows applications | |||
| * | |||
| {{History_of_Windows}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| <!-- interwiki --> | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 02:41, 18 June 2005
Windows Sucks forget about it- Wally