When you think of a computer, chances are one of the first things that pops into your mind is the Windows logo. For a long time, Windows has dominated the computer market, although both Linux and Apple have had their share too. Computers were once so big that they needed an entire room to house them, but nowadays we have smartphones that are basically computers that easily fit in a pocket. No matter what operating system you use, there is no denying that Windows has shaped the computer industry as we know it today. Here’s a run down of the history of Windows operating systems.
MS-DOS:
This was pretty early on in the game, from 1980 right through to 2000. That means if you’re over twenty, there’s a pretty good chance you used this system at least once.On this platform you could interact with other computers over a network and copy and store things using those handy floppy disks.
Windows 1.0:
This was more like an environment, because you already needed MS-DOS installed in order to use it. Windows 1.0 was the graphical interface that users could use. This was live during the years 1985-1987, so a couple of years before I was even born.
Windows 2.0:
This was live during 1987-1990 and saw computers become more popular in the work environment. Computers dramatically increased productivity, making workers even more efficient than before. This version of Windows had the ability to have multiple windows open, allowing users to flip between different “windows”.
Windows 3.0:
I guess you’re starting to see a pattern with the names, here! During the years 1990-1994 is the first period in which solitaire came preloaded on Windows, resulting in millions of dollars (and hours) worth of lost productivity.
Windows 95:
This is probably the Windows the majority of people remember as their first experience with computers. One of the biggest features in this 1995 edition of Windows was a large number of keyboard shortcuts, to increase productivity and make using a computer even easier.
Windows 2000:
As computers became more and more common in the homes, Windows 2000 was released and afforded users many great features, including the ability to easily create webpages by using a WYSIWYG editor.
Windows ME:
One of the biggest changes in this release was the fact that users could now control what program opened up a specific file – something that they were unable to choose before. The timing of Windows ME was interesting – 2000. There was fears about a superbug, because of the date system on computer.
Windows 2000:
Offline mode was introduced: users could work on files when they were not connected to the Internet and then it would automatically update. This particular version of Windows was hugely popular with businesses and was supported for over 10 years, unlike Windows ME that lost momentum relatively quickly.
Windows XP:
This was perhaps the most popular version of Windows, however support for this version ended this year as users are encouraged to migrate to more recent versions of Windows.
Windows Vista:
This 2006-2008 edition of Windows was relatively popular and one of the best features was being about to troubleshoot any network problems, quickly fixing the issues.
Windows 7:
The focus of Windows 7 was security, as there were more and more threats from hackers and trojans on the Internet than before. This suited both business owners and personal users.
Windows 8:
One of the newest features of this latest platform is picture recognition log on – meaning you don’t need to remember another password but can simply log in by tapping a pattern on a picture.
The Windows platforms have changed dramatically, just as our relationship with computers has changed too. We are more and more dependent on them for all areas of our lives, from business to keeping in touch with friends and family.