Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows
Name	Microsoft Windows
Developer	Microsoft
Source model	Closed source, Source-available (Shared source)
Released	20 November 1985
Latest release version	Windows 11 version 23H2 (10.0.22631)
Latest release date	31 October 2023
Marketing target	Personal computing, Professional
License	Proprietary commercial software
Website	https://www.microsoft.com/windows/

Microsoft Windows. It is a family of proprietary graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft, dominating the global market for personal computers since the 1990s. First introduced in 1985 as a graphical extension for MS-DOS, it evolved into a fully-fledged, ubiquitous platform that fundamentally shaped modern computing. Its widespread adoption made it a primary target for malware and a central player in numerous antitrust cases, including the landmark United States v. Microsoft Corp.

History

The project began under the leadership of Microsoft executives like Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, with its first public version, Windows 1.0, offering a graphical user interface inspired by work from Xerox PARC and popularized by the Apple Macintosh. A major breakthrough came with the 1990 release of Windows 3.0, which achieved significant commercial success by improving memory management and application support. The subsequent merger with the IBM-developed OS/2 project led to the creation of the Windows NT kernel, architected by Dave Cutler, formerly of Digital Equipment Corporation. This foundation enabled the launch of the consumer-oriented Windows 95, which introduced the iconic Start menu and Internet Explorer, and later the professional Windows 2000 line. The early 2000s saw the poorly received Windows Me and the highly successful Windows XP, which became a market staple for over a decade. Later iterations included the touch-focused Windows 8, the widely deployed Windows 10, and the current Windows 11.

Features

A defining characteristic is its consistent graphical shell, centered on the desktop metaphor featuring windows, icons, and a pointer controlled by a computer mouse. Key bundled applications have historically included the File Explorer file manager, the Microsoft Edge web browser (succeeding Internet Explorer), and productivity tools like Microsoft Paint and WordPad. The platform supports extensive software compatibility through APIs like Win32 and frameworks such as .NET Framework, and it integrates core services including the DirectX multimedia API for gaming and the Windows Update service. User interface paradigms have evolved to include the Fluent Design System, the Windows Subsystem for Linux, and virtual desktops.

Versions

Releases are broadly categorized into two main lineages: the now-defunct Windows 9x series (including Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me) based on the MS-DOS kernel, and the Windows NT family which forms the basis of all modern versions. Major NT-based consumer releases include Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11. The professional/server branch includes Windows NT 3.1, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2022. Specialized editions have been created for embedded systems, Xbox consoles, and the discontinued Windows Mobile and Windows Phone platforms.

Architecture

The modern architecture is built upon the Windows NT kernel, a hybrid kernel designed for preemptive multitasking and symmetric multiprocessing. It operates in dual modes: user mode, where applications and subsystems like the Win32 subsystem run, and kernel mode, which houses core executive services, the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), and drivers. Critical kernel-mode components include the I/O Manager, Memory Manager, and Security Reference Monitor. The system supports multiple installed file systems, primarily NTFS, and utilizes registry databases for configuration. Its driver model has evolved through Windows Driver Model (WDM) and Windows Driver Framework.

Security

Early versions were heavily criticized for vulnerabilities, leading to the initiation of the Trustworthy Computing initiative after incidents like the Blaster worm. Core security features now include the Windows Security center, Windows Defender antivirus, BitLocker disk encryption, and the User Account Control (UAC) privilege separation mechanism. The system incorporates security technologies like Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), Data Execution Prevention (DEP), and a built-in firewall. The Windows Hello framework provides biometric authentication, and the Secure Boot feature helps protect the boot process against rootkits.

Market share and impact

It holds a dominant share of the global desktop operating system market, consistently reported by analytics firms like StatCounter and Net Applications to be well over 70%. This dominance established Microsoft as one of the world's most valuable companies and created a vast ecosystem for software developers and hardware manufacturers, often referred to as the "Wintel" alliance with Intel. Its market position was central to the United States v. Microsoft Corp. antitrust lawsuit regarding the bundling of Internet Explorer. The platform's ubiquity made it a primary development target for major software suites like the Microsoft Office productivity suite and the Adobe Creative Suite, and it runs critical infrastructure worldwide, from ATMs to enterprise servers.

Category:Microsoft Windows Category:Proprietary software Category:1985 software