The windows system is a collection of programs that controls your PC. It controls what access different users have, how much memory the computer has and what hardware is attached.
The system is named after the window element in a graphical user interface (GUI). It was released by Microsoft in November 1985 and has been updated frequently.
Windows 1.0
Windows 1.0 was released in 1985 and was Microsoft’s first attempt at developing a graphical operating system. This was a major step in the evolution of personal computers.
To run the first version of Windows, you needed a computer that was equipped with two double-sided disk drives or a hard drive. You also needed 256kB of memory and a graphics adapter.
Windows 2.0
Windows 2.0, also known as the “shell” version of the MS-DOS operating system, was released in 1987. It was a major improvement over Windows 1.0, including support for overlapping windows and the Control Panel.
It was Microsoft’s first graphical interface and its goal was to replace command-line DOS with a more user-friendly interface. It also improved speed and offered more plug-and-play hardware support.
Windows 3.0
Windows 3.0 was the first version of Microsoft’s operating system that achieved significant commercial success. It included a revamped user interface as well as technical improvements to make better use of the memory management capabilities of Intel’s 80286 and 80386 processors.
It was also the first Windows system to support multitasking, which made running multiple MS-DOS programs more convenient than before. It was a major breakthrough for the software industry and was the foundation of Microsoft’s dominance of the PC market.
Windows 4.0
Windows NT 4.0 is the first preemptive multi-tasking, graphical and business-oriented version of Microsoft’s NT family of operating systems. Released to manufacturing on 31 July 1996, it is a 32-bit OS available in workstation and server editions with a graphical environment similar to Windows 95.
The core architecture of NT 4.0 was largely unchanged from that of Windows NT 3.x, but the libraries and drivers for graphics adapters were transferred from user mode to kernel mode. This allowed more stable execution of Win32 applications and increased the speed of accomplishment of graphic input-output on NT systems.
Windows 5.0
Windows 5.0, formerly known as Windows CE, is an operating system for mobile handheld computers and embedded devices. It’s the successor to Windows CE 4.2, which was released in 2004.
Microsoft aims to make Windows CE more secure, reliable and capable of handling multimedia files in the new release. Developers will also benefit from improved hardware support and a unified development environment, the company says.
Windows 6.0
Windows 6.0 was the first major release of Microsoft’s new NT kernel-based operating system. It was primarily designed for embedded devices such as industrial controllers and consumer electronics products.
The NT kernel is the base for all recent versions of the Windows family. It supports IA-32, x64, MIPS, PowerPC and Itanium processors.
Windows 7.0
Windows 7 is the latest version of the windows system, which was released in 2009. It’s a significant improvement over its predecessor Windows Vista and features a new taskbar and new file sharing capabilities.
Windows 7 is available in five different editions, each aimed at a specific target market and intended for a specific use case. These are the Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate versions of the OS.
Windows 8.0
Windows 8.0 is a new operating system from Microsoft that is optimized for touch screens. It’s designed for use on a wide range of hardware from desktop PCs and all-in-one computers to tablets and laptops with touchscreens.
The operating system features a completely redesigned interface that uses colorful tiles to help users navigate. It also includes improved security and a new app store.
Windows 9.
Windows 9 was an upcoming version of the Microsoft windows system. It was supposed to be the next major release after Windows 8 (8.1), but instead it got skipping.
There’s no official reason why Microsoft skipped Windows 9, but there are plenty of speculations floating around. One reason may be that many legacy applications use “Windows 9” as a prefix in their code, so it wouldn’t make sense to call the new OS after it.