INTRODUCTION.
MEANING OF KEY TERMS
Microsoft Windows is a computer
operating system in which the programming code is not available to the public.
It is held secret by Microsoft, unlike Linux for which the code is public and
anyone can modify. The Microsoft Windows Operating System is the code that
handles processes in the machine, from handling memory writes to task
switching. A lot of the operation of a computer's parts; writing to the screen,
actual disk writes, input handling from the keyboard, mouse, modem, sound input
and output and things like writing pads, touch screens and more are handled not
by the operating system but by drivers provided by the hardware manufacturer.
Also, refers to
a series of graphical interface operating system developed, marketed, and sold
by Microsoft.
Window
is an enclosed, rectangular area on a display screen.
Most modern operating
systems and applications
have graphical user interface that let you divide your display into several
windows. Within each window, you can run a different program or display
different data.
A window can also be a logical view of a file. By moving the
window, you can view different portions of the file.
Window
is an area within a frame on a computer screen, in which a particular program
is operating or in which information of a particular type is shown.
An
operating system is the single most important software when you run a computer,
it is what takes care of pretty much everything on a computer system, while the
majority of computers we see happen to be using one ‘type’ of operating system
performing the same functions, operating systems can be branched into several
different types as well. It’s been a while since I’ve shared a fairly technical
post on Computer Realm so I guess today would be a good day for one.
An operating
system is software, consisting of programs and data, which runs on
computers, manages computer hardware resources, and provides common services
for execution of various application software. For hardware functions such as
input & output and memory allocation, the operating system acts as an
intermediary between application programs & the computer hardware.
Operating systems are found on almost any device that contains a computer from
cellular phones and video game consoles to supercomputers and web servers.
Examples of popular modern operating systems for personal computers are: Mac
Operating System X, Microsoft Windows and Linux.
Microsoft
Windows applications are In the case of "Microsoft Windows",
windows programs are software applications that are run on a computer that is
also running Microsoft Windows as an operating system. A software application,
or program, is a set of logical conditions grouped together to perform some
function. Typically a Microsoft Windows application will be run within a
"window" although that is not a requirement. A "window" in
the context of software is an area of the screen set aside to run a single
program and may or may not have options for controlling the position and size
of the program area. Some examples of
Microsoft Windows applications are:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Notepad
- Mozilla Firefox
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF WINDOWS.
The history of
Windows dates back to September 1981, when Chase Bishop, a computer scientist,
designed the first model of an electronic device and project "Interface
Manager" was started. It was announced in November 1983 (after the apple
Lisa, but before the Macintosh under the name "Windows", but Windows
1.0 was not released until November 1985. Windows 1.0 lacked a degree of
functionality, achieved little popularity and was to compete with Apple's own
operating system. Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it
extends MS DOS. The shell of Windows 1.0 was a program known as the executive.
Other supplied programs were calculator, Calendar , card file, clipboard viewer,
Clock, control panel, notepad, paint, reveres, terminal, and write. Windows 1.0
did not allow overlapping windows. Instead all windows were tiled. Only dialog
boxes could appear over other windows.
There are various versions of
windows which was been used worldwide. Some of those versions are as follows
below:
Microsoft
Windows version 2.0, was released in December 1987, featured several
improvements to the user interface and memory management. And was slightly more
popular than its predecessor. Windows 2.03 changed the Operating System from
tiled windows to overlapping windows.
Windows
2.1 Was released in two different versions: Windows/386
employed the 386 virtual
8086 mode to multitask several DOS programs, and the paged memory model to
emulate expanded memory using available extended memory. Windows/286 (which, despite
its name, would run on the 8086) still ran in real mode,
but could make use of the high memory area.
Windows 3.0 and 3.1, windows 3.0, released in 1990,
improved the design, mostly because of virtual
memory and loadable virtual device drivers that allowed them to share
arbitrary devices between multitasked DOS windows. Also, Windows applications
could now run in 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. Windows 3.0
also featured improvements to the user interface.
Windows 9x, windows 95 was released on August 24,
1995, featuring a new object oriented user interface, support for
long file name of up to 255 characters, the ability to automatically detect and
configure installed hardware and preemptive
multitasking. Windows 95 was designed to replace not only Windows 3.1, but also
Windows for Workgroups, and MS-DOS. It could natively run 32-bit applications,
and featured several technological improvements that increased its stability
over Windows 3.1. Windows New Technology family In
July 1993, Microsoft released windows new technology based on a new kernel. The
New Technology family of Windows systems was fashioned and marketed for higher
reliability business use, considered to be the professional Operating System.
The first release was windows new technology (1993), numbered "3.1"
to match the consumer Windows version, which was followed by windows NT 3.5
(1994), Windows NT 3.51 (1995), Windows new technology 4.0 (1996)
and windows 2000. Windows New Technology was the first Windows version to
utilize. Windows NT 4.0 was the first in this line to implement the
"Windows 95" user interface (and the first to include Windows 95's built-in
32-bit runtimes) also Microsoft released windows 2000 as part of the NT line in
February 2000. During 2004 part of the source code for Windows 2000 was leaked
onto the Internet. Windows XP, Vista and 7 After a lengthy development process, Windows
Vista was released on Microsoft moved to combine their consumer and
business operating systems with Windows XP
that was released on October 25, 2001. Windows XP
is built on the Windows NT kernel, retooled to also function as a
home operating system. This new version was widely praised in computer
magazines. November 30, 2006 for volume licensing and January 30, 2007 for
consumers. It contains a number of new features, from a redesigned shell
and user interface to significant technical changes, with a
particular focus on security features.
It is available in a number of different editions, and has been
subject to some criticism. Vista's server
counterpart, Windows Server 2008 was released in early 2008.
On July 22,
2009, Window 7and windows silver 2008 are released as RTM (release to
manufacturing) while the former was released to the public 3 months later on
October 22, 2009.
Windows
8, the successor to Windows 7, was released to the
market on 26 October 2012. Windows 8 has been designed to be used on both
tablets and the conventional Personal Computer. The Microsoft
Surface tablet was released
alongside Windows 8, as a competitor to the Apple I pad and Android tablets.
Microsoft Surface is available in two editions, Surface with
Windows RT and Surface
with Windows 8 Pro, aimed
at designers and other work-based users. The Surface RT runs a limited version
of Windows 8, Windows RT, and will not run many classic Windows desktop applications, as users can download new
applications from the Windows App Store. However, the Surface Pro, released on
February 9, 2013, has a full desktop operating system capable of running all
classic desktop applications. See Microsoft
Surface for more information.
Windows 8 was released to manufacturing on 1 August 2012, with a build of 6.2.9200.
It is available for purchase in two versions, Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro.
TYPES
OF OPERATING SYSTEMS.
Real-time Operating system:
This kind of OS controls machinery, industrial equipment and scientific
instruments. Its main purpose is to ensure that an operation executes in
exactly the same way, in the same amount of time, every time it happens.
Multiuser: A multiuser
Operating system lets many people do many things, all at the same time. It has
to balance the needs of each user and keep them separate, so that they don't
interfere with each other.
Single user, single task:
This kind of Operating system is designed so that a computer executes a user's
tasks one at a time, such as with early personal digital assistants.
Single-user, multitasking: Most
personal computers use this kind of operating system. It lets a single user do
many things at once.
FUNCTIONS OF WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEMS.
Windows
operating system provide the platform through which computer
hardware communicate with the supplication software. All application
programs like Microsoft Word reside on Windows Operating System like the
Microsoft Window Vista. Without the System be it Windows or non Windows like
Linux, there is no communication between hardware and application software that
would take place.
Microsoft
Operating System has seen the most improvement over the years starting from
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Windows NT (New Technology), 2000, 2000 professional,
Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Window Vista and lately the Microsoft Windows 7
THE
PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEMS.
These
are the daily routine that windows operating system does to keep the system
functioning without any problem, and how to performs these functions.
WINDOW TASK
MANAGER.
Task manager, Windows
operating system uses task manager to monitor application and task running on
windows; with this the OS (Operating System) provides the users or
administrator with information of all application and process running. When you
opened up any program i.e. calculator, word their status will be shown on the
Application Tab of the Task Manager. With application running you are able to perform
the following functions as a user End a
running task, Switch to another task, Open new task.
The following functions of Operating
System Task manager is the process, here all the running executable process are
shown and the information available from the Task Manger Process includes Image
Name The name of the process itself, User Name the user utilizing this process
and more so they are other programs running.
Central Processing Unit usage,
it also indicates the Central
Processing Unit usage of the process running as well as the memory
Usage. Lastly it shows the description of the process in full. As a user you
are able to check all processes from all users running, you have the ability to
end any process you like. The task manager window is shown below
Services, in services section
of the windows task bar you are able to services that have been performed or
are being performed by the Operating system at the moment. It also describes
what kind of a service is being performed whether application services, system
services. While on the service tab click on the services with the icon, this
will opens the local service window as shown below. On the service tab we are
also able to see the status of the program running, either stopped or running.
Service tab is also able to provide you with the group in which the running
program falls example Local Service
Performance, click the performance tab
on the windows task manager, this gives the graphical usage of both the Central
Processing Unit and memory as shown. It shows the physical memory usage, the
total available physical memory, cached memory and the free memory available
for usage. Other than the physical memory we are also able to see the total
kernel memory available, total paged memory and the non paged memory. While
still on the system performance you are able to see Handles, Threads, Processes
up Time and Page File. Click on the Resource Monitor tab below the system to
see Resources Overview
Networking, it is a graphical
representation on the network resource usage by the Computer. It shows the
local Area Connection usage and Wireless Network Connection usage. The
networking tab gives you the following information adapter Name, Network
Utilization, Link and the status of the network whether connected or
disconnected
Users, this gives the users who
are either logged in and are either active or inactive. While on this tab you
can disconnect or logoff from the computer.
THE APPLICATION OF WINDOWS AT SCHOOLS AND
IN THE OFFICES.
The
windows have got various applications at the offices and school and those
applications have been explained as follows: -
It
helped you to create page element’s such as calendars’ news letter side bars
and borders, also the window application through Microsoft publishers
integrated mail merge features which when you need to send publication to a
list of customers. The window application through Microsoft publishers it may
be used to create business cards and identity card.
Storing
documents: the Microsoft word in the
offices is used to preserve some document and the information concerning that
particular office through windows the offices files, data, and information can
be preserved also in school student
particulars as which including the results can kept through windows
applications.
Searching
information and materials: for example through internet explorer, Mozilla fire
fox and opera are used as a search engine, students and teachers in schools can
searches for materials and notes for the academic issues via internet. Also the
windows application can help people to access their emails for the offices
matters as well academic matters in schools and colleges
To
do calculations’: There are over 50 math and trigonometry functions in
Excel. For example, Microsoft Excel can round numbers up and down, work with
matrices, determine square roots and seines and do basic addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division. Therefore through this application student can use
this in their academic issues and activities.
Typing: the windows application through Microsoft word
can be applied in typing things such as letters and essays. It has lots of
spell checking and proofing tools and also lots of formatting tools such as
text coloring, size and font. Therefore it can be used in both academic and
office mattes.
ADVANTAGES OF USING WINDOWS.
Ease
of use, users are familiar with earlier versions of Windows will
probably also find the more modern ones easy to work due to the existence of
software which describe everything from the standardized look and feel of
almost all programs written for Windows to the way the file system has been
presented ever since the days of MS-DOS This is one of the main reasons why
Windows users are often reluctant to switch operating systems.
Support for new hardware,
virtually all hardware manufacturers will offer support for a recent version of
Windows when they go to market with a new product. Again, Microsoft's dominance
of the software market makes Windows impossible for hardware manufacturers to
ignore. So, if you run off to a store today any buy some random new piece of
computer hardware, you will find that it will probably work with the latest
version of Windows.
Plug and Play,
as an operating system for the average home user, Windows still has an edge
over the competition in the area of Plug and Play support for Personal computer
hardware. As long as the right
drivers are installed, Windows will usually do a good job at recognizing new
hardware. Other operating systems also offer Plug & Play functionality, but
to a lesser degree and more frequently require manual intervention.
DISADVANTAGES
OF USING WINDOWS.
High resource requirements, as
opposed to the makers of other operating systems, Microsoft requires its
customers to invest the most in their computer hardware: a faster processor
(the CPU), more internal memory and a larger hard disk. Microsoft have always
maintained that this is due to all the extra functionality that they've added,
as demanded by their customers. Actually, few people make use of many of those
features, yet everyone is still forced to contend with the additional overhead
that is the result.
Poor security, compared to
other operating systems, Microsoft security is weak. According to their own
developers, their products "just are not engineered for security."
The result is that Windows computers are more likely than other systems to be
hijacked and used to distribute everything from spam to pornography (Ref: Inquirer) to hate mail.
Even worse, any such activity only points to the computer that was compromised:
since Windows does not generate log files, the owner has no way of proving
anyone else's involvement.
Another aspect of this issue has to do with internal security from an administrative point of view. Configuring any computer is time-consuming and Windows is certainly no exception. Therefore, it's better if users can be prevented from making changes to certain parts of the system for purpose or by accident.
Another aspect of this issue has to do with internal security from an administrative point of view. Configuring any computer is time-consuming and Windows is certainly no exception. Therefore, it's better if users can be prevented from making changes to certain parts of the system for purpose or by accident.
Poor technical support,
few of Microsoft's support staff truly understands security or high-end
enterprise issues, and even less have access to or understand any of the source
code. Extremely high-volume accounts get special treatment, but for others the
odds of getting good support on truly difficult problems are extremely poor. To
make matters worse, the free support provided to end-users has been
dramatically reduced over the years. For businesses that depend on Microsoft products,
this translates into greater risks and higher costs.
These days, all Windows users rely heavily on the automated Windows Update system that applies all the necessary patches to Windows computers via the Internet. Unfortunately, this update system is not very reliable; it's had all kinds of problems. Recently, for example, it was giving computers that were in need of critical security patches a clean bill of health. So much for Microsoft's much vaunted Trustworthy Computing Initiative.
These days, all Windows users rely heavily on the automated Windows Update system that applies all the necessary patches to Windows computers via the Internet. Unfortunately, this update system is not very reliable; it's had all kinds of problems. Recently, for example, it was giving computers that were in need of critical security patches a clean bill of health. So much for Microsoft's much vaunted Trustworthy Computing Initiative.
Additional expenses, after setting up
a series of Microsoft computers, or even a single one for that matter, sooner
or later customers invariably find themselves in need of additional software.
For example, a virus scanner is mandatory nowadays, but many also believe a
spyware blocker is essential as well. But, that's just the cheap stuff. If you
run a Windows-based website, for instance, you may find yourself investing a
lot of money in development tools, most of which are Microsoft products. The
costs of applications that can run on your web site are usually higher than
that of other systems. For example, you can find loads of free scripts and
applications to run services such s web boards, chat rooms, web statistics and
email for Linux-based web sites, but you won't find many free applications in
the Microsoft world.
After window became the world most popular
desktop operating system internet
explorer began bundling it with windows 95 under to squash competition from
rival Netscape Navigator browser since Nets capes demise Microsoft have
introduced more and more and proprietary features into the web servers that can
only be taken advantage of with internet explorer.
COCLUSION.
The best operating system to use depends on what its
intended use will be and who will be using it. There is no specific operating
system which can be called "the best" overall, and since most current
operating systems share most common and advanced features there is much debate
on the topic. A few of the most popular operating system, their pros and cons,
and some of their best uses are described below.
REFERENCES.
www.hxalu.com, Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary 7th
New Edition, www.webopedia.com, www.microsoftcooperation.com, ask.com.
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