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Windows 1.0
Now, instead of seeing the boring black screen, the user can just move a mouse to point and manage clicks through the screen. Drop-down menus, icons and dialog boxes made the programs easier to learn and use. You’re now able to modify among many programs while not having to quit and restart all. -
Windows 2.0
With the improved speed, reliability and usability, computers now started becoming a part of daily life for some workers. Desktop icons and use of keyboard shortcuts helped to speed up the work. -
Windows 3.0
This new Windows Operating System was quite handsomely popular because of its sensible performance, advanced graphics with 16 colors, and improved icons. The 3.0 edition offered full support for the Intel 386 processor. -
Windows NT
A main design goal of NT was hardware and software portability. Various versions of NT family operating systems have been released for a variety of processor architectures, initially IA-32, MIPS, and DEC Alpha, with PowerPC, Itanium, x86-64 and ARM supported in later releases. The idea was to have a common code base with a custom Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) for each platform. However, support for MIPS, Alpha, and PowerPC was later dropped in Windows 2000. -
Windows 95
One of the most publicized launch that Microsoft has ever taken on is Windows 95. Released on August 24, 1995, this was the first Operating System to have a Start button and a Start Menu. Windows 95 had built-in support for Internet, dial-up networking, and new Plug and Play capabilities that made it easy to install hardware and software. -
Windows 98
On June 25, 1998, Windows 98 was launched. It was the first version of Windows that was designed by keeping in mind the consumers. By this time, PCs became common at work and home, and Internet cafes. With the system that “Works Better, Plays Better”, the user was able to find information with much ease. The major improvements that came up with this system are: functionality to open and close programs more quickly, and support for reading DVD discs and universal serial bus (USB) devices. -
Windows 2000
- Move files without wires - Infrared monitor service supports IRDA for file transfer between Windows 2000 machines and digital cameras, digital video cameras, and other devices.
- Effortless device installation - New technology such as USB and IEEE 1394 "Firewire" makes Windows 2000 more expandable with fewer Problems.
- Plug & Play - Hot dock laptops, on-the-fly networking and other features are implemented without requiring rebooting or manual configuration.
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Windows ME
ME here stands for Millennium Edition. This edition of Windows was rushed into the market on September 2000. It had features like Internet Explorer 5.5, Windows Media Player 7, and the new Windows Movie Maker software, which provided basic video editing and was designed to be easy to use. Compared with alternative releases of Windows, Windows ME had a shelf-life of simply over a year. -
Windows XP
Microsoft released Windows XP with a rejuvenated look and feel that focused on usability and a centered Help and support center. This version emphasized on help and support. Windows XP was available in 25 different languages and had several editions like Windows XP 64-bit Edition (2001), Windows XP Media Center Edition (2002) , Windows XP Tablet PC Edition (2002). -
Windows Vista
Windows Vista was released in 2006. This version was centered around security norms. User Account Control helps prevent potentially harmful software from making changes to your computer. In Windows Vista Ultimate, BitLocker Drive Encryption provides better data protection and was made available in 35 different languages. The redesigned start button made his first appearance on Windows Vista. . Search gets new emphasis and helps people find files on their PCs faster. -
Windows 7
Increased performance, redesigned look and feel, touch and handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, Direct Access, and kernel improvements. Windows 7 adds support for systems using multiple heterogeneous graphics cards from different vendors. Windows 7 is available in following editions: Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Ultimate -
Windows 8
On October 2012, Microsoft launched the Windows 8 edition, the most colorful and good-looking Operating System. Microsoft came up with a totally new interface that smartly worked on both the touch and on mouse and keyboard. The start menu was revised in this edition with apps and tiles that connect to people, files and websites. -
Windows 8.1
Changes in user interface and desktop, online services and functionality, security and hardware compatibility etc are improvements to name a few. In addition, some very interesting apps were also shipped in Windows 8.1, some of them are, Bing Smart Search so you can find what you’re looking for across the PC or the web, Bing Food & Drink, Bing Health & Fitness, and great utility apps like Reading List, Calculator, and Alarms. -
Windows 10
A number of new features like Cortana, the Microsoft Edge, The Start menu, Windowed Windows Store apps, Virtual desktops/Task View, Action Center, Revamped core apps, The Xbox app, Continuum, Unified settings etc made their existence in this latest edition. Microsoft Edge is the new Web browser of Windows 10 which is specially designed to be a lightweight web browser. Till date, Microsoft has released numerous versions of Windows 10.
