Windows Operating System
Windows Operating System, also known with its different popular names as well, such as Windows, Windows OS, OS, Computer OS.
We would define the Windows operating system in simple words:
“A Windows Operating system is a software program which acts as a mediator between the user and computer hardware”.
Every computer must have at least one operating system to run computer system and other programs.
There are a good number of lists of an operating systems that can be installed and used to different purpose and user requirements and Windows OS in one of them.
List of Popular Operating System
In computer technology, the most common operating systems are:
- Windows
- MacOS
- Linux
- Unix
- Ubuntu
History of Windows Operating System
The following article is specially written for Windows OS. Will try to share maximum information on it.
The Windows operating system is designed, developed and marketed by Microsoft and launched its independent version of Microsoft Windows (version 1.0) on November 20, 1985.
Microsoft’s oldest operating systems is MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System). MS-DOS is a text-based operating system instead of friendly graphical user interfaces (GUI’s). The users need to type commands in it.
Furthermore, later there are other versions launched by Microsoft, but when they released Windows 95 (Graphical interface) code-named Chicago for users, Microsoft has occupied a big share in the market around the world.
It was designed to have support only for 32-bit programs.
Here is list of most common Windows OS in sequence:
| Windows | Code Name | Release Date |
| Windows NT 3.1 | Razzle | 07-27-1993 |
| Windows 95 | Chicago | 08-24-1995 |
| Windows 98 | Memphis | 06-25-1998 |
| Windows 2000 | Windows NT 5.0 | 02-17-2000 |
| Windows Me | Millennium | 09-14-2000 |
| Windows XP | Whistler | 25-10-2001 |
| Windows Vista | Longhorn | 30-01-2007 |
| Windows 7 | Windows 7 | 10-22-2009 |
| Windows 8 | Windows 8 | 10-26-2012 |
| Windows 8.1 | Blue | 10-17-2013 |
| Windows 10, Ver. 1507 | Threshold 1 | 07-29-2015 |
| Windows 11 | Sun Valley | 10-05-2021 |
Windows Operating systems are launched for 32-bit and 64-bit types.
[Read: Difference between 32-bit and 64-bit System Type]
Here are the important links to download desired Windows OS:
[Read: How to Download and install Windows XP?]
[Read: Download Windows 7 ISO Image]
[Follow: Download Windows 10 Pro Disk Image (ISO)]
Common Functions of an Operating System
There are few key functions which an operating system performs while accessed by a user as below:
- Process management
- Memory management
- Security
- Command interpretation
- File management
- Communication
