What is Windows: Definition and 438 Discussions

Microsoft Windows, commonly referred to as Windows, is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families, all of which are developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. Active Microsoft Windows families include Windows NT and Windows IoT; these may encompass subfamilies, (e.g. Windows Server or Windows Embedded Compact) (Windows CE). Defunct Microsoft Windows families include Windows 9x, Windows Mobile and Windows Phone.
Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985, as a graphical operating system shell for MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal computer (PC) market with over 90% market share, overtaking Mac OS, which had been introduced in 1984.
Apple came to see Windows as an unfair encroachment on their innovation in GUI development as implemented on products such as the Lisa and Macintosh (eventually settled in court in Microsoft's favor in 1993). On PCs, Windows is still the most popular operating system in all countries. However, in 2014, Microsoft admitted losing the majority of the overall operating system market to Android, because of the massive growth in sales of Android smartphones. In 2014, the number of Windows devices sold was less than 25% that of Android devices sold. This comparison, however, may not be fully relevant, as the two operating systems traditionally target different platforms. Still, numbers for server use of Windows (that are comparable to competitors) show one third market share, similar to that for end user use.
As of May 2021, the most recent version of Windows for PCs, tablets and embedded devices is Windows 10, version 21H1. The most recent version for server computers is Windows Server, version 21H1. A specialized version of Windows also runs on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S video game consoles.

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. T

    Dimension change of opening through concrete slab expansion

    Hi, apologies for the length of this, I'm hoping as a group you knowledgeable established or future Engineers and Physicists can help me out with a problem. I have been having a discussion with a colleague about expansion of a 6m x 7m integrally waterproofed (Kryton KIM) concrete slab roof that...
  2. Benjamin_harsh

    Is editing Host file in windows 7 is dangerous?

    Is editing Host file in windows 7 is dangerous? i want to edit Host file, so that i can bypass blocked sites. :) but i am fear whether will my pc's OS get damaged or not? :(
  3. davenn

    Apple Introduces Macbook with Windows Support!

    Apple finally did it - A Macbook that supports Windowscheers Dave
  4. Borek

    Monitoring FPU usage under Windows?

    Does anyone know how to monitor FPU usage under Windows? There are plenty of monitors (even the built one) that will show CPU usage, but I am interested just in FPU and I can't find anything. Does it mean there is no way of checking? Perhaps profilers could help gather some data, but in my...
  5. W

    Dumb What kind of Object is 'My PC/This PC' in Windows 8.1?

    Just a dumb question: What kind of object is 'My PC' in Windows 8.1 ? when one goes to 'file explorer' , it contains a collection of folders. So I thought it is a directory, but my friend disagrees with me. Who's right?
  6. Superposed_Cat

    How can I obtain and run windows 95 on my pc?

    Hey all, I really love windows 95 and miss it alot. I'm wondering if there's a way to obtain it on an iso or something? Has anyone done this? Any adivce? Any help apreciated.
  7. C

    LaTeX Installing Vim Latex on Windows

    I want to install Vim Latex on a Windows machine. On looking at the SourceForge site VIM-LaTeX Download I found that the file available for download is a tar file (vim-latex-1.8.23-20141116.812-gitd0f31c9.tar). This appeared like the file for Unix. I am looking for the file for Windows. Can...
  8. W

    No Sound out of Windows 8.1 PC

    Hi All, I am having a problem: no sound coming out of my Windows 8.1 laptop. I updated all the drivers from the audio inputs ; I got the message that the existing drivers were up-to-date, but still no sound coming out and that all sound-related devices are working correctly. Thanks for any advice.
  9. W

    Disabling Tablet Traits of windows 8.1: Touchscreen

    Hi all, AFAIK, Windows 8.1 machines ( I have a laptop) have been designed in part to function as tablets. Specifically, the touch screen and slides of the mouse. Specifically, I have a touchpad for my mouse. Problem I have is that I will inadvertently slide/move the cursor in such a way that...
  10. A

    Windows Vista - Internet/Firewall doesn't work

    My sister just came into my room asking for help, when I came to her room she told me that her computer froze and she waited for 20 minutes for it to unstuck but it didn't and she turned it off, when she turned it on her Internet was not working and neither did her Firewall. I tried turning on...
  11. Kostas Tzim

    Is my Windows clock not syncing properly? Help!

    Hey everyone ,earlier this day, when i boot my pc i saw that the clock was losing time...i tried multiply times to fix it but again when i reboot the system the problem was still here. i opened bios and i saw that even there the clock wasn't synced...
  12. nomadreid

    Confusion over Windows backup files

    As my computer kept urging me to back up my system onto an external hard drive, I decided I would buy one, but first I needed to find out which size to buy; so I backed up the system on the computer itself to find out how much space it takes up. This created two files (one, WindowsImage, and...
  13. Joe Martin

    Is Microsoft Hololens the Future of 3D Computing in Windows 10?

    So we've all dreamed about wearing some Star Trek headset that allows you to view virtual things in 3D that you can manipulate...cool future tech yeah? Not any more...Microsoft appears to be releasing just that with the new Windows 10! Here is a link to the site...
  14. Lizabella

    Windows security for different user types

    I am using Windows 8.1. Right-clicking on my drive C, where I install windows, and choosing properties shows me the security tab. I see some groups and users that have privileges to use the drive. What if I delete all of them and add only my own username in there ? For instance, can I still boot...
  15. icecubebeast

    What Steps Can I Take to Fix a Disk Error on Windows 7?

    I have a problem. Whenever I turn on my other computer it says: "A disk error occurred" and I tried to insert a system recovery disk into the computer and I waited for hours but nothing worked. The computer screen is black after I press "ctrl + alt + delete" even though the text suggested that...
  16. Medicol

    Is My Windows Genuine? Seeking Help for a Fake Installation

    A couple of years ago, I met some missionaries and was told that God would get angry if I would decline any of his offerings. So I downloaded an online version of Window 8.1 pro and I was offered a free product key. Later the Windows asked me to install updates, but right after all updates were...
  17. M

    How do I Learn Objective-C when I'm using Windows?

    I don't have a Mac and I'm using Windows but how do I learn Objective-C when I'm using Windows? Can I code Objective-C in Notepad++?
  18. aditya ver.2.0

    Can I Retrieve a Lost Windows Admin Password?

    Yesterday,my brother locked my admin password by setting a random password unknowingly. Now I can't access that account. Please tell me, is there a way to know the admin password from other account or any other method to access the admin account.
  19. collinsmark

    Cold-call scammers, "Your Windows computer is infected"

    Twice this week now I got phone calls out of the blue telling me that my Windows computer is infected (sending back "suspicious" reports of infection). The callers claims to be from a separate company contracted by Microsoft to handle computer viruses. This isn't the first time receiving such...
  20. B

    Ubuntu 14.04, wireless network cannot connect

    I have recently installed ubuntu 14.04 alongside windows 7 but I'm having major issues with connecting to wireless networks. The networks are detected and show up in the network manager, but when I connect and insert the correct password (double checked), a window continues to pop up saying that...
  21. H

    Questions about *.a files on windows

    I downloaded strawberry pearl and I was looking through the library files, they are in .a files which according to google is a unix archive file type? I have seen them in use in other places as well and I want to learn more about them, but I don't have unix running How can I go about opening...
  22. D

    OS question - Mac, Windows or both?

    Hello community, I am doing research on building a computer for my son who is devoted to physics and math and wants to put together a desktop system that will last into grad school. Do we need to make allowances for using more than one operating system to allow for software compatibility...
  23. StevieTNZ

    Ubuntu 14.04 & Windows VNC Program

    Hi there A while back I updated Ubuntu to version 14.04. Before this, I could connect to the machine through TightVNC from my Windows 8.1 laptop. However after the upgrade things didn't run smoothly. It is now a known bug that usual VNC software can't connect to Ubuntu 14.04 because it uses...
  24. Monsterboy

    Usb tethering in windows phone

    I bought a Nokia Lumia , i am new windows OS in smart phones ,i used only android before.I am not able to find USB tethering option ,can someone please guide me ?
  25. A

    Using GOTO and For Loops in Quick Basic 64-Bit for Windows

    I am working with Quick Basic, 64 Bit for Windows, which is quite good indeed, but i met again the same usual difficulties to use [do ... loop] for efficient loops. So I decided to better use [goto], as anyone else! But I also found very useful the classical for loop. Here are some useful...
  26. duhuhu

    Ok to delete the registry from windows computer

    My friend who's job is to work with computers all day told me to delete my registry completely to speed up my computer. Now obviously this raises a couple red flags. Is he right? Is it really ok to completely wipe out the registry on my computer?
  27. F

    Why are colours unchanged in reflections in windows?

    Not a homework question exactly, but I've been reading Feynman's QED and there's something I don't understand… When discussing partial reflection by two surfaces, Feyman says that different thicknesses of glass reflect differed % of the incident light, transmitting the rest, and that this %...
  28. A

    Windows vs Mac for Engineering?

    Hello all, I am currently looking at laptops to use for school. I will be going to university this fall for general engineering. I may focus on chemical, mechanical, aerospace, or biomedical engineering. I am looking for something light and portable, with long battery life, and sufficient...
  29. A

    Graphics programming for Windows - what tools to use?

    I have plenty of experience of other systems, from right back to Calcomp pen plotters and the first graphics terminals up to OpenGL, but I haven't done any graphics programming for a few years and I've never programmed graphics on Windows before. So the question is, what libraries...
  30. P

    Movie Making Software Similar to Windows Movie Maker XP but for 7?

    Does anyone know of a movie maker program that`s similar to the one on windows XP but that can work for Windows 7 and on a netbook? I tried making movies with the new windows movie maker, but it trims in seconds and it`s to much of a hassle to make more then one using it. I`ve downloaded...
  31. adjacent

    Who are the 'Unknown' Users in Windows 7?

    What are they? I never have any user named 'Unknown'. :confused: Virus?
  32. M

    How can I save files in Windows 8 without encountering permission issues?

    Hi, I tried to save a file in windows 8 but there is problem. Could someone help me?
  33. allamsetty

    Multi Scale simulations on windows 7 32 bit Computer

    I am Post Graduate in Physics and working as a researcher in Non Destructive testing. I have heard about multi-scale simulations and its applications to material modelling. Iam intersted in learning mutiscale simulations for materials modelling. can anyone provide me links that would let me...
  34. I

    Reinstall Windows 7 Without Disk or Data Loss

    Is there a way to reinstall win7 without the disk and without losing all of my data? The only back up I have is a bit old and I can't get my external hard drive to connect. I have a rather bad virus and I can't seem to get rid of it, so I am thinking its best just to reinstall windows.
  35. W

    Changing Font Type in Windows 8

    So, I got the most recent "upgrade" in my windows 8, and somehow, yet again, many of my original settings have been changed -- the pleasures of using windows. One of the most recent changes in settings has been that all my text is typed in bold font . I do not even see how to do a(n) ( internal...
  36. Psinter

    I'm having a problem Booting Windows 8 x86 through USB and UEFI

    My friend just let his computer fall to the ground and something appeared to have happened to the hard drive. While the hard drive it's not making terrible sounds (unlike another one I'm fixing as well because it's owner formidably hit it with his arm while he was alseep... accidentally of...
  37. J

    Windows SW for advanced data analysis

    I wrote this small Excel macro to gather data from vehicles database: Sub ImportCarQueryDB() Call JSON2Excel("2,3,4,8,12,14,20,21,26,27,28,29,31,32,33") ' Specify which fields to extract/import End Sub Sub JSON2Excel(ByVal fields As String) Filename$ = "C:\temp\fiat2.txt"...
  38. TheDemx27

    C# C# Windows Form Game : Movement

    C# Windows Form "Game": Movement All I wanted to do was to make a block move right/left across the window. I'm using VS 2010. No compiler errors and when I run it, it doesn't respond to any input. using System; using System.Windows.Forms; namespace Game { public partial class Form1...
  39. J

    Need help troubleshooting problem with Google Chrome on Windows 7

    I need some help with this problem. My housemate, a computer-illiterate lady who uses her daughter's old laptop solely to browse the internet, last evening wanted me to help her figure out how to (illegally) stream the Academy Awards Ceremony. I found a link but it wouldn't play on her Google...
  40. A

    Fortran Free Program for Compiling Windows Executables from Fortran77 Files

    Hi! I would like to compile some *.for files (only standard Fortran77 statements) which only contains some subroutines and functions and link them with a *.res resource file and a *.lib library file (supplied by developers) into a windows executable. Is there any FREE program to achieve...
  41. P

    Troubleshooting Windows Installation Errors: How to Fix CD/DVD Driver Issues?

    I bought a new desktop computer without pre installed os. Now I fail to install 1: XP-the Blue death screen after file loading completes 2: Vista-window can't open required file (install.wim) after collecting information is almost done 3: windows 7 - the required CD/DVD device driver is missing...
  42. Superposed_Cat

    C/C++ A good C++ compiler for windows 8

    I've tried downloaded three different compilers for c++ and none of them work, I have visual studio 2010 but c++ won't work on it. If someone could provide a link to a c++ plugin for it I would be soooo grateful. But anything is appreciated as long as it's free.
  43. I

    MS Windows workflow: an explanation

    I have been pretty much interested in Microsoft Windows Workflow lately and trying to figure out how to explain to my 13 year old nephew its concepts and simple applications. I run into this article, informative and quite useful but not really simple at all (maybe because of my bad English)...
  44. C

    Java Upgraded to Windows 8.1, javac Not Longer Found

    I upgraded to Windows 8.1 Pro today and reinstalled all of my software. I'm having issues with the new Java JDK (v40). I can't compile anything on the command line. I keep getting the following error message: javac is not recognized as an internal or external command So I went back in...
  45. P

    Image reduction and analysis software for windows

    I'm not sure if this question belongs here, if that is the case I'm sorry. I've been desperately trying to install IRAF on windows. Nothing seems to work. I've considered installing a Linux distro but since I'm using windows 8 that is not an option. So my question is: has anyone been able to...
  46. Philosophaie

    LaTeX Set a custom security level in Windows 8 to view Latex

    How do you set a custom security level in Windows 8 to view Latex.
  47. W

    Convert command line to windows

    Is anybody interested in having a software for converting command line applications to graphical/windows versions? For example you have old program which can be launch only from command line. After converting it, you will get window with parameters to fill in, files to choose and buttons to run...
  48. T

    Windows 8.1, lack of backwards compatibility

    http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2420963,00.asp For all of my complaints about Microsoft I used to think they were pretty smart. But I see that in the past six or seven years they've just been stupid. I thought they understood that backwards compatibility was a big part of the reason...
  49. M

    Microsoft windows command line interface

    Hello, In linux Konsol is very prevalent and its books are ubiquitous. Given that windows is the more popular of the two and being relatively easier a lot of us don't find much use let alone learn how to use windows console commands. I am looking for a website or a book which covers extensively...
  50. F

    Need help to start with Healpix on IDL and Windows 7

    Hello, i'm an astrophysics student, and i need to create a CMB map using Planck data. I have to use Healpix on IDL. I'm new in IDL, but I'm learning the basics, and i haven't particular problems. My problem is with Healpix: i can't understand what is the right procedure of installation (on...
Back
Top