1.3 Operating systems  (Page 3/9)

MS-DOS employs a command line interface and a batch scripting facility via its command interpreter, COMMAND.COM.

Microsoft windows

Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of software operating systems by Microsoft. Microsoft Windows interest in graphical user interfaces (GUI)

MsWindows are introduced in detail in the next section.

The most common commands of an operating systems

Every operating system need a system of command for managing files and disks. Commonly used types are :

• File management : copy, delete, rename, type a file.
• Directories management: create, remove, copy directories.
• Disk management : disk copy, disk format.

Microsoft windows

Brief history of microsoft windows

In 1983 Microsoft announced its development of Windows, a graphical user interface (GUI) for its own operating system. Windows 3.0, released in 1990, was a complete overhaul of the Windows environment with the capability to address memory beyond 640K and a much more powerful user interface.

Windows for Workgroups 3.1 was the first integrated Windows and networking package offered by Microsoft.Windows for Workgroups also includes two additional applications: Microsoft Mail, a network mail package, and Schedule+, a workgroup scheduler.

Windows 95, released in August of 1995. A 32-bit system providing full pre-emptive multitasking, advanced file systems, threading, networking and more.Also includes a completely revised user interface.

Windows 98, released in June of 1998. Integrated Web Browsing gives your desktop a browser-like interface.

Windows 2000 provides an impressive platform of Internet, intranet, extranet, and management applications that integrate tightly with Active Directory.

In September 2000 Microsoft released Windows Me, short for Millennium Edition, which is aimed at the home user. The Me operating system boasts some enhanced multimedia features, such as an automated video editor and improved Internet plumbing.

Windows XP-Microsoft officially launches it on October 25th. 2001.XP is a whole new kind of Windows for consumers. Under the hood, it contains the 32-bit kernel and driver set from Windows NT and Windows 2000. Naturally it has tons of new features that no previous version of Windows has.

Windows Vista is a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, Tablet PCs, and media centersWindows Vista contains hundreds of new and reworked features; some of the most significant include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems.

Originally developed as a part of its effort to introduce Windows NT to the workstation market, Microsoft released Windows NT 4.0, which features the new Windows 95 interface on top of the Windows NT kernel.

Windows NT (New Technology) is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was originally designed to be a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement consumer versions of Windows that were based on MS-DOS. NT was the first fully 32-bit version of Windows, whereas its consumer-oriented counterparts, Windows 3.1x and Windows 9x, were 16-bit/32-bit hybrids. Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 (beta), and Windows Home Server are based upon the Windows NT system, although they are not branded as Windows NT.