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The Online Mom provides internet technology advice and information to help parents protect their kids, encourage responsible behavior and safely harness the power of technology in the new digital world. Social networking, photo sharing, video games, IM & texting, internet security, cyberbullying, educational resources, the latest on tech hardware, gadgets and software for kids 3-8, tweens and teens, and more.
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Microsoft Windows
 What do nearly all computers from Dell, HP, Compaq, Acer, Gateway, and hundreds of other manufacturers
have in common? In fact, what do the vast majority of personal computers on Earth have in common? They
each come with a version of Microsoft Windows. But what, exactly, is Windows?
It's an operating system. Which means:
- It manages your computer's hardware
- It gives programmers a set of "interfaces" and standards for writing their software
- It gives you, the user, a consistent "look and feel." Your computer's personality and the way it behaves are largely created by Windows.
Most operating systems, including Windows, also give you a set of "bonus" programs – typically,
anything from games to an Internet browser to technical troubleshooting tools.
Almost a quarter-century old
Incredible as it might seem, Windows has been around since 1985. The earliest versions of Windows merely
sat on top of Microsoft's older operating system, MS-DOS, adding a consistent visual appearance. Gradually,
Windows evolved, became more all-encompassing, and, slowly, more reliable. Millions of users came aboard
with Windows 3.0 in 1990, Windows 3.1 in 1992, or the hugely successful Windows 95 in, yes, 1995.
As Windows became more popular, more and more software was written for it. Much of that software was only
available for Windows, which made it even more dominant in the marketplace. (So did some controversial
business practices. Microsoft has spent years in court defending federal anti-trust charges; even now,
it's fighting European regulators over similar issues.)
With Windows NT and Windows 2000, Microsoft replaced most of the ancient underpinnings of Windows with new
code that was reliable enough for businesses to be comfortable with. With Windows XP, all that code found
its way into the typical "home" computer, too.
Loads of bonus software
For decades, Windows has come with a series of miniature programs for productivity, fun, and, boring system
maintenance tasks. Most long-time Windows users have wasted some of that time with Solitaire. Many people
get all the word processing they need with WordPad, and needn't buy anything fancier, like Microsoft Office.
As Windows has evolved, Microsoft has added more and more add-on programs and features. Among the most
popular are the Internet Explorer web browser; and Windows Media Player for playing MP3s and videos and
syncing with MP3 players. The latest version, Windows Vista, adds even more features. For instance, it
provides Photo Gallery for managing your photos, and sophisticated Parental Controls for limiting how your
children use your computer.
There are several versions of Windows Vista. You're most likely to encounter "Home Premium," and "Home Basic" –
a stripped down version that doesn't contain some of Vista's more sophisticated visuals or multimedia tools.
(If you're connecting to an office network, you might need the more expensive "Business" or "Ultimate" versions.)
To Vista, or not to Vista?
As Windows has become more sophisticated, it has required ever more powerful computers in order to run well.
This means it can be very difficult to upgrade Windows on older computers. Microsoft's also realized that it
needs to make Windows much more secure than it used to be. In developing Vista, Windows has changed many of its
programming rules – and "broken" some old software and devices that used to run just fine.
These changes have discouraged many people from using Vista. (Chances are, those Apple commercials with Justin
Long and John Hodgman have, too.) As a result, some people prefer to buy their new computers with the older
Windows XP. But if you want Windows XP, you'll have to act quickly: Microsoft plans to stop selling it soon.
Of course, Microsoft Windows isn't the only operating system you can buy: there's Apple's
Mac OS X,
and there are also many free and low-cost versions of Linux or other
Open Systems.
Even so, some 90% of computers are
still sold with Windows, and the vast majority of software is still written for Windows. Bottom line: even
now that he's left his day-to-day responsibilities at Microsoft, Bill Gates casts a very long shadow!
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