Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is an operating system by Microsoft Corporation. The inital release of Windows was Windows 1.01. The latest version of Microsoft Windows is Windows 7. The unstable release is Windows 8.

Windows 1.01, Windows 2.0, and Windows 3.0
Windows 1.01 is the first version of Microsoft Windows. It was a GUI-version of Microsoft's MS-DOS and wasn't a real operating system. It extended MS-DOS by adding an interface and programs.

Microsoft Windows version 2.0 changed the GUI from tiled Windows to overlapping Windows, which led to Apple Computer having a lawsuit on Microsoft's GUI on Microsoft Windows.

Microsoft Windows version 3.0 released in 1990, was the first successful Microsoft Windows version, selling over two million copies in the first six months. It has improvements on to user interface and to multitasking. Windows 3.1 added changes to the operating system and added the Windows sounds. In 1993, a version called Windows for Workgroups released with version 3.11.

Windows NT 3.1
In July 1993, Microsoft released the new Windows NT kernel. Windows NT 3.1 was the first release on Windows NT. It was released for professional computing.

Windows 9.x, Start menu, MS-DOS
On August 24, 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95, a major consumer version that had user interface upgrades. Windows 95 was to replace Windows for Workgroups and Windows 3.1 and also MS-DOS. It has plug and play capabilities. Mainstream support ended on December 31, 2000 and extended support added on December 31, 2001.

Nashville was in development but then it gotten cancelled.

Windows 98 was next in to comsumer market, and added the Windows Desktop Update. It was released successfully.

New millennium
In the business market of Windows, Windows 2000 released. In the consumer market of Windows, Windows ME released, as the final version of Windows 9.x (and the MS-DOS kernel series of Microsoft Windows.

Windows XP and Server 2003
Windows XP released in October 2001 as a Windows NT version. It was a consumer and business version of Windows. It has two major versions: Home (in development: Personal) and Professional. Then another edition release: Media Center.

Its server counterpart, Windows Server 2003 was introduced to replace Windows 2000 Server.

Windows Vista and 7
In January 2007, Windows Vista released with new security options, a new user interface update and different editions, which led to some criticism.

On October 22, 2009, Windows 7 released, which released with a large number of new features, unlike Vista. It added multi-touch, a redesigned shell and a new taskbar, called the Superbar.

Windows 8
The currently unreleased Windows 8 has a large number of new features, mostly on applications and interface. A new update is the Windows Start Screen replacing the Windows Start menu. Mail, News, Weather, Store and XBOX Games are some new applications. Some of the applications are used for Windows 8 for Tablets.

Versions
Released versuions are Windows 1.01, Windows 2.03, Windows 2.10, Windows 2.11, Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.1, Windows NT 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows NT 3.5, Windows 4.0 (Windows 95), Windows 4.1996 (Nashville), Windows 4.1.1998 (Windows 98), Windows 4.1.2222 (Windows 98 SE), Windows NT 5.0 (Windows 2000), Windows 4.90.3000 (Windows ME), Windows NT 5.1.2600 (Windows XP), Windows NT 5.2.3790 (Windows Server 2003), Windows 6.0.6002 (Windows Vista), Windows NT 6.1.7601 (Windows 7), Windows NT 6.2.9200 (Windows Server 2012, Windows 8)