Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
| Domain | Definition |
Computing | Microsoft Windows |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Microsoft Windows is a range of operating environments for personal computers. The range was first introduced by Microsoft in 1985 and eventually came to dominate the world personal computer market. All recent versions of Windows also function as a fully-fledged operating system.
The term Windows is used as a collective term for numerous very different products, falling into four broad categories:
The most obvious feature of the more recent Windows versions (since Windows 95 and NT 4.0) is the desktop, which is essentially a Microsoft version of IBM's 1992 OS/2 Presentation Manager. The Windows desktop has produced a significant change in the way people and computers interact: it is possible to perform many common tasks with very little computer knowledge, including some quite complex ones.
But the Windows interface also isolates the user from the inner workings of the computer and makes it very much more difficult to control and configure the system (in large part, this is a more-or-less inevitable outgrowth both of the increased power and complexity of modern computer systems, and of the vastly increased user base with a lower average computer skill level).
Windows has achieved enormous market penetration. Windows is thought to be installed on over 90% of personal computers at present, but users of other operating systems buying a PC often have to purchase Windows and delete it before installing the OS of their choice (most commonly one of the free open source products) because manufacturers almost always include Windows in the computer package.
Security has been a major issue with Windows family products for many years. Most modern operating systems were designed for security in a multi-user and/or networked environment and have a relatively small number of security issues. Windows was originally designed for ease-of-use on a single-user PC without a network connection, and did not have security features built in from the outset. As a result, Windows has been successfully targeted by hackers and virus writers time and time again. The Blaster worm of August 2003 is a recent example.
After many years of blind denials, Microsoft publicly admitted their ongoing security problems shortly after the turn of the century and (according to their press statements) now regard security as the number one priority.
Thus far, there is no implementation that signals the new emphasis is bearing fruit. However, there has been heavy speculation about the controversial Palladium system to tie software and the data in it to hardware, that Microsoft may implement in later versions of Windows.
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 are the current versions of Windows. Windows XP is designed for desktop computers, while Windows Server 2003 is designed for servers and comes in four different versions: Web Edition, Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition. Web Edition is designed mostly for web hosting, while Datacenter is the flagship product for extremely high end infrastructure. Standard and Enterprise fall in the middle.
Microsoft has a number of new initiatives planned or in progress: .NET, Palladium and the "Longhorn" operating system, which is due in or around 2005, although some Microsoft executives have indicated that a 2006 release is likely. There is some current speculation that Microsoft may use .NET and Longhorn as a way of moving away from the Windows brand. It is suggested that this may help Microsoft avoid the consequences of antitrust actions, as it will be able to claim that the Windows successor is an entirely new product, and not subject to any regulation applied to Windows. Further down the road, there is the "Blackcomb" operating system, which is due sometime around 2008, and will have both a client (for the average user) and server version.
Versions
Interface
Popularity
Security
Contemporary Versions
Initiatives
Versions for particular devices
See also
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Microsoft Windows."
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Business | Microsoft Windows remains in the market despite the rise of Linux-based software that appeared to have overtaken the Chinese-version of Windows 98. Windows 2000 stalled this trend with major buyers in government and business relying on the new platform, but the competition continues. (references) | |
As the number of Japanese PC users increases, demand for PC peripheral systems, including all types of application software, is increasing as well. Microsoft Windows 95 has been a big hit in Japan in the past four years with more than 20 million units sold. All major Japanese PC manufacturers including NEC and Fujitsu offer pre-installed Windows operating software, and Microsoft Windows 2000 is currently installed with most products. (references) | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Language | Translations for "MICROSOFT WINDOWS"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Russian | ΠΌΠΈΠΊΡΠΎΡΠΎΡΡ Π²ΠΈΠ½Π΄ΠΎΡΠ·. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-d-f-i-i-m-n-o-o-o-r-s-s-t-w-w" | |
-5 letters: conformists, discomforts, disconfirms. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Crosswords 2. Usage: Commercial 3. Quotations: Non-fiction 4. Translations: Modern | 5. Anagrams 6. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
