Windows Operating System

🧩 1. Basic Information

Field —>Description
OS Name —>Microsoft Windows
Developer —>Microsoft Corporation
First Released —>November 20, 1985 (Windows 1.0)
Latest Version —>Windows 11 (2021), Windows 12 (upcoming)
License Type —>Commercial (proprietary)
Supported Platforms —>x86, x64, ARM64
Still Active? —>✅ Yes

⚙️ 2. Kernel & Architecture

Kernel Type: Hybrid Kernel

Based On: MS-DOS (earlier versions), Windows NT (modern versions)

Architecture Support: x86, x64, IA-64, ARM64

Boot System: BIOS/UEFI, secure boot, dual-boot support

🌟 3. Key Features

Intuitive GUI (Start Menu, Taskbar, File Explorer)

Multitasking & multi-user login

Gaming optimized (DirectX support)

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Microsoft Store & wide app support

Cortana (voice assistant), Action Center, Widgets

BitLocker encryption, Defender Antivirus

Virtual desktops, touch support, Snap Layouts

Full integration with Microsoft Office & Azure

📈 4. Version History & Important Milestones ✅

Version —>Year —>Milestone / Impact
Windows 1.0 —>1985 —>First GUI overlay on MS-DOS, tiled windows
Windows 3.0/3.1 —>1990–92 —>Big commercial success; File Manager, TrueType font support
Windows 95 —>1995 —>Start Menu, Taskbar, 32-bit support, Plug and Play
Windows 98 —>1998 —>Internet Explorer, FAT32, better USB support
Windows ME —>2000 —>Multimedia-focused; unstable; last DOS- based Windows
Windows 2000 —>2000 —>Based on NT kernel; improved file system & security
Windows XP —>2001 —>Huge success; unified home & business, long support till 2014
Windows Vista —>2007 —>Aero UI, UAC, high system requirements
Windows 7 —>2009 —>Reliable, fast, most loved OS; long lifespan
Windows 8 / 8.1 —>2012–13 —>Touch-first UI; removed then restored Start button
Windows 10 —>2015 —>Rolling updates, WSL, Cortana, integrated with cloud
Windows 11 —>2021 —>New UI, centered Start Menu, Android apps support
Windows 12 (expected) —>2024–25 —>AI-first, cloud-native, modular update architecture

🎯 5. Target Audience & Use Cases

General Users: Home, students, small businesses

Enterprise: Server environments (via Windows Server)

Developers: Especially .NET, Visual Studio, WSL users

Gamers: Best-in-class support with DirectX 12 Ultimate

Educational Sector, Government, Creative Professionals

✅ 6. Pros & Cons

Pros —>Cons
User-friendly interface —>Requires frequent updates
Excellent gaming & app compatibility —>Some privacy concerns in newer versions
Strong enterprise support (Active Directory, etc.) —>Paid license
Best support for productivity tools —>Slower on older hardware (esp. Win 11)

🎨 7. UI Demo & Visuals

Boot screen animation (Windows 95 → 11)

Evolution of the Start Menu & Taskbar

Windows Explorer, Settings app, Widgets panel

Demo of Snap Layouts, Virtual Desktops

App installs via Microsoft Store

Optional: gaming experience, WSL terminal, Edge browser

📦 8. Ecosystem & App Support

Microsoft Store + traditional .exe installers

Preinstalled apps: Edge, Calculator, Paint, Notepad

Compatible with major apps (Adobe, AutoCAD, Steam, Zoom, etc.)

Cloud: Microsoft 365, OneDrive integration

Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA in Win 11)

Windows Server for data centers, enterprises

🔐 9. Security & Updates

Windows Defender Antivirus (built-in)

BitLocker encryption

User Account Control (UAC)

Secure Boot & TPM 2.0 (in Win 11)

Monthly security patches + Feature updates (2x/year)

SmartScreen, ransomware protection, Windows Hello (face/fingerprint login)

🌍 10. Community, License & Development

Proprietary software (requires license or OEM pre-install)

Huge global user base & active communities

Developer tools: Visual Studio, WinUI, UWP, WSL

Enterprise tools: Group Policy Editor, Active Directory

Windows Insider Program (for early access & feedback)

🎁 BONUS: Full Version History Table (Windows)

Version Name —>Release Date —>End of Life (EOL) —>Notes
Windows 1.0 —>1985-11-20 —>2001 —>First graphical shell
Windows 2.0 —>1987-12-09 —>2001 —>Overlapping windows support
Windows 3.0 —>1990-05-22 —>2001 —>Major commercial success
Windows 3.1 —>1992-04-06 —>2001 —>TrueType fonts, multimedia
Windows 95 —>1995-08-24 —>2001 —>Start Menu introduced
Windows 98 —>1998-06-25 —>2006-07-11 —>Better USB, IE integration
Windows ME —>2000-09-14 —>2006-07-11 —>Last DOS-based version
Windows 2000 —>2000-02-17 —>2010-07-13 —>First NT-based consumer OS
Windows XP —>2001-10-25 —>2014-04-08 —>Most popular version; stable & fast
Windows Vista —>2007-01-30 —>2017-04-11 —>Introduced Aero, UAC
Windows 7 —>2009-10-22 —>2020-01-14 —>Very stable and widely loved
Windows 8 —>2012-10-26 —>2016-01-12 (mainstream) —>Metro UI, Start menu removed
Windows 8.1 —>2013-10-17 —>2023-01-10 —>Start button returned
Windows 10 —>2015-07-29 —>2025-10-14 (expected) —>Rolling updates, Cortana, WSL
Windows 11 —>2021-10-05 —>Ongoing —>New design, WSA, improved performance
Windows 12 (rumored) —>2024–25 (TBD) —>TBD —>Cloud-AI focus, modular system, faster updates