Windows OS

π§© 1. Basic Information
Field β>Description
OS Name β>Microsoft Windows
Developer β>Microsoft Corporation
First Released β>November 20, 1985 (Windows 1.0)
Latest Version β>Windows 11 (2021), Windows 12 (upcoming)
License Type β>Commercial (proprietary)
Supported Platforms β>x86, x64, ARM64
Still Active? β>β
Yes
βοΈ 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
π 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
π 4. Version History & Important Milestones β
Version β>Year β>Milestone / Impact
Windows 1.0 β>1985 β>First GUI overlay on MS-DOS, tiled windows
Windows 3.0/3.1 β>1990β92 β>Big commercial success; File Manager, TrueType font support
Windows 95 β>1995 β>Start Menu, Taskbar, 32-bit support, Plug and Play
Windows 98 β>1998 β>Internet Explorer, FAT32, better USB support
Windows ME β>2000 β>Multimedia-focused; unstable; last DOS- based Windows
Windows 2000 β>2000 β>Based on NT kernel; improved file system & security
Windows XP β>2001 β>Huge success; unified home & business, long support till 2014
Windows Vista β>2007 β>Aero UI, UAC, high system requirements
Windows 7 β>2009 β>Reliable, fast, most loved OS; long lifespan
Windows 8 / 8.1 β>2012β13 β>Touch-first UI; removed then restored Start button
Windows 10 β>2015 β>Rolling updates, WSL, Cortana, integrated with cloud
Windows 11 β>2021 β>New UI, centered Start Menu, Android apps support
Windows 12 (expected) β>2024β25 β>AI-first, cloud-native, modular update architecture
π― 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
β 6. Pros & Cons
Pros β>Cons
User-friendly interface β>Requires frequent updates
Excellent gaming & app compatibility β>Some privacy concerns in newer versions
Strong enterprise support (Active Directory, etc.) β>Paid license
Best support for productivity tools β>Slower on older hardware (esp. Win 11)
π¨ 7. UI Demo & Visuals
Boot screen animation (Windows 95 β 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
π¦ 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
π 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)
π 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)
π BONUS: Full Version History Table (Windows)
Version Name β>Release Date β>End of Life (EOL) β>Notes
Windows 1.0 β>1985-11-20 β>2001 β>First graphical shell
Windows 2.0 β>1987-12-09 β>2001 β>Overlapping windows support
Windows 3.0 β>1990-05-22 β>2001 β>Major commercial success
Windows 3.1 β>1992-04-06 β>2001 β>TrueType fonts, multimedia
Windows 95 β>1995-08-24 β>2001 β>Start Menu introduced
Windows 98 β>1998-06-25 β>2006-07-11 β>Better USB, IE integration
Windows ME β>2000-09-14 β>2006-07-11 β>Last DOS-based version
Windows 2000 β>2000-02-17 β>2010-07-13 β>First NT-based consumer OS
Windows XP β>2001-10-25 β>2014-04-08 β>Most popular version; stable & fast
Windows Vista β>2007-01-30 β>2017-04-11 β>Introduced Aero, UAC
Windows 7 β>2009-10-22 β>2020-01-14 β>Very stable and widely loved
Windows 8 β>2012-10-26 β>2016-01-12 (mainstream) β>Metro UI, Start menu removed
Windows 8.1 β>2013-10-17 β>2023-01-10 β>Start button returned
Windows 10 β>2015-07-29 β>2025-10-14 (expected) β>Rolling updates, Cortana, WSL
Windows 11 β>2021-10-05 β>Ongoing β>New design, WSA, improved performance
Windows 12 (rumored) β>2024β25 (TBD) β>TBD β>Cloud-AI focus, modular system, faster updates