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Windows
Updated: 02/07/2022 by Computer Hope

Windows may refer to any of the following:

1. Microsoft Windows (also referred to as Windows or

Win) is a graphical operating system developed and
published by Microsoft. It provides a way to store files,
run software, play games, watch videos, and connect to
the Internet.

Microsoft Windows was first introduced with version 1.0

on November 10, 1983. Over a dozen versions of
Windows were released after that, including the current
version, Windows 10.

 List of Microsoft Windows versions.

Editions of Windows.

Why is Microsoft Windows called Windows?

Microsoft Windows help pages.

Related information.

Editions of Windows
Starting with Windows XP, Microsoft has published various editions of Windows. Each of these
Windows editions has the same core operating system, but some editions have additional features,
at an additional cost.

The two most common editions of Windows for home computers are Windows Home and Windows
Professional.

Windows Home

Windows Home (also called Win Home) is the basic edition of Windows. It
provides all the fundamental functions of Windows, such as connecting to the
Internet, browsing the web, watching videos, using office software, and
playing video games. It is the least expensive edition of Windows, and it
comes preinstalled on many new computers.

Windows Pro

Windows Professional (also called Windows Pro, or Win Pro) is an

enhanced Windows edition, for power users, and small to medium sized
businesses. It includes all the features of Windows Home, plus the following:

Remote Desktop - lets you remotely control another Windows computer

connected to the Internet.

Bitlocker - Microsoft's integrated file encryption.

Trusted Boot - provides encryption of the boot loader, protecting the computer against rootkits.

Hyper-V - a Windows hypervisor for running virtual machines, equivalent to third-party software,
such as VirtualBox.

Windows Sandbox - provides a lightweight, sandboxed Windows 10 instance. You can use this
isolated "Windows within Windows" environment to safely run suspicious or untrusted software.
Windows Sandbox requires a Windows Insider build of Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise.

Group policy management - Administrators can define group policies, for managing multiple
Windows users in a business or organization.

Support for more than 128 GB of RAM.

Greater Windows Update installation options, including more flexible scheduling and postponement
for up to 35 days.

Business editions

Windows Professional for Workstations and Windows Enterprise provide advanced features for
professional studios and large businesses. For more information, refer to the side-by-side comparison
in the official Microsoft Windows business edition comparison chart. 

Why is Microsoft Windows called Windows?

Before the release of Microsoft Windows, Microsoft users
were used to the single task command line operating system
MS-DOS. Because Microsoft names most of its products with
one word, it needed a word that best described its new GUI
operating system. Microsoft chose "Windows" because of the
multiple windows that allow different tasks and programs to
run at the same time. Because you cannot trademark a
common name like "Windows," it's officially known as
"Microsoft Windows". The first version of Microsoft Windows
was version 1.0, released in 1985.

Microsoft Windows help pages

How to determine the version of Windows on a computer.

Windows 11 help

Windows 10 help

Windows 8 and 8.1 help

Windows 7 help

Windows Vista help

Windows XP help

Windows 2000 help

Windows NT help

Windows ME help

Windows 98 help

Windows 95 help

Windows 3.1 and 3.11 help

Related information

The history of Microsoft Windows.

What are the features of Microsoft Windows?
Windows programs and run line commands.
Linux vs. Windows.
Microsoft Windows shortcut keys.
Microsoft Windows tips.
Computer operating system help and support.

2. In general, a window is a fundamental part of a computer GUI (graphical user interface). A

window is an area of the display containing a single running application. The window can be moved,
resized, hidden, or maximized as desired by the user. The Microsoft Windows operating system is
named after this UI element.

 For more information, see What is a window?

3. Regarding Unix-like operating systems, such as Linux or BSD, Windows may refer to the X
Window System.

Also see: Operating system terms, Window, Windows 3.x, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 95,
Windows 98, Windows 365, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows Vista, Windows XP

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