Windows

Extracted Attributes

• Developer

  Microsoft

• OS Families

  Windows PC, Windows Server, Windows IoT

• Hardware Support

  GPUs and NPUs for local AI models

• Primary Editions

  Home, Professional, Education, Enterprise

• Desktop Market Share

  72% (as of 2025-10-01)

• Initial Release Date

  1985-11-20

• Windows 11 Market Share

  53% (as of 2025-08-01)

• Location of Windows Garage

  Shanghai, China

Timeline

• Microsoft begins development on 'Interface Manager', the precursor to Windows. (Source: Web Search)

  1981-01-01

• Microsoft officially announces 'Windows' as a future graphical user interface. (Source: Web Search)

  1983-11-01

• Windows 1.0 is released as a graphical shell for MS-DOS. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1985-11-20

• Development begins on the NT OS/2 project, which eventually becomes Windows NT. (Source: Web Search)

  1988-11-01

• Windows 3.0 is released, significantly increasing the platform's market success. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1990-05-22

• Windows 95 is launched, introducing the Start button and Internet Explorer. (Source: Web Search)

  1995-08-24

• Windows 11 reaches a 53% market share among desktop versions. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-08-01

• Windows maintains a 72% global market share for desktop operating systems. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-10-01

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a proprietary graphical operating system developed and marketed by Microsoft. Windows is grouped into families that cater to particular sectors of the computing industry – Windows for personal computers, Windows Server for servers, and Windows IoT for embedded systems. Windows itself is further grouped into editions that cater to different users – Home for home users, Professional for advanced users, Education for schools, and Enterprise for corporations. Windows is sold both as a consumer retail product and to computer manufacturers, who bundle and distribute it with their systems. The first version of Windows, Windows 1.0, was released on November 20, 1985 as a graphical operating system shell for MS-DOS in response to growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs). The name Windows is a reference to the windowing system in GUIs. The 1990 release of Windows 3.0 catapulted its market success and led to the launch of various other product families, including the (now-defunct) Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, and Windows CE/Embedded Compact. Windows is the most popular desktop operating system in the world, with a 72% market share as of October 2025, and the second-most popular operating system overall, behind Android. As of August 2025, Windows 11 is the most used desktop version of Windows, with a market share of 53%.

Web Search Results

• Microsoft Windows - Wikipedia

  The history of Windows dates back to 1981 when Microsoft started work on a program called "Interface Manager". The name "Windows" comes from the fact that the system was one of the first to use graphical boxes to represent programs; in the industry, at the time, these were called "windows" and the underlying software was called "windowing software." It was announced in November 1983 (after the Apple Lisa, but before the Macintosh) under the name "Windows", but Windows 1.0 was not released until November 1985. Windows 1.0 was to compete with Apple's operating system, but achieved little popularity. Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it extends MS-DOS. The shell of Windows 1.0 is a program known as the MS-DOS Executive. Components included Calculator, Calendar, [...] In November 1988, a new development team within Microsoft (which included former Digital Equipment Corporation developers Dave Cutler and Mark Lucovsky) began work on a revamped version of IBM and Microsoft's OS/2 operating system known as "NT OS/2". NT OS/2 was intended to be a secure, multi-user operating system with POSIX compatibility and a modular, portable kernel with preemptive multitasking and support for multiple processor architectures. However, following the successful release of Windows 3.0, the NT development team decided to rework the project to use an extended 32-bit port of the Windows API known as Win32 instead of those of OS/2. Win32 maintained a similar structure to the Windows APIs (allowing existing Windows applications to easily be ported to the platform), but also [...] The early versions of Windows are often thought of as graphical shells, mostly because they ran on top of MS-DOS and used it for file system services. However, even the earliest Windows versions already assumed many typical operating system functions; notably, having their own executable file format and providing their own device drivers (timer, graphics, printer, mouse, keyboard and sound). Unlike MS-DOS, Windows allowed users to execute multiple graphical applications at the same time, through cooperative multitasking. Windows implemented an elaborate, segment-based, software virtual memory scheme, which allowed it to run applications larger than available memory: code segments and resources "Resource (Windows)") were swapped in and thrown away when memory became scarce; data segments

• Windows Operating System | Research Starters - EBSCO

  Research Starters Home EBSCO Knowledge Advantage TM # Windows Operating System The Windows Operating System, developed by Microsoft, has been a leading OS for personal computing since the early 1980s. It features a graphical user interface (GUI), which allows users to interact with the system through visual components like icons, menus, and windows, enhancing usability compared to earlier command-line interfaces such as MS-DOS. Initially launched in 1985, Windows has evolved significantly, with notable versions like Windows 95 introducing features such as the Start button and Internet Explorer, and Windows 10 adopting a universal application architecture for use across multiple devices, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones. [...] ## History of the Windows Operating System Windows is an operating system (OS) developed by Microsoft Corporation for personal computers (PCs). Windows features a graphical user interface (GUI). A GUI allows users to interact with the OS using a pointer, dropdown menus, graphic icons, and movable windows representing folders and drives. Microsoft debuted Windows in the early 1980s. Since then, Windows has dominated the PC market. By some estimates, 90 percent of computers worldwide run some version of Windows. [...] ## Windows Operating System ## Fields of Study Operating Systems; Information Technology; Computer Science ## Abstract Windows is an operating system (OS) developed by Microsoft. It has been one of the dominant OSs for personal computing since the 1990s. Windows is designed to operate across a variety of platforms, including personal computers, smartphones, and the Xbox One video-gaming console. ## History of the Windows Operating System

• Windows Operating Systems - Best Buy

  No content ## Best Buy customers often prefer the following products when searching for Windows Operating Systems. Windows is the most popular operating system in the world, and for good reason. It's versatile and powerful. Browse the top-ranked list of Windows operating systems below along with associated reviews and opinions. Main Results 1. ### Microsoft - Windows 11 Pro - English - Digital - English Model: FQC-10572 Publisher: Microsoft SKU: 6498483 Rating 4.6 out of 5 stars with 80 reviews (80 reviews) Top comment [...] Model: KW9-00664 Publisher: Microsoft SKU: 6498482 Rating 4.4 out of 5 stars with 287 reviews (287 reviews) Top comment "Operating System for Gaming Computer...Needed an operating system for my new gaming computer. Always have enjoyed Windows. ...Windows...It’s a windows operating system it’s gonna do what you expect when you buy windows 11" See all customer reviews #### Product Description Windows 11 is the one place for it all. With a fresh new feel and tools that make it easier to be efficient, it has what you need for whatever’s next. See all Operating Systems Top comment [...] See all Operating Systems Top comment "Operating System for Gaming Computer...Needed an operating system for my new gaming computer. Always have enjoyed Windows. ...Windows...It’s a windows operating system it’s gonna do what you expect when you buy windows 11" See all customer reviews #### Product Description Windows 11 is the one place for it all. With a fresh new feel and tools that make it easier to be efficient, it has what you need for whatever’s next. See all Operating Systems $139.00Your price for this item is $139.00 Select pickup Location Select shipping See all Operating Systems 3. ### Microsoft - Windows 11 Pro - USB Flash Drive - English - Physical - English Model: HAV-00162 Publisher: Microsoft SKU: 6499303

• Software Download - Windows - Microsoft

  Developer & IT Developer & IT Microsoft Developer Microsoft Learn Support for AI marketplace apps Microsoft Tech Community Microsoft Marketplace Visual Studio Other Other Microsoft Rewards Free downloads & security Education Gift cards Licensing View Sitemap Search Search Microsoft.com No results Cancel Sign in to your account Windows Image 3 Windows 11 ---------- Image 4 Windows 10 ---------- Image 5 Windows 8.1 ----------- Image 6 Windows 7 --------- What's new [...] Software Software Windows Apps AI OneDrive Outlook Moving from Skype to Teams OneNote Microsoft Teams PCs & Devices PCs & Devices Shop Xbox Accessories VR & mixed reality Entertainment Entertainment Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Xbox games PC games Business Business Microsoft Cloud Microsoft Security Azure Dynamics 365 Microsoft 365 for business Microsoft Industry Microsoft Power Platform Windows 365 [...] Developer & IT Microsoft Developer Microsoft Learn Support for AI marketplace apps Microsoft Tech Community Microsoft Marketplace Microsoft Power Platform Visual Studio Company Careers About Microsoft Company news Privacy at Microsoft Investors Sustainability English (United Kingdom)Your Privacy ChoicesConsumer Health Privacy Contact us Privacy Manage cookies Terms of use Trademarks About our ads © Microsoft 2025

• Software Download - Windows - Microsoft

  Developer & IT Developer & IT Azure Microsoft Developer Microsoft Learn Support for AI marketplace apps Microsoft Tech Community Microsoft Marketplace Marketplace Rewards Visual Studio Other Other Microsoft Rewards Free downloads & security Education Gift cards Licensing Unlocked stories View Sitemap Search Search or ask a question No results Cancel Sign in to your account Windows Image 3 Windows 11 ---------- Image 4 Windows 10 ---------- Image 5 Windows 8.1 ----------- Image 6 Windows 7 --------- What's new [...] Software Software Windows Apps Outlook OneDrive Microsoft Teams OneNote Microsoft Edge Moving from Skype to Teams PCs & Devices PCs & Devices Computers Shop Xbox Accessories VR & mixed reality Certified Refurbished Trade-in for cash Entertainment Entertainment Xbox Game Pass Ultimate PC Game Pass Xbox games PC games Business Business Microsoft AI Microsoft Security Dynamics 365 Microsoft 365 for business Microsoft Power Platform Windows 365 Small Business

• Instance Of

  Q4167410