Interesting facts about windows. Microsoft Windows: history of creation and interesting facts. Under the control of the system

For recent years Microsoft has constantly tried to please its users with new versions of the most popular operating system. Users really liked the 7th version of Windows, but very soon the 8th appeared, then 8.1, and just recently Windows 10 was released.

According to the developers, this will be the latest version of the well-known operating system, after which there will only be updates to some programs. But perhaps we should not rush into such statements, because nothing is perfect, and this version may also need further updates. We will try to figure this out now.

Pros of Windows 10

The developers have worked hard on this operating system, so you need to start with its advantages.

So, what will Windows 10 bring you?

1. Free and discreet update. After Microsoft realized that it was useless to fight piracy, they decided to make their latest product completely free, if, of course, earlier versions were already available.
2. Significant increase in performance. Many users note the fact that after switching to Windows 10 from such controversial versions as 8 and 8.1, their software started working significantly faster. This is especially noticeable in modern games that consume a lot of resources.
3. Enhanced protection. Almost all Windows operating systems have problems with viruses, but in the latest version security has been significantly improved. Moreover, the system receives information about new malicious agents through the cloud and thus constantly updates its level of protection.
4. Saving settings across devices. Since we remember the increasingly popular cloud, with its help the new version is able to remember the user’s settings on one device, and then resume them on another. Therefore, when moving from an office computer to a home PC, any work can be continued comfortably.

Under the control of the system

Despite the fact that there are many advantages, there will always be some shortcomings that will not allow you to safely use the system.

Windows 10 collects almost all information about the user and sends it to its database. Thus, the following become known:

In fact, one system accumulates almost all the information about a person that can be collected. The legislation of many countries provides, if necessary, the possibility of using this information, and the user becomes very vulnerable.

There is also a possibility that attackers could break your Microsoft account password and gain access to everything at the same time.

If you want to know more facts about Windows 10, we advise you to watch the following video:

There are many more interesting details that cannot be ignored by the next update of the famous operating system. You may like some things, but on the contrary, upset others:

• the return of the good old Start button;
• DirectX 12, which can use all cores in the processor simultaneously, as well as a video card with motherboard together with the main one, but does not always work with all games;
• instead of the old Internet Explorer, the new Edge browser;
• some programs from the Windows 10 package have become paid, a trend that may not please everyone;
• removing ads is no longer so easy.

Therefore, every user still needs to think carefully about whether it is worth updating to this version. If you do not foresee any problems with the use of personal data, then update without hesitation.

Isn't it great to learn about a new shortcut in town or discover a cool feature on a new gadget? Windows 7 is full of unexpected features. Let's take a look at some small but amazing improvements to Windows 7 that you might not know about.

1. Complex math calculations


The Calculator has several new dynamic features. To view them, click View. Unit conversion function converts degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit, kilometers to miles, meters to feet, grams to ounces, joules to imperial thermal units, as well as many other units of measurement. With new calculation sheets, you can quickly perform everyday calculations like fuel economy and car rental payments. Programming and statistical modes allow you to handle the most complex tasks.

2. Sending information to technical support


The next time you need to describe a complex computer problem to a friend or tech support professional, try using the Troubleshooting Recorder. You can record a series of screenshots, add notes, and email them directly to your assistant.

3. Moving the taskbar


Did you know that the taskbar can be moved to the top, right or left of the screen?
The taskbar usually appears at the bottom edge of the desktop, but you can move it to the top or sides of the desktop. Before you can move the taskbar, you need to unpin it.

Click an empty area of ​​the taskbar and, while holding down the mouse button, drag the taskbar to one of the four borders of the desktop. Once the taskbar is in the desired location, release the mouse button.

4. Clock setting


Do your friends, family and colleagues live in different time zones around the world?
Add a clock to your taskbar to track the time in its region. You can also add a Clock gadget to your desktop to track the time in their region. You can also add a Clock gadget to your desktop. In addition, you can choose one of eight various options clock design. Learn more about adding and personalizing gadgets.

5. Create and share topics


Do you like variety? In Windows 7, you can design, save and quickly change computer themes (desktop background, window border color, sounds and screensaver). You can also create new themes, such as using your favorite photos as your desktop background, and easily share them with friends and family.

6. Drag and Drop Files from Jump Lists


The Jump List feature provides a list of quick access to frequently used or recently opened files. Simply hover your mouse over the right arrow next to Programs in the Start menu, or left-click a program in the taskbar. Jump lists let you open files and programs with just a few clicks. You can also drag items from Jump Lists into open folders or emails.

7. Preview files

Another great time-saver is the file view panel in a folder or library. With its help, you can view the contents of files without opening them in the program. You can open the view pane in a window by pressing the keyboard shortcut ALT+P. This area will display thumbnails of photos, PDFs, and other items when you click on them. Learn more about using files and folders, including the preview pane.

8. Reduce Eye Strain with ClearType


ClearType is a software tool that improves the readability of text on an LCD screen. If the text seems fuzzy, use ClearType. During the vision test, you will need to view multiple screens to achieve the clearest text display.

9. Easy customization of notes


Now sticky notes on your desktop can be made even more convenient. You can format text and change its color and size, collapse and scroll through multiple notes. If you have a tablet or touch screen, you can use multiple input methods (pen and touch) on a single note.

10. Introducing the new version of Paint


This classic program is enhanced in Windows 7 with new brush effects such as watercolor, pencil, and calligraphy. Now in Paint you will see a convenient ribbon for all the useful functions that you use most often. And on the touch screen you can draw with your fingers, including creating individual strokes with two fingers simultaneously.

11. Quickly search data on your computer


Windows Search is the most quick way Find and open the files you need on your computer, including documents, email messages, music, photos, and other files. To use Windows Search, click the Start button, enter one or more keywords in the search field, and view search results that appear almost instantly.

Isn't it great to learn about a new shortcut in town or discover a cool feature on a new gadget? Windows 7 is full of unexpected features. Let's take a look at some small but amazing improvements to Windows 7 that you might not know about.

Have you ever wondered how the operating system installed on your computer got the name it eventually got? If you feel a clear lack of interesting reference material, then we suggest that you familiarize yourself with a brief set of facts about how each of the most popular systems of its time got its name.

Without a graphical user interface, Micro Soft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS) is the successor to the Quick and Dirty Operating System (Q-DOS, later renamed 86-DOS), developed by Seattle Computer Products. . The MS prefix in this case is only an indicator that this version of the operating system was developed by Microsoft. For example, the Apple DOS operating system was named according to the same principle.

Windows 1.0-NT 4.0

It turns out that Windows 1.0 was named “Windows” because one of its main features was the ability to switch between multiple graphical user interface windows. After the announcement of this operating system, Microsoft decided to digitally label each version, from version 1.0 to 3.1 until the new operating system Windows NT was introduced, where NT stands for New Technology.

Windows 95-ME

The Windows 3.1 operating system kernel was subsequently used with the new graphical interface of the Windows 95, 98, and Millennium Edition operating systems, which was released in 2000 and named after the new third millennium. ME has become latest version operating system of the Windows 9x family. After it, the company decided to change course and chose the further development of the Windows NT family, the first new representative of which was the Windows NT 5.0 operating system (which was renamed Windows 2000).

Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7

You may not know, but the name XP comes from the English word “eXPerience” (experience). Windows XP began its experience back in 2001, eventually becoming the most popular operating system of all time. Its successor in 2007 was the Vista operating system, which was called Longhorn. As for the question of why Microsoft chose the name Vista, the world heard the answer right during the presentation of this operating system. The fact is that the word “vista” can be translated as “new opportunities” or “new views for the future.” In other words, it was these values ​​that were embedded in the name of the OS, since it was they who symbolized and personified the benefits that the OS was supposed to give to its users. The result is known to all of us - Vista has become one of the most unsuccessful OS from Microsoft in history, as even its former executive director admitted. After Vista, Microsoft decided to return to a digital operating system naming scheme and released Windows 7 and then Windows 8.

System 1-7.5

It was the first operating system for Apple's Macintosh computers, which it introduced in 1984. After this, the company decided to use numeric numbering in each of the subsequent versions. After the first seven versions of the System operating system, Apple decided to rename the OS and called it Mac OS.

Mac OS 8-10

According to the original plan, version 8 of Mas OS was supposed to be called Mac OS 7.7, but due to some legal circumstances, Apple decided to do otherwise. Later developed, Mac OS 9 became the last classic Mac operating system created by Apple based on its own software code. Mac OS X, which is based on BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution), was a giant leap forward for the company. It was decided to name each new version of Mac OS X after one of the representatives of the wild cat family.

Linux

This operating system owes its name to some extent to Ari Lemke, the owner of the FTP server on which the future OS was hosted at the request of Linus Torvalds. Linus later admitted that the kernel was inspired by the MINIX operating system, which did not suit him with its limited license. Initially, Torvalds wanted to call the new kernel "Freax". But instead, Lemke created a directory on the FTP server with the archive name “Linux” - originating from “Linus Minix”.

In Zulu and Xhosa (two African languages), the word Ubuntu translates as “humanity.” Each new Ubuntu release has its own code name and build number. The build number can usually symbolize the year and month of release new version, while the version codename contains the names of various animals.

Every computer user remembers the beloved Windows XP OS, which was the perfect example of what a real operating system should be. Convenient, intuitive, fast, not overloaded with unnecessary and completely unnecessary functions. Unfortunately, today Microsoft has stopped supporting this version of the OS, since three more versions have already been released after it, but XP still has an impressive army of fans - this is an indisputable fact. As well as the fact that this operating system will go down in history as one of the best.

Using XP

You may be surprised, but today there are 500 million copies of this OS in active use - and these are only official licensed copies. There are likely even more pirated versions.

Just like XP

Those users who had to upgrade the system to the eighth version, or who have already bought a device with a pre-installed OS, are now actively looking for ways to make this operating system look as similar as possible to XP. To do this, you can even download a special program from the Internet.

IRS

Many government agencies, such as the IRS, still use Windows XP - in most cases this is due to the incompatibility of the software used with other versions, but it is also a sign of the reliability of this OS.

Photo

Everyone knows the original Windows XP screensaver, which depicts hills. This photograph sold for over a million dollars and is considered the second most valuable photograph in history.

ATMs

PC users may well have changed their operating system, but most ATMs still use Windows XP.

Age

Windows XP is an incredibly old operating system. You won't believe it, but it was released back in 2001.

Protection errors

Despite the fact that Windows XP is one of the most beloved operating systems, it has very serious security holes. If you use this OS, then the likelihood of being hacked increases by about six times compared to modern systems.

IE versions

The popular Internet Explorer browser of more modern versions simply will not run on XP - this operating system only supports IE 8 and lower.

Piracy

Today, support and sales of Windows XP have been discontinued, but people continue to actively download and install pirated versions of this operating system.

CON folder or file

This is quite strange, but in Windows XP you cannot create a folder or file called CON - such a file already exists on the system, it is extremely important, and it cannot be accessed.

Upgrade speed

Many companies that still use Windows XP report that they do not upgrade to the new version, not because of the cost, but because of the time it will take to migrate all the software to the new operating system.

XP is experience

Windows XP is one of the last systems to use letters rather than a serial number to designate versions. And behind the letters XP stands English word eXPerience, which translates as “experience”.

End of support

As mentioned earlier, support and sales of this OS have ended, and this was announced in 2014, that is, quite recently - Windows XP lived for 13 long years.

Decorations

If you wish, you can decorate folders and replace icons with other pictures - this is a useless, but extremely nice feature.

TweakUI

Use TweakUI - this tool was designed specifically to personalize your version of the operating system.

Two versions

If you have two hard drives, then you can install two versions of the operating system at the same time - there are detailed instructions on the Internet step by step instructions how to do it.

Limited cart

In this operating system The “recycle bin” is limited in size - it can only hold 10% of the hard drive on which the system is installed.

Beta version

The beta version of the operating system, which was supposed to replace Windows 98, was called Windows Whistler - in honor of ski resort in British Columbia, where many of Microsoft's top employees went on vacation.

Falling sales

XP support ended in 2014, but sales of the OS fell significantly and did not pick up again in 2008.

Number of security breaches

The number of problems with privacy protection of this operating system was accurately calculated - the total number exceeded seventy.

Time is rapidly moving forward, and the Windows 7 operating system is still very popular; today this system has occupied more than half of the market for modern systems. Therefore, this article is dedicated to the most interesting features of Windows 7.

3. By pressing and holding the Shift button on the keyboard on the desktop, you must press the button with right side mouse on the file and in the context menu, functions will appear that complement it.

4. When you click the button on the right side of the mouse on an enabled program in the task system, while simultaneously pressing the Shift button and holding it in this position, you can open the menu that was used in earlier versions of Windows, and not the one that is used in the Windows operating system 7.

6. Using Windows 7, it is possible to change the name of all several files at once. Carrying out this action, we select the necessary files, by pressing the F2 button we set the name of the first file document, after which all selected files will have the same name, as well as a serial number.

7. For people using Windows 7 and who work with two monitors, it is possible to use the desired keyboard connection: Windows key, plus Shift key, plus left arrow key and Windows key, plus Shift key, plus right arrow key, thanks to these combinations can be moved from one monitor to another.

8. The Windows 7 operating system has resources for setting different volumes for various programs. For example, Opera works, in which there is an open window with any kind of animated Flash player with sound, plus the Media Player window is open, by clicking on the speakers button in the system and the mixer link, it is possible to adjust the sound or overall sound volume from the window.

9. If you decide to go somewhere for a few minutes, but don’t want to turn off your computer, or you decide to instantly limit viewing of your actions on the monitor, use the Win-L combination, and using this connection, the desktop on your monitor will be blocked .

10. Place shortcuts to the programs that you use most often in the task system. From this moment on, all the necessary programs for work can be quickly launched.