14. “Microsoft Windows”

Microsoft Windows is a range of commercial operating environments for personal computers. The range was first introduced by Microsoft in 1985 and eventually came to dominate the world personal computer market. All recent versions of Windows are fully-fledged operating systems.

Interface

The most obvious feature of the more recent Windows versions (since Windows 95 and NT 4.0) is the desktop, which is similar to the "Workplace Shell" introduced by IBM for OS/2 2.0 in 1992, an object-oriented GUI running on the OS/2 Presentation Manager. The Windows desktop has produced a significant change in the way people and computers interact; it is possible to perform many common tasks with very little computer knowledge, including some quite complex ones.

Windows XP introduced a new visual style dubbed "Luna", which updated the classic Windows style (a plain 2D look) with a more graphical appearance. The new style features bold colors and a larger titlebar and start button, leading many to call it the "playskool" interface (after a popular brand of children's toys). Users can still elect to use the old Windows 95/2000 visual style.

Modern operating systems need to cater for the vastly increased user base with a lower average computer skill level and the increased power and complexity of modern computer systems. Therefore, some technically savvy users accuse the Windows interface of isolating the user from too much of the inner workings of the computer, making it more difficult to control and configure some system features, although many such features can be now controlled also from the command-line or by scripting. However, this has always been an issue to some extent with GUI operating systems, and, to a lesser extent, almost all operating systems, by definition.

Popularity

Thought to be installed on over 90% of personal computers, Windows has achieved enormous market penetration due in large part to the domination of MS-DOS in the early days of IBM-PC clones, and also because it is the primary platform for Microsoft Office and its proprietary document formats used by most microcomputer users. Due to its popularity, Windows comes pre-installed on most computers (as a bundled OEM version), making it the default choice for much of the market. Most consumers do not delete Windows and install another operating system. For some consumers, Windows is the only valid option as their computing environment is mandated by their workplace; for others, the wide variety of applications that is available for the platform limits their desire to switch to other operating systems. While many users have made an informed choice to run Windows, a large number are entirely unaware that there are other viable PC operating systems in existence.

С.Р.№14: Переклад та переказ тексту “Microsoft company” Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT), headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, is the world's largest software company (with over 50,000 employees in various countries, as of May 2004). Microsoft develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a wide range of software products for various computing devices. Its best known product is the Microsoft Windows operating system family, which has achieved near ubiquity in the desktop computer market.

The company's aggressive business practices have led to several government investigations, including a 1998 federal lawsuit in which it was found to have illegally leveraged its monopoly power to defeat its competitors; through appeals and negotiated settlements, Microsoft has mitigated the adverse effects of this ruling on its operations and financial status.