| Release | Software Notes | Hardware Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Basic interpreter | Written by Bill Gates and Paul Allen and running in 4kb ROM | The Intel 8080 processor in the Altair 8800 minicomputer kit | March 1975 |
| MS-DOS operating system in Real Mode | PC-DOS 1.0 Written by Tim Paterson and running in 64kb RAM | The original IBM PC with max. 256kb RAM and one or two 160kb 5¼" floppy disks. Approx $AU3,500 | August 1981 |
| PC-DOS 1.1 and MS-DOS 1.1 | May 1982 | ||
| PC-DOS 2.0 and sub-directories (folders) | The IBM XT with max. 640kb RAM, a 10mb Hard Drive and 360kb 5¼" disks. Approx $AU8,000-$10,000 | March 1983 | |
| PC-DOS 3.0 and MS-DOS 3.0 support for up to 32mb hard drives. Three months later network support added | The IBM AT with max.16mb RAM, a 20mb Hard Drive and 1.2mb 5¼" disks. Approx $AU5,000-$8,500. Compatibles cheaper. Numerous problems emerge. | August 1984 | |
| Announcement only | Microsoft and IBM sign a Joint Development Agreement. IBM to build a new computer: Microsoft to write its Protected Mode Operating System/2 (OS/2) | August 1985 | |
| Windows 1 | Windows 1.01 based on MS-DOS 2.0 running in 256kb RAM | First MS Graphical User Interface with MS-DOS for file-handling, etc. | November 1985 |
| Windows 1 | Windows 1.04 based on MS-DOS 2.0 now with support for VGA screens. | April 1987 | |
| Windows 2 | Microsoft & IBM release OS/2 1.0 on PS/2 in December 87. Text mode only. | ||
| Windows 2 | OS/2 1.1 on PS/2 in Oct 88. GUI mode. | May 1988 | |
| Windows 3 | Windows 3.0 based on MS-DOS 3.1 Better multitasking / multimedia | Microsoft and IBM OS/2 development agreement breaks down | May 1990 |
| Windows 3 | Windows 3.1 based on MS-DOS 3.1 supporting TrueType fonts. | OS/2 2.0 on PS/2 in April 92. Allowed multiple DOS & Windows sessions. | March 1992 |
| Windows 3 | Windows NT initial release Windows NT 3.1 based on | Business Server and Workstation. Somewhat limited hardware options | July 1993 |
| Windows 3 | Windows NT 3.5 | September 1994 | |
| Windows 3 | Windows NT 3.51 | May 1995 | |
| Windows 4 | Windows 95 based on MS-DOS 7 Abs.minimum 4mb RAM. 32mb ok | With Internet Explorer and Long File Names. Also now | August 1995 |
| Windows 4 | Windows NT 4.0 | Business Server and Workstation | July 1996 |
| Windows 4 | Windows 98 based on MS-DOS 7 | June 1998 | |
| Windows 5 | Business Server and Workstation | February 2000 | |
| Windows 4 | Windows Me based on MS-DOS 8 Last of the MS-DOS Kernels | September 2000 | |
| Windows 5 | Windows XP based on Windows NT Abs.minimum 64mb RAM. 256mb ok | Workstation. Numerous hardware options based on Microsoft specs | October 25th, 2001 |
| Windows 5 | Windows Server 2003 | Business Server | April 24th, 2003 |
| Windows 6 | Windows Vista Abs.minimum 512mb RAM. 1gb ok | Workstation | |
| Windows 6 | Windows Server 2008 | Business Server | |
| Windows 7 | Windows 7 | Workstation | Plan Jan. 2010 |
Research by technology analyst Gartner shows current market share of Windows
and their predictions of market share over next 4 years to be as follows:
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Vista Business | 0.0% | 4.2% | 15.3% | 28% | 39.1% |
| Windows Vista Home | 0.0% | 4.9% | 14% | 22% | 28.6% |
| Windows 2000 Professional | 14.9% | 9.1% | 4.8% | 2.5% | 1.4% |
| Windows XP Professional | 44.5% | 47% | 39.7% | 28.6% | 18% |
| Windows XP Home | 29.8% | 28.6% | 21.6% | 14.5% | 8.5% |
| Apple Mac OS | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| Linux | 1.6% | 1.9% | 2% | 2% | 1.9% |
Windows XP looks like being around for some time to come - much to Microsoft's disappointment - given how much time - and money they've spent on this new version. But with approximately 1 billion PC's estimated as being out there in use, let's see what happens.
Addendum - in The Australian May 29 2008 on P.26, Microsoft announced 140 million Vista licences had been sold as at March 31, 2008.
Note that the figures for Apple refer to a yearly sales estimate, not to their actual usage within the overall market place, believed to be closer to 5%, if not higher. Apple, who write their own software and build their own machines, have historically catered to a niche (and very loyal) market: chiefly in desktop publishing, graphics, sound, and research, i.e. cutting edge development.
Linux, on the other hand, is an open source operating system, based on Unix, and originally written in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Accordingly, companies can only claim ownership rights to their version of the operating system, as each one carves out its own niche.
For all its difficulties, the biggest strength of Microsoft through the years, I believe, has been its continuity of service: i.e. software packages and the accompanying data files written using earlier versions of MS Windows have been regularly supported in later versions of Windows - at times for years into the future. In fact, even now, well written DOS packages are supported in Windows XP and Windows Vista, 15 - 20 years after they were first written. It is this continuity that provides assurance to the vast majority of business companies and individuals who rely on Microsoft, and is doubtless a lesson Microsoft learned from the original computer companies: IBM, NCR, etc.
This continuity of service, incidentally, many times does not apply to old hardware. For this reason, it is recommended that users only ever upgrade their version of MS Windows when purchasing a new computer — or when the computer they own is less than 12 months old.