Do you still remember windows98? It was my favorite operating system from windows. Here is the brief history of windows 98.

Windows 98 – codenamed Memphis – was released by Microsoft Corporation on June 25, 1998.  Windows 98 was the successor to Windows 95 and presented a hybrid 16-bit/32-bit monolithic product which was based on MS-DOS.

It was quickly followed by an updated to the operating system with Windows 98 SE (second edition) as Microsoft attempted to fix many bugs that were present in the original version.

Among the newer features of Windows 98 were better AGP (accelerated graphics port) support, functional USB (universal serial bus) drivers, and support for multiple monitors and Web TV.

It also featured support for the FAT32 file system allowing it to support disk partitions larger than the two gigabyte maximum accepted by Windows 95.  It was also the first version of Windows to support ACPI (advanced configuration and power interface.

Windows 98 was also the first operating system to use Windows Driver Model which standardized device driver programs and allowed for more peripherals to runs smoothly on the system.

When Windows 98 was released, this fact was not well published and device manufacturers continued to develop devices with drivers under the old system which would make them incompatible with the new operating system.

One huge advantage of Windows 98 as an operating system was that the system requirements were low.  That means that even older machines can effectively and efficiently run Windows 98 and users can take advantage of the new updates to the system.

Windows 98 also offered up full support for DOS applications because it can easily be switched to DOS mode.  In doing this, DOS based applications can handle the system in their native environment.  Having DOS mode available also provides for easier ways to fix system errors without having to enter into the graphical user interface.

Like other previous versions of Windows, this operating system wasn’t without its problems.  Windows 98 was never as stable as common users had hoped.

Often, the software developers of drivers and applications had insufficient experience with the creation of programs for this new system.  This caused many errors generally described as system errors by users even if the error was not caused by parts of Windows or DOS.

Newer versions of Windows would fix these problems, and Microsoft worked quickly to provide patches to the Windows 98 system for users to download and make their system much more stable.

As with most operating system, Windows 98 was updated soon after its release and improved upon.  It did provide some great updates that would serve as models for subsequent versions of Windows.

The first Linux systems were completed in 1992 by combining system utilities and libraries from the GNU project which is another operating system we’ll address next.

Predominantly known for its use in servers, Linux is used as an operating system for a wider variety of computer hardware than any other operating system including desktop computers, super computers, mainframes, and embedded devices such as cell phones.

Linux is packaged for different uses in Linux distributions which contain the kernel along with a variety of other software packaged tailored to its intended use.

Linux alleges that people regard the system as suitable mostly for computer experts because mainstream computer magazine reports cannot explain what Linux is in a meaningful way as they lack real-life experience using it.

Furthermore, the frictional cost of switching operating systems and lack of support for certain hardware and application programs designed for Microsoft Windows have been two factors that have inhibited adoption.

However, as of early 2007, significant progress in hardware compatibility has been made, and it is becoming increasingly common for hardware to work “out of the box” with many Linux distributions.

Proponents and analysts attribute the relative success of Linux to its security, reliability, low cost, and freedom from vendor lock-in.

The primary difference between Linux and other contemporary operating systems is that the Linux kernel and other components are open source software.

That means that users have permission to study, change, and improve the software.  They can then redistribute it in modified or unmodified form.

This is usually done in a public and collaborative manner. Linux is not the only such operating system, although it is the most well-known and widely used one.

Some open source licenses are based on the principle of “copy left”, a kind of reciprocity:  any work derived from a copy left piece of software must also be copy left itself.

One of the advantages of open source is that it allows for rapid software bug detection and elimination which is important for correcting security exploits.

Another advantage of Linux as an operating system is inter-operability.  That means, it can run software from other companies such as Mac and Windows.

This makes it hugely advantageous to the open market as inter-operability in an operating system is rather uncommon as of late.

People have actually taken on the promotion of Linux in what might be considered almost a cult-like following.

In many cities and regions, local associations known as Linux Users Groups.  They seek to promote Linux and, by extension, the notion and reality of free software.

They actually hold meetings and provide free demonstrations, training, technical support, and operating system installation to new users.

There are also many Internet communities that seek to provide support to Linux users and developers.  Most distributions and open source projects have a chat room on the freenode IRC network.

These chat rooms are open to anyone with an IRC client.  Online forums are another means for support with notable examples being www.linuxquestions.org.

The UNIX operating system was developed in the 60’s and 70’s by a group of AT & T employees at Bell Labs.  Unix is used by both servers and workstations and is the basis for a wide variety of other operating systems.

The operating system under UNIX consists of many of the utilities listed above along with the master control program which is called the “kernel”.

The kernel helps start and stop programs, handle the file system, take care of other common high level tasks that most programs share and schedule access to hardware to avoid conflicts if two programs try to access the same resource or device simultaneously.

Besides the main kernel, UNIX systems also had micro-kernels which tried to reverse the growing size of kernels and return to a system in which most tasks were completed by smaller utilities.

In an era where a “normal” computer consisted of a hard disk for storage and a data terminal for input and output, the UNIX file model worked quite well as most input/output was linear.  However, modern systems include networking and other new devices.

Describing a graphical user interface driven by mouse control in an “event driven” fashion didn’t work well under the old model.

Work on systems supporting these new devices in the 1980’s led to facilities for non-blocking input/output forms of inter-process communications other than just pipes, as well as moving functionality such as network protocols out of the kernel.

Just as with other operating systems, the programming was updated periodically to add other features and to streamline processes that the system would run.

Ironically, the importance of the UNIX system is quite far-reaching.  In fact, some experts call it the most important system you’ll never use.

UNIX is mostly used by Internet servers and database servers.

It is a very efficient multi-user, multi-tasking operating system traditionally used by large companies and educational institutions.

It is scalable from a small system right up to a mainframe-class system (all you need to do is add extra hardware), which makes it suitable for anyone looking for a low cost, reliable operating system.

For programmers it has a wonderful set of built-in utilities, a programmable shell (command/user interface) and a straight forward structure that makes it very easy to quickly produce quite complex programs.

For end users, UNIX has a friendly graphical interface (called X Windows) and many business applications and games.

As we said, UNIX is used as a basis for other operating systems.  One of those is Linux.

In 1984, Apple Computer introduced the Apple Macintosh personal computer.  The first version was the Macintosh 128K model which came bundled with the Mac OS operating system then known as the “System Software”.

The Mac is often credited with popularizing the graphical user interface (GUI).

The Mac OS has been pre-installed on almost every Macintosh computer ever sold.  The operating system is also sold separately from the computer just as with Microsoft Windows.

The original Mac OS was heavily based on the Lisa OS previously released by Apple for the Lisa computer in 1983.  It also used concepts from other operating systems previewed by Apple executives.

In 1984, Apple partnered with Microsoft in an agreement that would have Microsoft creating versions of Word and Excel for the Mac OS.

For the majority of the 1980’s, the Mac OS lacked a large amount of compatible software, however, the introduction of System 7 saw more software becoming available for the platform.

System 6 was the first major revision of the operating system, although the Mac OS kernel was kept the same from the System 7 revision until Mac OS 9.

The Macintosh project started in early 1979 with Jeff Raskin who envisioned an easy-to-use low-cost computer for the average consumer.  In September of ’79, Raskin was given permission to start hiring for the project.

When version OS 7.6 was released, the stability of the operating system was much better.  People began to fully embrace the Mac OS and their legitimacy returned as a popular operating system.

System 7 also saw the introduction of an interactive help application, and the addition of “Stickies” which were basically virtual Post-It notes.  Many Mac users still have OS 7 on their Apples.

Two other versions would follow in OS 8 and OS 9 each improving on the previous version.  Apple continued to develop updates to their operating system making it more stable and capable of more tasks working efficiently to bring Mac into the 21st century.

The most recent version and one that is used on new systems today is Mac OS X.  This version provides a stable operating environment for the Mac PC and offers more flexibility than other systems.

The graphics are updated with lots of color and a flashier look.

Back in the late 1970’s, two enterprising young computer programmers named Paul Allen and Bill Gates developed an adaptation for the BASIC computer language that would help run newly created personal computer just coming on the technology market.

As with any technology, their original creation changed and grew.

The two friends decided they had the product and the capability to become successful, so they formed a company now known as Microsoft.

Over the years, Microsoft has grown to a giant in the computer industry with successes never before seen by a “from scratch” endeavor.

Microsoft was responsible for the development of not only several computer languages like COBOL and PASCAL, but also for the development of the earliest operating system MS-DOS.

In partnership with IBM, who was just introducing the personal computer to the individual consumer, all of the IBM computers used MS-DOS on their systems.  The year was 1981.

Windows 3.1 was the first product to fully utilize graphical user interface for ease of controlling what the computer would do.

Windows also now allowed the user to multitask, meaning the user could now run multiple applications at once without having to close out of each program before running another.

2001 – saw the release of Windows XP which is the version most users have to date.  The XP stands for experienced and combined the two major Windows operating systems into one.  It is available in both a home as well as a professional edition.

Windows XP is designed more for users who may not be familiar with all of Windows features and has several new abilities to make the Windows experience easier for those users.

Windows XP includes various new features not found in previous versions of Microsoft Windows. Below is a listing of some of these new features.

• New interface – a completely new look and ability to change the look.
• Updates – new feature that automatically obtains updates from the Internet.
• Internet Explorer 6 – Includes internet explorer 6 and new IM.
• Multilingual support – added support for different languages.
• In addition to the above features, Windows XP does increase reliability when compared to previous versions of Microsoft Windows.

Finally, the most recent upgrade of Windows was just released in 2007.  Called Windows Vista, this new version is intended as an upgrade to XP and 2000 users.

While it does have many new features, this version is intended to give computer users an overall better experience with a dramatic new look.

Added features over previous Windows versions include:

• Windows Aero, a completely new GUI and unlike any previous version of Windows.
• Basic file backup and restore.
• Improved DVD support with the ability to easily create custom DVD movies.
• Easy transfer, a feature that allows you to easily transfer files from an older computer to the new computer.
• File encryption.
• Instant search available through all Explorer windows.
• Support for DirectX 10.
• Self-healing, the ability to automatically detect and correct problems that may be encountered on the computer.
• Shadow copy, a feature that allows you to recover deleted files.
• Improved photo gallery and control of photographs.
• Windows Sidebar and gadgets that allows you to add an almost endless list of different gadgets.
• More parental control.
• Improved Windows Calendar, with the ability to set tasks and appointments.
• And much more.

Some people who are Windows enthusiasts hail this new product as a step into a new technological era.  Windows Vista is flashy, pretty, and impressive, but it comes with its own unique faults as well.

Reviewers report that there are many device drivers lacking in the software and that its size requires a large amount of memory which can cause your computer to run slower and less efficiently.

All versions of Windows do come with the original MS-DOS operating system included in the background for those “old-schoolers” who will want to enter their own computer commands.

All versions also come with a basic word processing program and Internet Explorer for surfing the net.
You will find standard games such as solitaire in Windows as well.

As you know, windows is now developing new operating system, windows 7. You can try the beta version. I haven’t tried it yet. I will wait until the final version released.

As a user, you normally interact with the operating system through a set of commands. For example, the DOS operating system contains commands such as COPY and RENAME for copying files and changing the names of files, respectively.

The commands are accepted and executed by a part of the operating system called the command processor or command line interpreter.

Graphical user interfaces allow you to enter commands by pointing and clicking at objects that appear on the screen.

But that really doesn’t address the various ways that operating systems make your computer work easier and more efficiently.

Their specific capacities are what make them help your computer operate as a user-friendly device.  Let’s look specifically at what an operating system does.

Process Management

Every program running on a computer whether it is a background service or an application is called a process.

As long as von Neumann architecture is used to build a computer, only one process per CPU can be run at one time.

Older computer operating systems such as MS-DOS did not try to bypass this limit with the exception of interrupt processing and only one process could be run under them.

Mainframe operating systems have had multi-tasking capabilities since the early 1960’s.  Modern operating systems enable concurrent execution of many processes at once via multi-tasking even with one CPU.

Process management is an operating system’s way of dealing with running multiple processes at once.

Since most computers contain one processor with one core, multi-tasking is done by simply switching processes quickly.

Depending on the operating system, as more processes run, either each time slice will become smaller or there will be a longer delay before each process given a chance to run.

Process management involves computing and distributing CPU time as well as other resources.  Most operating systems allow a process to be assigned a priority which affects its allocation of CPU time.

Interactive operating systems also employ some level of feedback in which the task with which the user is working receives higher priority.

Interrupt driven processes will normally run at a very high priority.  In many systems, there is a background process such as the System Idle Process in Windows which will run when no other process is waiting for the CPU.

The earliest of computers didn’t have an operating system.  By the early 1960’s, commercial computer vendors were supplying quite extensive tools for streamlining the development, scheduling and execution of jobs on batch processing systems.

Through the 1960’s, several concepts were developed which drove the development of operating systems.

The IBM System 360 produced a family of mainframe computer that served consumers with differing capacities and prices.

A single operating system was planned for these computers rather than developing generic programs for every individual model.

This concept of a single OS that will fit an entire product line was crucial for the success of System 360.

In fact, IBM’s current mainframe operating systems are distant relatives of this original system.  The advantage to this is that applications written for the OS 360 can still be run on modern machines.

The OS 360 system also contained another important advance affecting today’s computers:  the development of a hard disk permanent storage device which IBM called DASD.

A second key development was the concept of time sharing.  Time sharing involves sharing the resources of expensive computers among multiple computer users interacting in real time with the system.

That essentially means is that all of the users have the illusion of exclusive access to the machine.  The most famous of time sharing system was called Multics.

Multics served as an inspiration to a number of operating systems developed in the 1970’s.  Most notably was the Unix system.  Another commercially popular mini-computer operating system was VMS.

The first microcomputers did not have the capacity or need for the elaborate operating systems that had originally been developed for mainframes and minis.  Smaller operating systems were developed and often loaded from ROM and known as Monitors.

One notable early disk-based OS was CP/M which was supported on many early micro-computers and was largely cloned when MS-DOS was created.  MS-DOS became wildly popular as the operating system chosen for the IBM PC.

The successive operating systems that came from MS-DOS made Microsoft one of the most profitable companies in the world with the development of Windows.

The only other alternative throughout the 1980’s was Mac OS which was tied intimately to the Apple McIntosh computer.

By the 1990s, the microcomputer had evolved to the point where it became increasingly desirable.  Everyone wanted a home computer.

Microsoft had already come out with Windows 95 and 98, but people longed for more power and more options.

Microsoft’s response to this change was the development of Windows NT which served as the basis for Microsoft’s desktop operating system line that launched in 2001.

Apple was also rebuilding their own operating system on top of Unix core as Mac OS X also released in 2001 developing one of the business world’s greatest rivalries.

Today, our operating systems usually have a graphical user interface (GUI) which uses a pointing device such as a mouse of stylus for input in addition to the keyboard.

Older systems – and we mean REALLY OLD – use a command line interface asking for commands to be entered via the keyboard.

Just because there is a supercomputer displayed on a computer showroom doesn’t mean you have to buy it.

A computer can last longer but since technology advances quickly and software requires new technology that after four or five years, your new computer is considered outdated.

So what should you?  Upgrade?  Replace? Sell it?  It is not funny if you will still keep your old computer.  You can still use it for testing purposes, word-processing and internet surfing.

If you are deciding whether to upgrade or replace your computer, think again.  There are things that you still need to consider with this kind of decision especially if you have a tight budget for a new computer.

When to upgrade or buy a new computer?

If you decide to upgrade most of the components of your computer because they are outdated and old already, that means that the upgrade price will be almost similar to buying a new computer.

With that, you should just buy a new computer, instead of upgrading most of the components.

Most of the applications today require faster systems.  They require faster processor, memory, great graphic cards and bigger hard disk space.

You can meet these applications’ requirements by upgrading some of your computer’s components but you have to live up with the compromises.  This can mean that you may still experience computer performances issues.

But there is still advantage when you just upgrade some of your computer components.  If your computer is just one year old, you can just upgrade the memory or graphics card to further improve performance.  With that, you can save money.

Which hardware components to upgrade first?

• Memory

Upgrading your computer’s RAM (Random Access Memory) can solve any computer-performance related issues you are encountering.

If your computer is properly configured, it will just be easy to install a new memory module.  You can upgrade to a 1 GB RAM or 2 GB, depending on the capacity of your system.

Make sure that the new RAM’s speed is similar to the old RAM installed on the computer.  For example, your old RAM is DDR2-800.

You should also install a new DDR2-800 RAM.  Why? Because if you install a new DDR2-667 RAM, the system will read the lower value, which is 667.  With that, you will not be able to use the 800 speed.

• Hard drive

If you love downloading and storing softwares, pictures and videos, you will need to have an extra hard disk space.

Storing these kinds of files in the system drive of your computer can be a slow-performance factor.  Either, you move the operating system page file to another drive or store your files on other drives.

Having an extra hard disk space can also be used for data back-up.  This will help you retrieve files in case of a computer crash.

• CDROM or DVDROM drive

Does your computer have a CD-RW or DVD-RW drive?  If not, you can consider buying it so you can make your own CDs.  You can burn important data or movies.  You can also make personalized CDs that you can sell to your friends for extra income.

• Graphics Card or Video Card

Are you an addict gamer or a graphics designer?  Upgrading your computer’s graphic card will enable your computer improve its resolution and speed deliverance.  You can also play more new games that require good resolutions.

• Monitor

Upgrading your monitor is optional.  If you are craving for that 21” widescreen LCD monitor, why not buy it?  LCD monitors consume less power than CRT monitors.

• Processor or Motherboard

If you are thinking to upgrade other computer’s hardware components like processor and motherboard, you should also have considerations.

Make sure that if you will upgrade the processor, it is compatible with your motherboard and vice versa. Otherwise, your system will not work very well.

Usually, upgrading your motherboard requires you to upgrade the processor, memory, and graphics card as well.

Be sure to take down notes what you really need and take into considerations the things that you want to upgrade.

Maybe you are also asking, “Do I have to upgrade the operating system?”  It is better to upgrade the operating system if you have a new computer.

Usually, the latest operating system is bundled with a new computer package.  New operating systems like Windows Vista require new hardware components that your old computer may not have.

Eventually, you may encounter some software that requires new operating systems but it doesn’t really happen until the operating system you are using is two or three years old.

This is because software vendors and developers don’t want to lose you as a customer, and will not create a specific version of their software until everyone has upgraded to the latest operating system.

Good luck to upgrade your computer. Be wise to spend your money.

This windows vista tweaks can help you with Windows Vista and how it operates on your computer. If you want to get the most out of Windows Vista, these tweaks can give you the speed and ability to do so.

I recently bought a new computer. Of course it came with Windows Vista and I’m a Windows XP baby. My initial feelings about Windows Vista were something I can’t talk about in a review.

Needless to say I didn’t like it. Then I found these tweaks that have helped me tremendously.  One of the first things I found on the tweaks was how to make the search engine faster in my start menu.

I want results quick and was able to get that on my other computer. With the tweaks I was given advice on how to make this search much faster. That was a big plus and kept me looking for more help.

It also walked me though how to speed up my computer with Aero. I didn’t even know that was on here. After reading about it I decided to give it a try.

It was easy to understand and it walked me right through what I needed to do. Before I knew it, my computer was faster than my old one. I was beginning to see how Windows Vista might start to work for me.

There are several other tweaks including how to increase your SATA disk drive performance and what Smart Display is and how to use it.

With a wireless link and Smart Display I can get into my Windows XP desktop as long as I’m within range. It also works with handwriting software.

I also know how to turn off the access controls, run as administrator, how to add copy as path, keyboard short cut secrets I didn’t know and some great advice on how to free up some needed space on my computer.

If I hadn’t found this I’m sure I would be beyond frustration.  After this advice and these tweaks I’m much happier with Windows Vista and have no more desire to take a hammer to my new computer.

If you’re having problems getting adjusted to Windows Vista check this out. It just might save you some time and stress.

While an operating system is a central part of your computer system, knowing the definition of an operating system is not integral to knowing how to use one.

However, when you do know the definition of an operating system, you can better understand what it is doing inside your computer to make it run and to make using it easier for you.

In its basic form, the definition of an operating system is as follows: a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer system.

We can add to that definition to say that an operating system rationally processes electronic devices in response to approved commands.

At the foundation of all system software, an operating system performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing system requests, controlling input and output devices, facilitating networking, and managing file systems.

Most operating systems have a command line interpreter as a basic user interface, but they may also provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for ease of operation. The operating system forms a platform for other system software and for application software.

At a more involved level, the definition of an operating system gets a little more involved when you explore what the operating system does inside of your computer.

Here are some of the most common tasks:

• Process Management – Every program running on a computer is a process. In general, a CPU can only run one process at a time. The operating system will monitor requested processes and execute them in a pre-designed order often switching between them very quickly in a way called multi-tasking.
• Memory Management – The operating system’s memory manager coordinates the various types of memory use by tracking which one is available at any given time. It will also monitor which type of memory can be allocated or de-allocated and how to move data between the memories.
• Disk and File Systems – The way an operating system reads different kinds of file system as well as file storage likes in the way the files are named. Some operating systems read file names as case sensitive, while others disregard this.
• Security – All operating systems come with some type of security already built in. Because access to a computer and its often privileged information should be restricted to only authorized users, this aspect of an operating system might actually be its most important function.
• Networking – In the Internet age, networking capabilities of operating systems are very important. Networking capabilities can be either with an outside computer as in accessing the Internet or computer to computer as in a large mainframe operation. The operating system will coordinate all of this below the surface without the user even being aware it is happening.

The definition of an operating system can be simple or it can be more involved. Either way, knowing how your operating system is running your computer can be a very important part of being a responsible computer user.