Windows

Windows may refer to any of the following:

1. Microsoft Windows (also referred to as Windows or Win) is a graphical operating system developed and published by Microsoft. It provides a way to store files, run software, play games, watch videos, and connect to the Internet.

Microsoft Windows was first introduced with version 1.0 on November 10, 1983. Over a dozen versions of Windows were released after that, including the current version, Windows 10.

Editions of Windows

Starting with Windows XP, Microsoft has published various editions of Windows. Each of these Windows editions has the same core operating system, but some editions have additional features, at an additional cost.

The two most common editions of Windows for home computers are Windows Home and Windows Professional.

Windows Home

Windows Home (also called Win Home) is the basic edition of Windows. It provides all the fundamental functions of Windows, such as connecting to the Internet, browsing the web, watching videos, using office software, and playing video games. It is the least expensive edition of Windows, and it comes preinstalled on many new computers.

Windows Pro

Windows Professional (also called Windows Pro, or Win Pro) is an enhanced Windows edition, for power users, and small to medium sized businesses. It includes all the features of Windows Home, plus the following:

• Remote Desktop — allows you to remotely control another Windows computer connected to the Internet.
• Bitlocker — Microsoft’s integrated file encryption.
• Trusted Boot — provides encryption of the boot loader, protecting the computer against rootkits.
• Hyper-V — a Windows hypervisor for running virtual machines, equivalent to third-party software, such as VirtualBox.
• Windows Sandbox — provides a lightweight, sandboxed Windows 10 instance. You can use this isolated «Windows within Windows» environment to safely run suspicious or untrusted software. Windows Sandbox requires a Windows Insider build of Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise.
• Group policy management — Administrators can define group policies, for managing multiple Windows users in a business or organization.
• Support for more than 128 GB of RAM.
• Greater Windows Update installation options, including more flexible scheduling and postponement for up to 35 days.

Business editions

Windows Professional for Workstations and Windows Enterprise provide advanced features for professional studios and large businesses. For more information, refer to the side-by-side comparison in the official Microsoft Windows business edition comparison chart.

Why is Microsoft Windows called Windows?

Before the release of Microsoft Windows, Microsoft users were used to the single task command line operating system MS-DOS. Because Microsoft names most of its products with one word, it needed a word that best described its new GUI operating system. Microsoft chose «Windows» because of the multiple windows that allow different tasks and programs to run at the same time. Because you cannot trademark a common name like «Windows,» it’s officially known as «Microsoft Windows». The first version of Microsoft Windows was version 1.0, released in 1985.

Microsoft Windows help pages

Related pages

2. In general, a window is a fundamental part of a computer GUI (graphical user interface). A window is an area of the display containing a single running application. The window can be moved, resized, hidden, or maximized as desired by the user. The Microsoft Windows operating system is named after this UI element.

3. Regarding Unix-like operating systems, such as Linux or BSD, Windows may refer to the X Window System.

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What Is Windows Server and How Is It Different From Windows?

What make Windows Server different from regular versions of Windows? Learn more about Windows Server.

If you’re a regular computer user, you may have only come across the consumer-facing editions of Windows. But did you know that Microsoft also publishes an entire Windows Server line of its operating system?

Let’s take a look at the differences between Windows Server and normal Windows. We’ll see what Windows Server includes, what it leaves out, and why it’s so different.

What Is Windows Server?

Image Credit: Ana Mercedes Gauna/Wikimedia Commons

In case you’ve never heard of Windows Server, we’ll first explain what it is. Essentially, Windows Server is a line of operating systems that Microsoft specifically creates for use on a server. This means in almost all cases, Windows Server is used in business settings.

Microsoft has published Windows Server under that name since Windows Server 2003 launched in April 2003. However, even before this, server versions of Windows were available. For instance, Windows NT 4.0 was available in both workstation (for general use) and server flavors.

In almost all cases, normal users don’t need to worry about Windows Server. You won’t find it on the shelf in stores or accidentally download it from Microsoft when you mean to get the standard version. But it’s still interesting to learn about.

Windows Server vs. Regular Windows: The Basics

With just a quick glance, you might have trouble telling the difference between Windows Server and normal versions of Windows. The desktop looks the same, including the Taskbar, desktop icons, and Start button.

As it turns out, every Windows Server release corresponds to a consumer version of Windows. Windows Server 2003, for instance, is the server version of Windows XP. Current versions include Windows Server 2016, which is based on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, and Windows Server 2019.

Because Windows Server and Windows share a code base, you can perform many of the same functions on both. You can download and install programs like browsers and photo editors on Windows Server, and many Windows basics like Notepad are included in Windows Server.

However, the two versions have more differences than similarities. Let’s review some of them.

Windows Server Has Enterprise Management Software

Because Windows Server is intended for businesses, it includes plenty of enterprise software. Below are a few roles that a server can perform thanks to these tools:

• Active Directory: Active Directory is a user management service that allows a server to act as a domain controller. Instead of logging into a local computer, the domain controller handles all user account authentication. See our explanation of Windows domains for more on this.
• DHCP: DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is a protocol that lets a server automatically assign IP address to all devices on the network. At home, your router probably handles this. But in a business setting, IT staff can take advantage of the greater DHCP functionality in Windows Server.
• File and Storage: Having a file server for your company is another common use. This allows you to keep important data in a central location and set permissions to control who can access what.
• Print Services: If a business has dozens of printers across the building, it’s a waste of time for IT staff to configure them individually for each new workstation. Setting up a print server allows you to easily map printers to computers and reduce redundant work.
• Windows Update Services: Often, businesses don’t want all Windows Updates to come through right away. By setting up a server as a Windows Update controller, you can route all workstation updates through that server and configure specific rules for how they should work.

These are only a few of the server roles Windows Server can handle. Often, a company will have more than one server and split the above roles across multiple devices.

Standard copies of Windows don’t include these capabilities out of the box. You can install some third-party tools to replicate some of this functionality, but it won’t be as robust.

Windows Server Has Fewer Hardware Limitations

Image Credit: Robert/Flickr

Most people don’t worry about the maximum amount of RAM they can put in their computer. Windows 10 Pro allows you to install up to a huge 2TB of RAM. However, the majority of users don’t have more than 32GB of RAM in their systems, so even installing 1TB of RAM would be insane.

Knowing this, can you believe that Windows Server supports up to 24TB of RAM? It also allows you to use up to 64 CPU sockets, which is much greater than the two sockets that Windows 10 Pro supports.

This might sound ridiculous, but there are good reasons for these high hardware caps. A server can power important functionality for hundreds of people in a business, so it often needs to be extremely powerful. For instance, a server running dozens of virtual machines needs loads of RAM in order to keep them all running smoothly at the same time.

Windows Server Doesn’t Include Extraneous Features

As you’d expect, Windows Server retains power user features like the Command Prompt and other administrative tools. However, Server editions of Windows strip out a lot of the quality-of-life features that Windows 10 includes.

For example, in Windows Server 2016 and 2019, you won’t see Microsoft Edge, the Microsoft Store, Cortana, and other handy Windows 10 features. It doesn’t bundle in apps like Your Phone, and you can’t activate the Linux terminal on Windows server, either. Server OSes also don’t let you log in with a Microsoft account. Because they’re designed for enterprise use, you don’t need these consumer-facing tools on a server OS.

Additionally, some apps check to see if you’re using Windows Server before you install them. In some cases, the app won’t work on a server version of Windows.

Windows Server is also much more locked down by default. It uses Internet Explorer as the default browser, but the security settings are much more restrictive than usual. This makes sense, as having a server compromised would be catastrophic compared to just a workstation.

Windows Server Has Different Pricing

As you may expect from a business-oriented product, Windows Server doesn’t come cheap. It’s much more expensive than a consumer version of Windows, and comes in various flavors depending on your needs.

Microsoft’s Windows Server 2019 pricing page gives an idea of what you might pay for the software. Depending on how many people will access the server, you also need to pay for CALs (Client Access Licenses) to use the services legally.

Businesses historically installed Windows Server on a physical onsite server, which has much greater hardware capabilities than a workstation, as discussed above. However, you also have the option of running Windows Server in a cloud service like Azure.

This allows you to offload the burden of maintaining a physical server to a cloud provider like Microsoft. In addition, this enables companies to spread the cost of upgrading out over a subscription instead of paying all at once for a new physical server. What works best depends on the specific organization’s needs.

Now You Understand Windows Server

In the end, though Windows Server and regular Windows share common code and look similar, they’re for totally different uses.

Consumer editions of Windows 10 are designed for maximum usability and don’t include software made for enterprise use. Meanwhile, Windows Server isn’t concerned with looking pretty. Its purpose is to run many services reliably that company users need.

Looking for a way to monitor and protect your data from identity theft? Here are the best five services of 2021.

Ben is a Deputy Editor and the Onboarding Manager at MakeUseOf. He left his IT job to write full-time in 2016 and has never looked back. He’s been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over six years.

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Which version of Windows operating system am I running?

Find operating system info in Windows 10

To find out which version of Windows your device is running, press the Windows logo key + R, type winver in the Open box, and then select OK.

Here’s how to learn more:

Select the Start button > Settings > System > About .

Under Device specifications > System type, see if you’re running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.

Under Windows specifications, check which edition and version of Windows your device is running.

Related links

If you’re having a problem with activation, see Activate in Windows 10.

If you forgot the password you use to sign in to Windows devices or email, see How to reset your Microsoft password.

For info about updating Windows, see Windows Update: FAQ.

Find operating system info in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1

To find out which version of Windows your device is running, press the Windows logo key + R, type winver in the Open box, and then select OK.

If your device is running Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, here’s how to learn more:

If you’re using a touch device, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings. Continue to step 3.

If you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.

Select PC and devices > PC info.

Under Windows you’ll see which edition and version of Windows your device is running.

Under PC > System type you’ll see if you’re running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.

Related links

If you’re having a problem with activation, see Activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1

If you forgot the password you use to sign in to Windows devices or email, see How to reset your Microsoft password.

For info about updating Windows, see Windows Update: FAQ.

Find operating system info in Windows 7

Select the Start button, type Computer in the search box, right-click on Computer, and then select Properties.

Under Windows edition, you’ll see the version and edition of Windows that your device is running.

Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, 2020

We recommend you move to a Windows 10 PC to continue to receive security updates from Microsoft.

Related links

If you’re having a problem with activation, see Activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.

If you forgot the password you use to sign in to Windows devices or email, see How to reset your Microsoft password.

For info about updating Windows, see Windows Update: FAQ.