MS WINDOWS Basics

API
• Abbreviation of Application Program Interface.

• A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building

software applications.

• An API makes it easier to develop a program by

providing all the building blocks.

• Most operating environments, such as MS-

Windows, provide an API so that programmers
can write applications consistent with the
operating environment.
API (Contd..)
• Although APIs are designed for programmers,
they are ultimately good for users because they
guarantee that all programs using a common API
will have similar interfaces.

• Two general lines of policies exist regarding

publishing APIs:
• Some companies guard their APIs zealously (Closed
Source)
• Other companies propagate their APIs freely (Open
Source)
API (Contd..)
• Generally lawful to analyze API implementations
in order to produce a compatible one (Reverse
Engineering).

• However, the legal situation is often ambiguous,

so that care and legal counsel should be taken
before the reverse engineering is carried out.
– For example, while APIs usually do not have
an obvious legal status, they might include
patents that may not be used until the patent
holder gives permission.
MS Windows Evolution
1985: Windows 1.0

• The first version of Windows, provided a new

software environment for developing and running
applications that used GUIs and mouse pointing
devices.

• Windows users could switch among several

concurrently running applications.

• It included a set of desktop applications,

including the MS-DOS file management program,
a calendar, notepad, calculator, clock, and
telecommunications programs.
 1987: Windows 2.0

• Windows 2.0 took advantage of the improved

processing speed of the Intel 286 processor,
expanded memory, and inter-application
communication capabilities.

• Users could now overlap windows, control screen

layout, and use keyboard combinations to move
rapidly through Windows operations.

• Windows 2.03 took advantage of the protected mode

and extended memory capabilities of the Intel 386
processor.
 1990: Windows 3.0

• The third major release of the Windows platform

from Microsoft offered improved performance,
advanced graphics with 16 colors, and full support
of the more powerful Intel 386 processor.

• Offered a wide range of useful features and

capabilities, including Program Manager, File
Manager, and Print Manager, A completely rewritten
application development environment, An improved
set of Windows icons.

• Popularity of Windows 3.0 grew with the release of a

new Windows software development kit (SDK).
 1993: Windows NT 3.1

• "NT" stands for New Technology.

• Windows NT 3.1 was a 32-bit operating system.

• Was the first Windows operating system to combine

support for high-end, client/server business
applications with the industry's leading personal
productivity applications.

• Available in both a desktop (workstation) version

and a server version called Windows NT Advanced
Server.
Windows NT 3.1 (Contd..)
• Desktop version was well received by developers
because of its security, stability, and Microsoft
Win32® API.

• The OS broke new ground in security, performance,

desktop scalability, and reliability. New features
included a preemptive multitasking scheduler for
Windows–based applications, integrated networking,
domain server security, OS/2 and POSIX
subsystems, support for multiple processor
architectures, and the NTFS file system.

• Result was a strategic business platform that could

also function as a technical workstation to run high-
end engineering and scientific applications.
1993: Windows for Workgroups 3.11

• A superset of Windows 3.1

• It added peer-to-peer workgroup and domain

networking support.

• It was used in local area networks (LANs) and on

standalone PCs and laptop computers.

• It added features such as centralized configuration

and security, significantly improved support for
Novell NetWare networks, and remote access
service (RAS).
1994: Windows NT Workstation 3.5
• Windows NT Workstation 3.5 release provided the
highest degree of protection yet for critical business
applications and data.

• Supported for the OpenGL graphics standard.

• Helped power high-end applications for software

development, engineering, financial analysis,
scientific, and business-critical tasks.

• Offered 32-bit performance improvements and better

application support, including support for NetWare
file and print servers, the capability to use friendlier,
long file names of up to 255 characters.
 1995: Windows 95
• The successor to the three existing general-purpose
desktop operating systems from Microsoft.

• Integrated a 32-bit TCP/IP (Transmission Control

Protocol/Internet Protocol) stack for built-in Internet
support, dial-up networking, and new Plug and Play
capabilities.

• Also offered enhanced multimedia capabilities, more

powerful features for mobile computing, and
integrated networking.
1996: Windows NT Workstation 4.0
• Brought increased ease of use and simplified
management, higher network throughput, and tools
for developing and managing intranets.

• Included the popular Windows 95 user interface yet

provided improved networking support for easier
and more secure access to the Internet and
corporate intranets.

• In October 1998, Microsoft announced that Windows

NT would no longer carry the initials NT and that the
next major version of the business operating system
would be called Windows 2000.
 1998: Windows 98

• Windows 98 is the upgrade of Windows 95.

• Described as an operating system that "Works

Better, Plays Better," and was the first version of
Windows designed specifically for consumers.

• Users could find information more easily on their

PCs as well as the Internet.

• Other ease-of-use improvements included the ability

to open and close applications more quickly,
support for reading DVD discs, and support for
universal serial bus (USB) devices.
 1999: Windows 98 Second Edition

• It was an incremental update to Windows 98.

• Helped improve users' online experience with the

Internet Explorer 5.0 browser technology and
Microsoft Windows NetMeeting® 3.0 conferencing
software.

• Included Microsoft DirectX® API 6.1, which provided

improve support for Windows multimedia, and
offered home networking capabilities through
Internet connection sharing (ICS).

• It was also the first consumer OS from Microsoft

capable of using device drivers that also worked
with the Windows NT business operating system.
 2000: Windows Millennium Edition
(Windows Me)

• It was designed for home computer users.

• Included the System Restore feature let users roll

back their PC software configuration to a date or
time before a problem occurred. Windows Movie
Maker provided users with the tools to digitally edit,
save, and share home videos. Windows Media®
Player 7 technologies, users could find, organize,
and play digital media easily.

• Windows Me was the last Microsoft OS to be based

on the Windows 95 code base. All future operating
system products would be based on the
Windows NT and Windows 2000 kernel.
 2000: Windows 2000 Professional

• More than just the upgrade to Windows NT

Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional was
also designed to replace Windows 95, Windows 98,
and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 on all business
desktops and laptops.

• Added major improvements in reliability, ease of

use, Internet compatibility, and support for mobile
computing.

• It simplified hardware installation by adding support

for a wide variety of new Plug and Play hardware,
including advanced networking and wireless
products, USB devices, IEEE 1394 devices, and
 2001: Windows XP

• The "XP" in Windows XP stands for "experience.”

• Comes in two versions, XP Professional & XP Home

Edition.

• With Windows XP, Microsoft merged its two

Windows operating system lines for consumers and
businesses, uniting them around the Windows 2000
code base.

• Home users can work with and enjoy music, movies,

messaging, and photos with their computer, while
business users can work smarter and faster, thanks
to new technical-support technology, a fresh user
interface.
 2001: Windows XP 64-bit Edition

• The first 64-bit client operating system from

Microsoft.

• Satisfies the needs of power users with workstations

that use the Intel Itanium 64-bit processor.

• Designed for specialized, technical workstation

users who require large amounts of memory and
floating point performance in areas such as movie
special effects, 3D animation, engineering, and
scientific applications.
 FAT
• Abbreviation for File Allocation table.

• Due to fragmentation, a file may be divided into

many sections that are scattered around the disk.
The FAT keeps track of all these pieces.

• In DOS systems, FATs are stored just after the boot

sector.

• The FAT system for older versions of Windows 95 is

called FAT16, and the one for new versions of
Windows 95 and Windows 98 is called FAT32.
 FAT (Contd..)
• FAT File System
– Used by DOS.
– Supported by all the other operating systems.
– It is simple, reliable, and uses little storage.

• VFAT
– VFAT is an alternate use of the FAT file system
available in Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.5.
– It allows files to have longer names than the "8.3"
convention adopted by DOS.
– VFAT stores extra information in the directory
that older DOS and OS/2 systems can ignore.
 FAT (Contd..)
• HPFS
– HPFS is used by OS/2 and is supported by Windows
NT.
– Provides better performance than FAT on larger disk
volumes and supports long file names.
– Requires more memory than FAT and may not be a
reasonable choice on systems with only low RAM.

• NTFS
– NTFS provides everything.
– Supports long file names, large volumes, data
security, and universal file sharing.
– A departmental NT file server will probably have all
its partitions formatted for NTFS. Because the other
operating systems cannot use it, NTFS is less
 Thanks for Tolerating!!!

PS: No Questions Please