Operating Systems which revolutionized the computing

BANGALORE, INDIA: Here we talk about some of the most used operating systems which completely changed the way people used to interact with machines.

Linux

Started as a small project in 1991 by Linus Torvalds, Linux turned out to be a revolution in the operating system market. Since then there is no turning back. It has grown from a small number of files of source code to 300+ distros. From operating system to network storage, anti-virus to firewall, this open source software has everything to serve an enterprise. You do not have to pay any licensing fees also.

When Linux kernel was first launched, it had restriction on commercial activities. But later was made available for the world for free. Torvalds then invited the programmers to enhance the functionality of the Linux but on a condition that it should be free. Though Linux is not popular among general public and the reason behind this is its functionality. Also it is a freeware you cannot call for troubleshooting. But a large community of Linux programmers is available on the Internet who is ready to help you out.

Windows

There is no denying that Microsoft Windows has revolutionized the way of computing. With the growing interest of people in graphical interface, Microsoft introduced Windows 1.0 in November 1985. It was more of an extension of MS-DOS, where you do not have to type command instead move the mouse cursor. It lacked in functionality, so Microsoft released Windows 2.0 in 1987. But the major breakthrough was Microsoft Windows 95, launched in August 1995. This version of Windows had networking support and was the first to have plug-and-play capability.

This version also offered the multimedia capabilities. Within a year of its launch, it became a hugely successful and popular OS in the world. Another Microsoft product that highly impacted the business world was Windows NT. Windows NT was 32-bit operating system which was built to meet the high-end business requirement. Other features like processor independency, hardware and software portability and multi-user environment made it stand apart from other OSes present in the market at that time.

Later in 1998, Microsoft released Windows 98 which was consumer specific. The Quick Launch bar that we have today in Windows was first introduced in Win98. Other improvement included support for USB devices and DVD and it is the last OS based in MS-DOS. After that Microsoft came up with enhanced and redesigned version of Windows which includes Windows ME, XP, Vista and 7. Now with the launch of Windows 8 Developers Preview, Microsoft seems to be ready to take the tablet market also.

MacOS

MacOS was first introduced in 1985 with Apple's Macintosh computer. At the launch, it was known as “System”. It was the first operating system to be based on graphical user interface (GUI) and that made it stand apart from other operating systems. Also one does not need to have a hold on commands like in MS-DOS. But there were certain loopholes in this OS. It did not support multi-tasking, that mean you could run only one application on it. Apart from that there were also compatibility issues with other OSes.Multi-tasking was brought in MacOS with the release of System 5. But the major upgrade in this series was System 7.

Novell NetWare

Novell Netware was first introduced in 1983 and involved the concept of file sharing. It is Novell's Netware that made the networking what it is today. A robust operating system, Netware made it possible to use cheap Intel-based servers instead of the costly RISC ones demanded by UNIX. To those not well versed in the inner workings of UNIX, the advent of Novell Directory Service (NDS) made managing networks easier than it was ever before.