Microsoft Windows

In 1985, Microsoft corporation released [Microsoft Windows 1.0]?, an enhanced user interface and set of applications for its MS-DOS operating system. This was seen at the time as a response to the popular Apple Macintosh computer released in 1984. See History of the graphical user interface.

Windows is known for being overwhelmingly the most popular series of operating systems the world has ever known. Since the release of Windows NT and [Windows 95]?, Microsoft has sold current versions of Windows as stand-alone operating systems for computers based on Intel microprocessors. At one time, Microsoft produced versions for other processors such as the DEC Alpha, PowerPC and MIPS; as of the release of Windows 2000, Microsoft no longer develops these versions. See History of Microsoft Windows.

The current version of Windows is called Windows XP.

Often, conflicts between [device driver]?s or other harmful to fatal system errors result in Windows's famous Blue Screen of Death error message. This, along with the discovery of major security vulnerabilities, has led to a public perception and resigned acceptance of instability in the Windows product line. See OS Advocacy.