Windows作业系统(Windows)

微软公司发展的视窗软体家族，主要是供个人电脑与工作站，最初是图形使用者界面，发展变成作业系统。1.0版（1985）提供图形使用者界面、多工以及虚拟记忆体管理，在MS-DOS上执行，支援英特尔处理器的个人电脑。3.1版（1992）在最初两个月就卖出三百万套，建立微软在微电脑市场的主宰地位。Windows 95和Windows 98（依照上市的年份命名）延续视窗霸业。Windows NT（1993）可以在精简指令集计算处理器的电脑和传统英特尔处理器系统执行，是Windows作业系统的高阶版本，针对更高速个人电脑、工作站和伺服器。Windows CE（1996）是给掌上电脑和其他手持设备的嵌入式作业系统。微软继续发表视窗作业系统的新版本。Windows 2000是给企业导向电脑，Windows Me（2000）是消费者导向电脑使用，2001年的版本Windows XP同时满足两者。现在，九成以上的个人电脑采用视窗作业系统。

English version：

Windows

Family of software products developed by Microsoft Corp., mainly for personal computers and workstations, that began as a graphical user interface and developed into an operating system. Version 1.0 (1985) provided a graphical user interface, multitasking, and virtual memory management; it ran on top of MS-DOS and was supported on Intel-based personal computers. Version 3.1 (1992) sold over 3 million copies in its first two months and helped establish Microsoft's dominance of the operating-system market for microcomputers. Windows 95 and Windows 98 (named for the years of their release) continued its success. Windows NT (1993), which can run on RISC-based computers as well as traditional Intel-based systems, is a high-end version of Windows intended for more powerful personal computers, workstations, and servers. Windows CE (1996) is an embedded operating system for palm PCs and other handheld devices. Microsoft continues to release new versions of its operating system: Windows 2000 for corporate-oriented computers, Windows Me (2000) for consumer-oriented computers, and in 2001 a version for both environments, Windows XP. Today Windows runs on more than 90% of all personal computers.