MICROSOFT WINDOWS 8

Windows 8 is a version of Microsoft Windows (an operating system produced by Microsoft) for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablets, and home theater PCs. Development of Windows 8 started before the release of its predecessor, Windows 7, in 2009. Its existence was first announced at CES 2011, and followed by the release of three pre-release versions from September 2011 to May 2012. The operating system was released to manufacturing on August 1, 2012, and was released for general availability on October 26, 2012. Windows 8 uses version 6.2 of the Windows NT kernel.

Windows 8 introduces significant changes to the operating system's platform, primarily focused towards improving its user experience on mobile devices such as tablets to better compete with other mobile operating systems like Android and Apple's iOS. Windows 8 features a new touch user interface and shell based on Microsoft's "Metro" design language, featuring a new Start screen with a grid of dynamically updating tiles that represent applications. The Start screen replaces the "Start menu" of earlier Windows versions. There is a new app platform with an emphasis on touchscreen input, and the new Windows Store to obtain and/or purchase applications to run on the operating system.

In addition, Windows 8 takes advantage of new or emerging technologies like USB 3.0, 4Kn Advanced Format, near field communications, cloud computing, and the low-power ARM architecture. It includes new security features such as built-in antivirus capabilities, a new installation process optimized for digital distribution, and support for secure boot (a UEFI feature which allows operating systems to be digitally signed to prevent malware from altering the boot process). Synchronization of certain apps and settings between multiple devices is supported.

Windows 8 was released to mixed reception. Although reaction towards its performance improvements, security enhancements, and improved support for touchscreen devices was positive, the new user interface of the operating system has been widely criticized for being potentially confusing and having a steep learning curve (especially when used with a keyboard and mouse instead of a touchscreen). Despite these shortcomings, 60 million Windows 8 licenses have been sold through January 2013. This includes upgrades and sales to OEMs for new PCs.

Development history

Windows 8 development started before Windows 7 had shipped in 2009. At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2011, Microsoft announced that the next version of Windows would add support for devices with ARM microprocessors, and showcased an early version of Windows 8 running on several proof-of-concept ARM devices. Details also began to surface about a new application framework for Windows 8 codenamed "Jupiter", which would be used to make "immersive" applications using XAML (similarly to Windows Phone and Silverlight) that could be distributed via a new packaging system and a rumored app store to be included in the OS

On June 1, 2011, Microsoft unveiled Windows 8's new user interface as well as additional features at both Computex Taipei and the D9: All Things Digital conference in California. The "Building Windows 8" blog launched on August 15, 2011, featuring details surrounding Windows 8's features and its development process.

Microsoft unveiled new Windows 8 features and improvements on the first day of the Build Conference on September 13, 2011. Microsoft released Windows 8 Developer Preview (build 8102) the same day, which included SDKs and developer tools (such as Visual Studio Express and Expression Blend) for developing applications for Windows 8's new interface. According to Microsoft, there were about 535,000 downloads of the developer preview within the first 12 hours of its release. Originally set to expire on March 11, 2012, in February 2012 the Developer Preview's expiry date was changed to January 15, 2013.

Three milestone releases of Windows 8 leaked to the general public. Milestone 1, Build 7850, was leaked on April 12, 2011. It was the first build where the text of a window was written centered instead of aligned to the left. It was also probably the first appearance of the Metro-style font, and its wallpaper had the text shhh... let's not leak our hard work. However, its detailed build number reveals that the build was created on September 22, 2010. The leaked copy edition was Enterprise edition. The OS still reads as "Windows 7". Milestone 2, Build 7955, was leaked on April 25, 2011. The traditional Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) was replaced by a new Black screen, although this was later scrapped. This build introduced a new ribbon in Windows Explorer. Build 7959, with minor changes but the first 64-bit version, was leaked on May 1, 2011. The "Windows 7" logo was temporarily replaced with text displaying "Microsoft Confidential". On June 17, 2011, build 7989 64-bit edition was leaked. It introduced a new boot screen featuring the same fish as the default Windows 7 Beta wallpaper, which was later scrapped, and the circling dots as featured in the final (although the final version comes with smaller circling dots throbber). It also had the text Welcome below them, although this was also scrapped.

On September 13, 2011, build 8102 (Windows 8 Developer Preview) was released to the public at Microsoft's BUILD Conference. The build was fully unlocked for the first time and had the new Start Screen, Metro UI and shipped with sample apps made by summer interns at Microsoft. The Windows Store did not work in this build. The build was aimed at developers to build Metro style apps.

The new File Explorer interface with "Ribbon" in Windows 8

On February 19, 2012, Microsoft unveiled a new logo to be adopted for Windows 8. Designed by Pentagram partner Paula Scher, the Windows logo was changed to resemble a set of four window panes. Additionally, the entire logo is now rendered in a single solid color.

On February 29, 2012, Microsoft released Windows 8 Consumer Preview, the beta version of Windows 8, build 8250. For the first time since Windows 95, the Start button is no longer present on the taskbar, though the Start screen is still triggered by clicking the bottom-left corner of the screen and by clicking Start on the Charm bar. Windows president Steven Sinofsky said more than 100,000 changes had been made since the developer version went public. The day after its release, Windows 8 Consumer Preview had been downloaded over one million times. Like the Developer Preview, the Consumer Preview expired on January 15, 2013.

Many other builds were released until the Japan's Developers Day conference, when Steven Sinofsky announced that Windows 8 Release Preview (build 8400) would be released during the first week of June. On May 28, 2012, Windows 8 Release Preview (Standard Simplified Chinese x64 edition, not China-specific version, build 8400) was leaked online on various Chinese and BitTorrent websites. On May 31, 2012, Windows 8 Release Preview was released to the public by Microsoft.

Major items in the Release Preview included the addition of Sports, Travel, and News apps, along with an integrated version of Flash Player in Internet Explorer. Like the Developer Preview and the Consumer Preview, the release preview expired on January 15, 2013.

On August 1, 2012, Windows 8 (build 9200) was released to manufacturing with the build number 6.2.9200.16384 . Microsoft planned to hold a launch event on October 25, 2012 and release Windows 8 for general availability on the next day. However, only a day after its release to manufacturing, a copy of the final version of Windows 8 Enterprise N (produced for European markets) leaked to the web, and several days later there were Pro and Enterprise leaks both IA-32 and x64. On August 15, 2012, Windows 8 was made available to download for MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Windows 8 was made available to Software Assurance customers on August 16, 2012. Windows 8 was made available for students with a DreamSpark Premium subscription on August 22, 2012, earlier than advertised.

Relatively few changes were made from the Release Preview to the final version; these included updated versions of its pre-loaded apps, the renaming of Windows Explorer to File Explorer, the replacement of the Aero Glass theme from Windows Vista and 7 with a new flat and solid-colored theme, and the addition of new background options for the Start screen, lock screen, and desktop. Prior to its general availability on October 26, 2012, updates were released for some of Windows 8's bundled apps, and a "General Availability Cumulative Update" (which included fixes to improve performance, compatibility, and battery life) was released on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. Microsoft indicated that due to improvements to its testing infrastructure, general improvements of this nature are to be released more frequently through Windows Update instead of being relegated to OEMs and service packs only.

Microsoft began an advertising campaign centered around Windows 8 and its Surface tablet in October 2012, starting with its first television advertisement premiering on October 14, 2012. Microsoft's advertising budget for the operating system is US$1.5–1.8 billion, making Windows 8 the industry's biggest product launch in history

From : Wikipedia

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History of Computer

What is a Computer?

In its most basic form a computer is any device which aids humans in performing various kinds of computations or calculations. In that respect the earliest computer was the abacus, used to perform basic arithmetic operations.

Every computer supports some form of input, processing, and output. This is less obvious on a primitive device such as the abacus where input, output and processing are simply the act of moving the pebbles into new positions, seeing the changed positions, and counting. Regardless, this is what computing is all about, in a nutshell. We input information, the computer processes it according to its basic logic or the program currently running, and outputs the results.

Modern computers do this electronically, which enables them to perform a vastly greater number of calculations or computations in less time. Despite the fact that we currently use computers to process images, sound, text and other non-numerical forms of data, all of it depends on nothing more than basic numerical calculations. Graphics, sound etc. are merely abstractions of the numbers being crunched within the machine; in digital computers these are the ones and zeros, representing electrical on and off states, and endless combinations of those. In other words every image, every sound, and every word have a corresponding binary code.

While abacus may have technically been the first computer most people today associate the word “computer” with electronic computers which were invented in the last century, and have evolved into modern computers we know of today.

First Generation Computers (1940s – 1950s)

First electronic computers used vacuum tubes, and they were huge and complex. The first general purpose electronic computer was the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer). It was digital, although it didn’t operate with binary code, and was reprogrammable to solve a complete range of computing problems. It was programmed using plugboards and switches, supporting input from an IBM card reader, and output to an IBM card punch. It took up 167 square meters, weighed 27 tons, and consuming 150 kilowatts of power. It used thousands of vacuum tubes, crystal diodes, relays, resistors, and capacitors.

The first non-general purpose computer was ABC (Atanasoff–Berry Computer), and other similar computers of this era included german Z3, ten British Colossus computers, LEO, Harvard Mark I, and UNIVAC.

Second Generation Computers (1955 – 1960)

The second generation of computers came about thanks to the invention of the transistor, which then started replacing vacuum tubes in computer design. Transistor computers consumed far less power, produced far less heat, and were much smaller compared to the first generation, albeit still big by today’s standards.

The first transistor computer was created at the University of Manchester in 1953. The most popular of transistor computers was IBM 1401. IBM also created the first disk drive in 1956, the IBM 350 RAMAC.

Third Generation Computers (1960s)

The invention of the integrated circuits (ICs), also known as microchips, paved the way for computers as we know them today. Making circuits out of single pieces of silicon, which is a semiconductor, allowed them to be much smaller and more practical to produce. This also started the ongoing process of integrating an ever larger number of transistors onto a single microchip. During the sixties microchips started making their way into computers, but the process was gradual, and second generation of computers still held on.

First appeared minicomputers, first of which were still based on non-microchip transistors, and later versions of which were hybrids, being based on both transistors and microchips, such as IBM’s System/360. They were much smaller, and cheaper than first and second generation of computers, also known as mainframes. Minicomputers can be seen as a bridge between mainframes and microcomputers, which came later as the proliferation of microchips in computers grew.

Fourth Generation Computers (1971 – present)

First microchips-based central processing units consisted of multiple microchips for different CPU components. The drive for ever greater integration and miniaturization led towards single-chip CPUs, where all of the necessary CPU components were put onto a single microchip, called a microprocessor. The first single-chip CPU, or a microprocessor, was Intel 4004.

The advent of the microprocessor spawned the evolution of the microcomputers, the kind that would eventually become personal computers that we are familiar with today.

First Generation of Microcomputers (1971 – 1976)

First microcomputers were a weird bunch. They often came in kits, and many were essentially just boxes with lights and switches, usable only to engineers and hobbyists whom could understand binary code. Some, however, did come with a keyboard and/or a monitor, bearing somewhat more resemblance to modern computers.

It is arguable which of the early microcomputers could be called a first. CTC Datapoint 2200 is one candidate, although it actually didn’t contain a microprocessor (being based on a multi-chip CPU design instead), and wasn’t meant to be a standalone computer, but merely a terminal for the mainframes. The reason some might consider it a first microcomputer is because it could be used as a de-facto standalone computer, it was small enough, and its multi-chip CPU architecture actually became a basis for the x86 architecture later used in IBM PC and its descendants. Plus, it even came with a keyboard and a monitor, an exception in those days.

However, if we are looking for the first microcomputer that came with a proper microprocessor, was meant to be a standalone computer, and didn’t come as a kit then it would be Micral N, which used Intel 8008 microprocessor.

Popular early microcomputers which did come in kits include MOS Technology KIM-1, Altair 8800, and Apple I. Altair 8800 in particular spawned a large following among the hobbyists, and is considered the spark that started the microcomputer revolution, as these hobbyists went on to found companies centered around personal computing, such as Microsoft, and Apple.

Second Generation Microcomputers (1977 – present)

Commodore PET2001 (Image by Tomislav Medak licensed under CC-BY-SA).

As microcomputers continued to evolve they became easier to operate, making them accessible to a larger audience. They typically came with a keyboard and a monitor, or could be easily connected to a TV, and they supported visual representation of text and numbers on the screen.

In other words, lights and switches were replaced by screens and keyboards, and the necessity to understand binary code was diminished as they increasingly came with programs that could be used by issuing more easily understandable commands. Famous early examples of such computers include Commodore PET, Apple II, and in the 80s the IBM PC.

The nature of the underlying electronic components didn’t change between these computers and modern computers we know of today, but what did change was the number of circuits that could be put onto a single microchip. Intel’s co-founder Gordon Moore predicted the doubling of the number of transistor on a single chip every two years, which became known as “Moore’s Law”, and this trend has roughly held for over 30 years thanks to advancing manufacturing processes and microprocessor designs.

The consequence was a predictable exponential increase in processing power that could be put into a smaller package, which had a direct effect on the possible form factors as well as applications of modern computers, which is what most of the forthcoming paradigm shifting innovations in computing were about.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Macintosh 128k (Image by All About Apple museum licensed under CC-BY-SA-2.5-it)

Possibly the most significant of those shifts was the invention of the graphical user interface, and the mouse as a way of controlling it. Doug Engelbart and his team at the Stanford Research Lab developed the first mouse, and a graphical user interface, demonstrated in 1968. They were just a few years short of the beginning of the personal computer revolution sparked by the Altair 8800 so their idea didn’t take hold.

Instead it was picked up and improved upon by researchers at the Xerox PARC research center, which in 1973 developed Xerox Alto, the first computer with a mouse-driven GUI. It never became a commercial product, however, as Xerox management wasn’t ready to dive into the computer market and didn’t see the potential of what they had early enough.

It took Steve Jobs negotiating a stocks deal with Xerox in exchange for a tour of their research center to finally bring the user friendly graphical user interface, as well as the mouse, to the masses. Steve Jobs was shown what Xerox PARC team had developed, and directed Apple to improve upon it. In 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh, the first mass-market computer with a graphical user interface and a mouse.

Microsoft later caught on and produced Windows, and the historic competition between the two companies started, resulting in improvements to the graphical user interface to this day.

Meanwhile IBM was dominating the PC market with their IBM PC, and Microsoft was riding on their coat tails by being the one to produce and sell the operating system for the IBM PC known as “DOS” or “Disk Operating System”. Macintosh, with its graphical user interface, was meant to dislodge IBM’s dominance, but Microsoft made this more difficult with their PC-compatible Windows operating system with its own GUI. 

Portable Computers

Powerbook 150 (Image by Dana Sibera licensed under CC-BY-SA.)

As it turned out the idea of a laptop-like portable computer existed even before it was possible to create one, and it was developed at Xerox PARC by Alan Kay whom called it the Dynabook and intended it for children. The first portable computer that was created was the Xerox Notetaker, but only 10 were produced.

The first laptop that was commercialized was Osborne 1 in 1981, with a small 5″ CRT monitor and a keyboard that sits inside of the lid when closed. It ran CP/M (the OS that Microsoft bought and based DOS on). Later portable computers included Bondwell 2 released in 1985, also running CP/M, which was among the first with a hinge-mounted LCD display. Compaq Portable was the first IBM PC compatible computer, and it ran MS-DOS, but was less portable than Bondwell 2. Other examples of early portable computers included Epson HX-20, GRiD compass, Dulmont Magnum, Kyotronic 85, Commodore SX-64, IBM PC Convertible, Toshiba T1100, T1000, and T1200 etc.

The first portable computers which resemble modern laptops in features were Apple’s Powerbooks, which first introduced a built-in trackball, and later a trackpad and optional color LCD screens. IBM’s ThinkPad was largely inspired by Powerbook’s design, and the evolution of the two led to laptops and notebook computers as we know them. Powerbooks were eventually replaced by modern MacBook Pro’s.

Of course, much of the evolution of portable computers was enabled by the evolution of microprocessors, LCD displays, battery technology and so on. This evolution ultimately allowed computers even smaller and more portable than laptops, such as PDAs, tablets, and smartphones.

From : Wikipedia

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ADVANCES OF BRAINWARE

BRAINWARE

Brainware is a human device, brainware is part of the operating computer, brainware known by several categories that are differentiated according to the knowledge of the computer:

1. Data Entry: People who are not familiar with the ins and outs of computers, he was just entering and managing data.

2. Operator: People who know the ins and outs of computer work, in simple terms he only uses certain apilkasi.

3. Progamer: People who know and can make the machine language used by the computer to perform a specific task.

4. Computer analyst: Is a person who analyzes the operating system used by a computer and can design a system

Brainware Advances

In the past braiwaere very little, because someone could be brainware it must have a great ability to use the computer because someone earlier times it was very hard where oprasi system used mation base on DOS which is very difficult to use, compared to the present development of technology makes all people can afford and easily become brainware / oprator computer is all supported by a system that is used now is not difficult, it is certainly in today braniwaer much developed, could even come to be a developer of computer technology

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ADVANCES OF HARDWARE

HARDWARE

Hardware is the components on the computer that can be seen and touched physically. Thus, the physical appearance of your computer may be used as Hardware. Examples of hardware are as follows:

1. Input Devices / Input: A Hardware used to enter (input) instruction from the computer user. An example is the Keyboard, Mouse, and Joystick.

2. Processing Devices: Hardware is located on a computer to process the enter / input from the user. An example is the processor in a computer.

3. Output Devices / Output: The hardware is used to generate a process (output) from the computer user. An example is the Monitor, Speaker, and Printer.

Hardware Advances

The First Generation:

The first computer, has a very large size consists of various components such as Consisting of 18,000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 resistors and 5 million soldered joints, the computer is a machine that consumes huge power of 160kW.Komputer was designed by John Presper Eckert (1919-1995

Last Generation:

At this time the computer hardware is no longer big as it used to, now the hardware tends to be smaller and much faster performance, the smaller the faster computer components computer performance, as it offers computer at the moment,

example:

1.Input device is a device used to input data. One of them is the keyboard. The keyboard has experienced growth since it was first created. Here's the difference:

a. AT keyboard

b. AT Keyboard tip of the cord has a 5 pin

c. PS / 2 keyboard

d. PS / 2 Keyboard 6-pin tip of the cord has

e. USB keyboard

f. USB keyboard be usb cord tip.

g. wireless keyboard.

h. wireless keyboard does not have a cable

2. Device Processing (Processor). Progression Intel Processor, Intel Processor suit some types of early development:

1. processor LGA

2. Intel Dual Core Processor

3. Intel Core 2 Duo Processor

4. Processor Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad Core

5. Intel Core i3 Processor

6. Processor Intel Core i5

7. Intel Core i7 Processor

And now the most advanced processor is the Intel Core i7, is the first processor with Nehalem technology. Nehalem uses a new platform that really different from the previous generation. Core i5 is the value of the Core i7 series that will run on Intel's new socket LGA-1156 socket. Intel Core i3 is a variant of the value compared to the other two brothers. This processor will integrate the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) aka Graphics On-board inside the processor. In 2008, precisely on August 17, Intel issued a newest product processor type Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad Core. The newest product called Core 2 Extreme QX9300 processor with 45W TDP features and give special attention to the cooling or cooling system.

Benefits Intel Core I7 Processor, i5, i3 is Intel Hyper Threading (the core i7, i5, i3), Intel Turbo Boost (core i7, i5), Intel Hd Graphics (on a core i7, i5, i3), Maximum Memory in RAM up to 16 GB, and been using 1066 MHz DDR3 with FBS.

3.Output device is a device used to display the data that has been processed. Among other monitor. Following the development of the monitor:

a. Monitor Catoda Ray Tube (CRT)

This monitor is a monitor that has a tube that produces electrons to shoot the screen.

b. Monitor Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

The workings of this monitor is to provide an electric current stimulation from the outside to luquid crystal (bipheny material). So it will change the properties of light that is passed crystal.

c. LED monitor

These monitors use a lot of LED lights.

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ADVANCES OF SOFTWARE

SOFTWARE

Computer software is a rules or procedures used computers for processing data that has been transformed into a program. The software can also be regarded as 'translators' commands that run computer users to be routed to or processed by the hardware. Software called software, is a collection of some of the commands executed by the engine computer in their work. This software is a record for the engine computer to store orders, and other documents and records.

Example Software

1. (Operating System), which is a program written to control and coordinate the activities of the computer system. examples of operating systems: DOS, Unix, Windows 95, IMB OS / 2, the Apple's System 7.

2. (Language Software), a program that is used to translate instructions written in a programming language into machine language that can be understood by computers. examples of these programming languages​​: BASIC, COBOL, Pascal, C + +, FORTRAN.

3. (Application Software), which is a program written and translated by language software to solve specific application. utilty example is Norton Utility.

Evolution of Software / Advances

1. Pioneer Era

Forms software is initially connections between the inside of the cable into the computer, the following figure shows the people who are using the computer. Another way to access the computer using punched card is a card that is in the holes. The use of the computer when it was done directly, a program for a machine for a particular purpose. In this era, the software is an integral part of the hardware.

2. Stable Era

In an era of steady use of computers has much in use, not only by the researchers and academics, but also by industry / company. Software companies have sprung up, and the software can run multiple functions of this software began to shift into a product. Command lines run software on the computer is no longer the only one, but it was as much the process will be undertaken simultaneously (multi-tasking). A software capable of resolving multiple users (multi-user) rapidly / instantly (real time). In this era began in familiar database system, which separates the program (processors) with data (which is in the process).

3. Micro Era

In line with the broader PC and computer networks in this era, is also developing software to meet individual needs. The software can be divided into system software responsible for handling internal and application software that is used directly by its consumer for a particular purpose. Automation is in the software leads to a kind of artificial intelligence.

4. Modern Era

Currently the software is there everywhere, not just on a supercomputer with 25 processors, a computer genggampun have been completed with software that can synchronize with a PC. Not only computers, even equipment such as telephone, TV, to the washing machine, air conditioner and microwave, had been induced in the software to set the operating equipment. And the great again is any equipment that will lead to someday be able to connect to each other. Making a software segelentir people no longer work, but it has to be the work of many people, with several step process that involves multiple disciplines in its design. Intelligence levels are shown by the software is increasing, in addition to technical problems, the software now starting to get to know the sounds and images.

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