Window’s got its name from the then-new layout of operating systems, where a mouse was used to open a separate frame, or window, for each process or application. The changes from one version to the next were everything from suttle, but faster or smoother, or dramatically different and new. Here is a brief history of the development of the Windows operating system:

*Windows 1.0-The first Windows OS, released in 1985, to implement “windows” instead of the linear DOS format. At this point, multitasking was basically nonexistent and graphics were quite primitive.

*Windows 2.0-Released in 1987. At this time in computer development, the processing speed and storage capacity was incredibly slow compared to today’s computers. As technology improved, new operating systems like this one were made to take advantage of gradual improvements.

*Windows 3.0-Released in 1990, this is the OS that began to be more widely used in everyday businesses. Computers were being used by businesses more widely by now. This was before Internet service was invented.

*Windows NT’s (1993 to 1996)—NT stood for new technology. This was a significant step in computer programming where the whole concept of operating systems was built from scratch. The result was designed somewhat like they look today—desktops had icons, and windows could be opened and layered. There were four similar versions of Windows, serving various purposes or implementing new technology, like networking for businesses: Windows NT 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows NT Workstation 3.5 and 4.0. At this time computers were basically only used in businesses and still quite primitive in comparison to today’s computers.

*Windows 95-Released in, you guessed it, 1995. This is probably the oldest OS still in operation today, even though it is no longer supported by Microsoft. This was the first computer to include TCP/IP, the protocol that enabled dial-up Internet. Internet access was first introduced to the public at this time, which highly increased the adoption and usage of computers by businesses outside of the technological world.

*Windows 98-Released in 1998, this was the first OS to be created for consumers, and the popularity of a “personal computer” gained momentum. As the Internet and using computers by laypeople, the need for creating computers that anyone could use grew significantly. From this point, significant changes in layout and features took place to improve usability by consumers. This is reflected in the Windows 98 Second Edition that was released the following year.
*Windows Millennium Edition-Released in 2000, again improved the usability of previous versions. At this point, there were basically two versions of OS’s: the NT Workstation 4.0 for businesses, and the 98 for consumers. This was the last of the 98 consumer models.

*Windows 2000 Professional-Also released in 2000, was an upgrade to the NT Workstation 4.0 “business” OS.

*Window XP-Released in 2001, this version marked a significant change—and success—for Microsoft. This version was a sort of clean slate for Windows OS. XP (stands for “experience”) was a new approach that replaced the all the previous versions of Windows and eliminated the business/consumer distinction. XP transformed usability and functionality of Microsoft OS’s, and still holds over half of the current market share of all operating systems (from any company) combined—nearly 10 years later! It was also the primary OS of Microsoft until 2007, which makes it the longest lasting OS since the company began.

Since then, two new versions of OS’s have been released and brought significant changes that would be unfathomable to the first computer programmers and technicians. To learn more about Microsoft Windows’ history and features of new OS’s, check out www.microsoft.com.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

Microsoft has been extremely influential in the growth and use of computers and Internet service. Since the very early stages of computer development, Microsoft has been creating products that were adopted by software and computer designers, which promoted the growth of acceptance as a standard for operating systems (OS’s) among computer users. Microsoft holds nearly 90 percent of the market share for operating systems used today! The majority of computers sold today have a Microsoft’s operating system, Windows, installed on their computer.

Before Windows operating systems were developed, computer ran with DOS, or, disk operating system. Basically it was just a black screen with white characters and a cursor. Users would type commands or use keyboard shortcuts and prompts (like Ctrl+Alt+Delete) to perform all computer tasks.

For example, to open a program or perform a task, you would type a combination of letters on your keyboard and press “Return” or “Enter”. The program or task would open a similar page with more white characters on a black screen. You could navigate through the options with arrow keys, or type another command to exit or open another command. A cursor would indicate where you can type more commands. The display upon turning on the computer was in a linear format, so you could only perform one task at a time. Previous commands would be higher on the page, disappearing off the top of the page and new commands  displayed underneath.

You can still see and use the original DOS display format and perform tasks that can now be done with mouse clicks. To open the DOS command window, click Start>All Programs>Accessories>Command Prompt. Type “control” and push enter. This will open your Control Panel window. Close the Window

Microsoft bought MS-DOS (Microsoft-Disk Operating System) in the early 80’s, and this was the beginning of the operating systems the majority of computers use today.

GUI, or graphical user interface was a significant development that changed the way we compute. Graphics, like colors, desktop display, icons, and buttons would replace DOS text commands. Instead of typing a combination of letters and hitting “Enter”, you now just double click an icon with a mouse.

Although the first GUI display on mid-80’s computer fade in comparison to today’s high resolution, colors, and animation, it was a big improvement from the black screen with white letters! This is where the Windows operating systems we know today began.

The name “Windows” represents the transition from DOS format to GUI format. Programs and settings now open in its own frame, or window, which means that you can switch back and forth from one programs to another, and as technology improved, have multiple windows open and running at the same time.

The latest Windows operating systems are astounding and complex in comparison to their late 80’s, early 90’s predecessors. As each new system was released, computers were faster, more colorful and aesthetically-appealing, safer, and easier to use (that is, except for the time it takes to learn new methods and layouts!).

In October of 2009, Microsoft released Windows 7, a crisp, fast, safe, and elegant OS that is hardly recognizable in comparison to the first GUI operating system from 20 years ago, Windows 3.0. For more information about the versions and features of Windows operating systems, go to microsoft.com.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

Windows updates, or automatic updates, is a component of the security features on any computer running the Windows operating system. They are designed to keep your computer up to date with the latest patches and security fixes that Microsoft releases for Windows computers at any given time. They vary in size and importance, and if your computer has an Internet connection, it can receive notice from Microsoft when your computer lacks the latest update for its operating system.

These updates are not too frequent, but can quickly pile up if you do not connect to the Internet very often or if you disable your computer from automatically installing new updates.

These updates are important. Sometimes they help your computer function better. For example, if Microsoft releases an operating system, there might be a bug or glitch that arises after it has been released. Microsoft can issue a fix for this glitch and your computer can receive notice of this update automatically and, if windows updates are fully enabled, download it for your and install it right away.

There are also security updates that arise as Internet and computer threats become stronger and more pervasive. These are especially necessary if you use your computer to surf the Internet. You could actually experience an improvement in the speed and functionality of your computer after completing some Windows updates. Other updates you might recieve are newer versions of other Microsoft supported programs that are installed on your computer. You may receive automatic updates that are specifically for or related to your Office, Outlook, Adobe, and Internet Explorer programs. There is a chance that you would not want to install an update, fix, or new release, for example, if you didn’t want to take up hard drive space or you didn’t really use that program very much anyway. For the most part, however, these updates are necessary and will benefit you.

You can view or change your Windows updates settings by opening Automatic Updates in your Control Panel settings. You will see that there are different ways to handle Windows updates:
1. You can download and install updates automatically. This would mean that any time you are connected to the Internet, windows update may detect that a new update is available and download and install it immediately. This is great if you want your computer to be as updated as possible and you don’t care to make decisions about what gets installed.

2. You can specify that you would like to be notified when an update is available and choose when to download the updates yourself. This is the best option if you don’t want to download every update just because Microsoft has determined you don’t have that update. You can see a name and description of the file, choose the one(s) that you want, then download only those.

3. You can download the updates, but specify when to install them. This might be convenient for you to do if you don’t want to use system resources while you are working on the computer or uploading/downloading a large file. You can leave your computer on whenever a new update is available and let it install overnight or during the day when you are at work.

4. You can completely turn off automatic updates. This is ok temporarily, especially to free up space while downloading large files or using the computer for your own purposes. Another way it might be ok is if you do not use this computer to surf the Internet, but then you wouldn’t be getting updates anyway. If you turn off automatic updates, you will be warned by your Windows security system that your computer might be at risk, as you may be missing out on an important security update.

If you ever want to check if your computer has all the updates it needs, using Internet Explorer, visit www.update.microsoft.com and your computer will automatically be scanned to check for the latest updates your computer might need.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

Opera is a proprietary software provider who has created a variety of tools for online users. The Internet browser is much like Internet Explorer, and serves the same purpose. But there are some significant differences that convinces a small number of Internet users to adopt this new browser in place of IE.

Opera has a great reputation for well-built products and their browser download is much smaller than Internet Explorer. Even on a dial-up connection, the Opera installation file can be downloaded in less than half an hour.

Opera beats Internet Explorer in a few areas where features are concerned:

* Visual tabs—you can drag the bottom of the row of tabs in your browsing window to change them to thumbnails of webpages. Also, when you hover over tabs with your mouse, a preview of the site appears under the tab.

* Tab bar placement. You can now move your row of tabs (or thumbnails of sites) the the left, right, or bottom of the browsing window.

* Speed dial—Opera was one of the first browsers to offer a page of thumbnails that function as a shortcuts to websites. You can now customize the number of thumbnails to 24 and change the background image on the page.

* Turbo mode—ideal for dial-up and low-speed wifi connections, this handy feature compresses images on the webpages for faster loading times! The turbo mode can be set to automatically turn on when the connection speed slows, or to stay on constantly.

* Mouse gestures—these shortcuts can be performed with your mouse to open links in new pages, go back, forward, or close windows with presets clicks and movements of your mouse.

* Image loading options—simply click a small button at the bottom of the window to switch from loading all images or only cached images to help with page loading. Or, if you prefer a more secure and even faster load time, images can be turned off completely. Also, right click on images that have been hidden or compressed, and you'll have the option of reloading that image normally.

You can find many other features that are similar to other browsers. Other simple preferences are available, like changing the colors and layout of your browser or adding your name and location information for fast form entry. The features page on the Opera website has more information.

Of course, Opera works toward speeding up page loading and protecting their users from dangerous websites and online threats. Opera has an advantage of not being very well known or used—unlike Internet Explorer. Virus and spamming attempts are often targeting the more well known browsers because more people are using them. You can download Opera or read more about their speed and security measures and techniques by going to Opera.com.

Opera may not be for everyone, but it is especially optimal for dial-up and other slow connection users who need a faster browser. It does look and work somewhat differently than Internet Explorer, so it's helpful to read up on how Opera's browser works and to check out all of the preferences as soon as you get it downloaded.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

Internet Explorer is known for having the majority of the market share for Internet browsers, and it's role as a part of the Windows operating system. Microsoft says their new browser is better than ever and worth the upgrade! Here are a few ways IE8 has improved from IE7, and why you might be interested—even if you haven't liked IE in the past.

Accelerators are a new addition to Internet Explorer. These tools save you browsing time by turning common searches into a simple right-click function. For example, highlight an address, right click on it, and choose a mapping feature to veiw a small map of the location and a link to get to directions. This saves time you would have spent opening a new window, looking up a map website, and copy/pasting the address on a mapping website, performing the search, then clicking the directions option.

You can see search results on multiple engines like Google, Dictionary.com, and Wikipedia. Simply highlight any length of text on the web site, like “Empire State Building” for example, and right click. Accelerators will either show entries directly from the menu, or open the page of your choice in a new tab. You can jump to “Empire State Building” search results on Google, the dictionary or Wikipedia entry, or even look for books or related products on Amazon or Ebay instead of pulling up the sites individually and performing the search. There are dozens of accelerators, including shortcuts to Urban Dictionary, YouTube, and Facebook.

Another new IE8 feature is the Web Slice. It's a miniature window that is available for participating websites (indicated by the green web slice icon at the top of the page) that can be added to your favorites toolbar. For example, you bid on an Ebay item, then add a slice for that particular item, which appears in your favorites toolbar. When the slice has new information (and you can edit how often it checks), the slice title become bold so you know when someone bid on your item no matter what site you are on at the time. You can then click the slice to see a miniature page showing your item, increase the bid, or click a link to go to that page. There are also web slices for news, stocks, weather, sports, and email sites.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles! 

Bing.com is Microsoft's new “decision” search engine. Bing's homepage is brilliantly colored with a new background picture with interesting facts from all over the world. But what truly stands out about Bing.com is it's design for the purpose of aiding decision making.

The “Tour Bing” link in the top left corner of the home page is a great place to start for first time users and those who want to find out all the features and shortcuts Bing offers. Since many features are specifically for Microsoft account users, those who do not have a Live account may find it useful to create one. Other first time options are available in the preferences, located in the top right corner. Users can make adjustments to their location, security settings, and result listings.

Bing offers categorized search options on the home page from the left column. When clicked, these categories, such as “Shopping” or “News, expand to more subcategories to further narrow the search.

Any search performed on the main search bar at the top will include related searches, sponsored links, and search history on the left column. Some searches produce related subcategories at the top of the column. Here are a few examples:

• Subcategories for “computer” include: Images, Shopping, and Local

• Subcategories for “Myrtle Beach” include: Weather, Hotel, and Map

• Subcategories for “Nike” include: Coupons, Catalog, and Jobs

Bing offers more than just search results. Many popular searches, most of which are related to buying decisions, have detailed information that will help users make the right choice and save money without spending hours on every website comparing prices and other features. This is a valuable feature for anyone who has dial-up Internet or simply wishes to avoid extended online time. A search for “laptop”, for example, will display a “Shop for laptop” link at the top of the search results. Users can limit the results by brands or prices, view buying guides, and compare laptops on ratings like speed and ease of use. The search results show the image, price, and description of the laptops that match the requirements chosen.

Users can also research and compare businesses, like hotels, restaurants, and stores. The keywords “restaurant cincinnati”, for example, will display “Listings for restaurants near Cincinnati, OH” above the search results. A map of Cincinnati on the left shows the location of each restaurant with a corresponding number to the list of restaurants to the right. Each restaurant lists their phone number and links for the restaurant's website and directions. The name of each restaurant links to a short description including reviews, prices, amenities, and more contact information, etc.

Bing.com offers a variety of shortcuts accessed by typing certain keywords into the main search bar. “Traffic” and “weather” will show local information as the first result. Flights and packages can be tracked by typing flight or shipping number. A sequence of several ticker symbols followed by the word “quote” will list stock information for each symbol in a small table. Basic math questions and conversions, like “how many liters in a gallon” will display the answer at the top of the search results.

Bing has several interactive features that are convenient to users. The websites listed in search results have a hover icon along the right side of the entry which brings up a summary and related links. Images will display their size, name, and a “related images” link when users hover on them, and videos listed in Bing results will begin playing when hovered.

Some users will find Bing.com and its features more helpful than others. Bing's many features will only display for popular searches, and basic information, and it becomes just another search engine when more obscure, unique or research-related searches are performed. Like any other search engine, Bing.com shows search results of related websites, so it is still useful when features aren't shown. As it's nickname, “the decision engine” suggests, Bing.com is most useful for shopping, traveling, and other decision-related searches.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!