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.

***

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!

If you are like most Internet users, you probably have a Windows computer and primarily use Internet Explorer to surf webpages. What make Internet Explorer so much more used than all the other browsers put together? There are two prominent likely reasons for this:

1. Internet Explorer is a part of the Windows operating system—which the majority of computer users have. It's readily available from the moment you first turn on your computer.
2. Many people who use the Internet are novice computer users. They don't know there are any other options other than Internet Explorer, and even if they did, downloading another browser would be an intimidating task.

Naturally, a percentage of IE users simply prefer it to any other browser. Here's a debate of IE against all the rest, based on research and the input of loyal browser users of both sides.

Argument: Internet Explorer is obviously the best because it's the biggest. If far more people are using IE than any other browser, then surely its creator, Microsoft, is doing something right. They have been around for a long time, which means they excel in experience, resources and background when it comes to computer programs and the Internet. When IE8 was released, experts said it was the safest browser. Also, since IE is the most used browser, every website, download, and web application is compatible with it. Technical support is more readily available for Internet Explorer than any other browser.

Rebuttal: The bigger they are, the harder they fall. There are more threats and viruses targeted toward Internet Explorer than any other browser. IE is the most used, so a virus on it would affect the most people. For this reason, many computer technicians and experienced Internet users steer clear of IE completely and recommend others to do so.

Argument: Internet Explorer works better with your computer. Most Internet users have a Windows computer, and IE is well integrated with their operating system. Not only is IE already installed and ready to use when you buy the computer, windows is designed to automatically update to newer versions of IE or add patches for IE and other windows components. This means that, with no effort on your part, IE will always be safe, updated, and in sync with your computer. How much more convenient can it be?

Rebuttal: Internet Explorer is too close. Every time Microsoft introduces a new product, there are bugs and issues to iron out. Many computer technicians actually recommend to wait a few months before downloading new versions of Internet Explorer for this reason. They also recommend creating a restore point and backing up important files in case upgrading to a new version of IE will cause the computer to crash! Many people have had major computer problems from trying to download IE8 or revert back to a previous version. This type of issue wouldn't happen with another browser, because they are simply downloads (not deeply integrated with your operating system) that can be easily installed and uninstalled.

Argument: Internet Explorer has features for everyone. The latest version, IE8, appeals to a variety of interests and needs. The address bar, favorites, add-on's, and other features have been expanded and introduced. Many of these features are already downloaded as a part of the browser to make them easy to find and quickly accessible. Other browser require for some features to be individually downloaded.

Rebuttal: Features are out of Internet Explorer's league. IE has a record of falling behind other browsers to introduce new features. Of the top most-used browsers today, IE7 was the last to implement tabbed browsing. IE8 was among the last to introduce features that standard to other browsers, like session restore, tab isolation, and private browsing. Also, since IE's features are largely built in, the download size is twice as large as other browsers.

Furthermore, the whole reason companies like Google, Mozilla, and Opera created their browsers is because one browser can't be best for everyone. There are features and gadgets available on Firefox and Opera that would confuse a beginner user, and create endless possibilities for advanced users. Chrome offers a simple approach that uses less features than any browser, but may also be much faster.

Conclusion: IE is great for people who just want to get online and don't want to (or know how to) download another browser. As long as Windows computers are popular, IE will probably continue to hold the majority market share, but other browsers will still be available for everyone who doesn't like IE. Thankfully, these alternatives are free to download, so anyone can try them out and perhaps find a browser that suits them better.

***

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!

Dial-up has considerably less bandwidth (uploading and downloading capacity) than broadband. Noise and static on the phone lines could cause a drop the connection without warning. These two issues cause the most problems with downloads. Here are some tips that may help improve your download speeds and avoid having to start them over:

Save the file, don't run. When you click on a link to download a file, you are prompted to run or save the file. Run means you want the file to immediately open the installation wizard after the download is complete. Save means you want to put the file on your computer and run the installation later. When you click save, you will have the option to save it to a certain folder or location. Choose an easy place you'll remember, like right on your desktop, in the “Save in” box. Then click “Save” again.

If you save the installation file, you can rerun it if you have problems installing the software. This will save the time you would spend re-downloading. Also, you will know where the file is saved, so that means you don't have to sit in front of the computer watching it download. The file will be waiting for you when you return to your computer and you can install it then.

Download when you're not surfing. Try to minimize your online activity during a download. If you try to download while you are browsing online, your bandwidth has to be shared between the two or more processes, and both tasks will operate more slowly. You may want to wait until you are finished surfing to start a download. You can let you connection run overnight or while you are doing chores in the house.

Check for automatically updating programs. If you look in your system tray (the bottom right section where your clock is displayed), you will see icons of programs currently running on your computer. If you hover over or click on these icons, you may see that Windows updates or a software, firewall, or anti-virus program is downloading updates from the Internet. Updates are usually necessary but they also use up your bandwidth and slow your download time. You can stop the update temporarily so your file downloads faster. You may also need to check for programs running unnecessarily so you can end that process altogether. Ask a local technician for help with this step.

Restart your session before a download. Some dial-up services limit the maximum time you can be online. Your online sessions can also be dropped after some time because of static or line noise. Disconnect and reconnect to the Internet just before a big download to minimize the chances of getting disconnected before it completes.

Get a download manager. This program will keep track of your downloads and allow you to start where you left off if you accidentally get disconnected during a large download. You can download a free download manager from download.com.

There are some downloads that are just not feasible on dial up. Most files over 60 MB would take too long to download on dial-up, or wouldn't download at all because of maximum session limits and common disconnect problems.

If you have access to a broadband connection, you can save larger downloads to a flash drive or memory card and install it later on your computer. Be sure to specify to save it to your flash drive! There are several places where you can access broadband Internet for short periods of time. More coffee shops and restaurants now have free wireless Internet you could access with your laptop. Public libraries usually offer computer stations with a broadband connection and wireless service for laptops.

***

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!