Windows 1.0 to 8

1985  Windows 1.0

The First Version of Microsoft Windows, Windows 1.0, with simple applications and the concept of multitasking on PC.

1987  Windows 2.0 

The Second Version of Windows, Windows 2.0 with some fixes and the Control Panel. 

1988  Windows 2.1 

The Second Version of Windows with some additions, and some fixes, Windows 2.1, the Paint software is seen in this one! 

1990  Windows 3.0 

The Third Version of Windows, Windows 3.0, featuring the File Manager and Program Manager, replacing the old MS DOS based File and Program Managers. 

1992  Windows 3.1 

The later released upgraded version of Windows 3.0, which had support for 32-bit Disk Access, Personalization options and had the Minesweeper game for the first time. 

1995  Windows 95 

Windows 95, the changed look, the new interface and the beginning of the form of Windows which we see now. Enhanced Graphics and better Communication Programs. 

1998  Windows 98 

Windows 98, one of the most successful versions of Windows till now, this version of Windows can still be seen in some PCs even today. With Extended Softwares, better Performance, this Version was the first milestone in the path of the development of Windows. 

2000  Windows ME 

Windows ME or Windows Millenium Edition, though not a very popular version of Windows, but still it had some better tools and performance than the previous ones in some cases. 

2001  Windows XP 

Windows XP, the Daddy of all versions of Windows, the most popular version of windows even today. Windows XP is still used today because of its unmatched performance, tools and interface. This has been the best version of Windows till the arrival of Windows 7. 

2006  Windows Vista 

Windows Vista, though it didn't go so well in the public, but still its a good version of Windows specially for the interface the Windows Aerobic Effect, making the Window Transparency work like magic.

2009  Windows 7 

Windows 7, the best version of Windows till date. With the new and advanced features such as the Superbar, this version of Windows created another milestone for Microsoft after Windows 98 and Windows XP. Windows 7 features an unbeatable user interface, and powerful tools that makes it the best among the rest. 

2012  Windows 8 

Windows 8, to be released in the late 2012. The interface of Windows 8 as seen at the D9 Conference. A better version of Windows as proposed by Microsoft, with the changed User Interface.

By: Muhammad Iqbal Akhtar.

Download and Install Differently Designed Windows 8

Yes Windows 8 comes with a hybrid design and isn’t like the Windows OS we are usually familiar with. Latest version brings completely new visual interface, which is optimized for touchscreen devices but can be equally efficient with mouse and keyboard for desktop computers.

Here’s a preview of What Windows 8 will look like:

Start Screen:

Lock Screen:

Keyboard and Apps (Earlier we used to call them programs):

File Management:

Download Windows 8

Microsoft was quick enough to release the developer version for Windows 8 for general public.

You can select from one of following versions available at Microsoft’s website:

• Windows Developer Preview with developer tools English, 64-bit
• Windows Developer Preview English, 64-bit
• Windows Developer Preview English, 32-bit

It appears that Windows Developer Preview English, 32-bit will be suitable for many, unless you need to get the developer tools too.

You can download any version of Windows 8 from this link.

How to Install Windows 8 on Virtual Machines:

• You can install Windows 8 preview on a virtual machine instead of dedicating an entire PC for it.
• You can use VirtualBox for hardware virtualization
• Download Windows 8 from above given link.
• Create a new VirtualBox virtual machine and select Windows 8 as the OS type.
• In the Motherboard tab under System, check Enable IO APIC.
• In the Processor tab under System, check Enable PAE/NX.
• In the Acceleration tab under System, check Enable VT-x/AMD-V and Enable Nested Paging.
• In the Video tab under Display, check Enable 2D acceleration.
• Remember to mount the Windows 8 .ISO file you downloaded and you’re good to go!

Note: Make sure your PC supports hardware virtualization for this to work, or you can go with a fresh machine to install Windows 8. Remember, you can’t un-install this copy of Windows unless you format the drive.

Want to Change Metro UI:

• If you want to disable the Metro UI?
• Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
• Change the value of RPEnabled from 1 to 0.

Esc key

On computer keyboards, the Esc key is a key labeled Esc or Escape that is used to generate the ASCII Escape character (Control-[, ASCII code 27 in decimal), the character code traditionally used to initiate an escape sequence. It is generally placed in the top left corner of the keyboard, which placement dates at least to the original IBM PC keyboard, though the key itself dates to teletypewriters.

Uses of Esc Key

As most computer users no longer are concerned with the details of controlling their computer's peripherals (means Devices that are connected to the computer), the task for which the escape sequences were originally designed, the escape key was appropriated by application programmers, most often to mean Stop. This use continues today in Microsoft Windows's use of escape as a shortcut in dialog boxes for No, Quit, Exit, Cancel, or Abort, as well as a common shortcut key for the Stop button in many web browsers.

On machines running Microsoft Windows, prior to the implementation of the Windows key on keyboards, the typical practice for invoking the "start" button was to hold down the control key and press escape. This key combination still works as of Windows 7.

Microsoft Windows makes use of "Esc" for many key shortcuts. Many of these shortcuts have been present since Windows 3.0, throughWindows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7.

In Mac OS X, Esc usually closes or cancels a dialog box or sheet. The Command-Option-Esc combination opens the Force Quit dialog box, allowing users to end non-responsive programs. Another use for the Esc key, in combination with the Command key, is switching to Front Row, if installed.

In most computer games, the escape key is used as a pause button and/or as a way to bring up the in-game menu, usually containing ways to exit the program.

In the family of text editors, escape is used to switch modes. This usage is due to escape being conveniently placed in what is now the tab position on the ADM3A terminal keyboard used to develop vi, though it is now inconveniently placed. This is similar to how the extensive modifier keys in emacswere easily used on the original keyboard, being placed together, but these keys have now been spread around the keyboard, becoming more difficult to use.

How to Use Word 2010′s New Paste Feature

One of the most common things computer user’s do is cut, copy and paste stuff. When you’re cutting or copying from one place in a document to another, there’s not much to the story; when you’re cutting or copying text from a website perhaps, to a Word document on the other hand, things get a bit stickier, because sometimes you do want the copied text to look as it did on the website, and sometimes, you just want it to fit in seamlessly with what you’re already writing.

Microsoft has not been blind to this and did give us some options for cutting, copying and pasting in Word 2007 with the Paste button on the main ribbon. Recognizing that what they’d done so far wasn’t enough, Microsoft went a step further with Word 2010 by giving users a much better preview of what they’ll get when choosing a particular option.


Word 2010’s new Paste feature can be accessed two different ways; the first is by clicking the right mouse button in the spot where you want to paste something.
note: you’ll only get all the paste options shown if you have previously highlighted and copied some text from another source that has non-standard text in it.

The other way is by clicking on the Paste icon on the main ribbon:

note: in order to get all of the icons to show up in the drop down menu, you first have to copy some non-standard text from another source.

Note the Set Default Paste option that has been added to the bottom of the drop down menu:

Clicking on it brings up a window for setting the defaults for a myriad of Word options:

We only need to look at the defaults for Cut, copy and paste:

Setting defaults for when you paste something, is actually a bigger deal than it might seem. Say for example you have grown used to using Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V for copying and pasting stuff from websites into your Word documents; normally the default is to paste what has been copied in its natural state, i.e. with all the web formatting in place.

If you change the default for Pasting between documents to Keep Text Only, you can save yourself the extra step of having to strip out the formatting manually.

At any rate, once you’ve got your defaults set the way you want, using the Pastefeature works the same regardless of which way you access it. To use it, first copy some formatted text and/or graphics from a web site:

Next, open or resume working on a document in Word, then pick a spot in your document to paste the stuff you copied by clicking in the document; then, click the Paste icon. You should notice right away that things look different; instead of word choices, there are now icons.

To see how these icons work, slide your mouse slowly over the different options. Moving from left to right the icons represent: Keep Source Formatting, Merge Formatting,and Keep Text Only. You should be able to see what the pasted material will look like in your document as you move your cursor over the three icons.

Keep Source Formatting:

Merge Formatting:

And finally, Keep Text Only:

To actually paste in the copied material, click on the one you want and the copied material will be pasted into your document in the format you chose (in this case, Keep Source Formatting).

The new icon based Paste tool with preview should make cutting, copying and pasting a much easier task for anyone that does a lot of moving text around from different applications into Word.

Ten Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 7

Improved Boot Performance

11 seconds from loading Windows to a fully usable laptop without the benefit of Windows 7 optimized drivers is nothing to scoff at.

Redesigned Taskbar

With Windows 7, getting an application icon onto the taskbar is as simple as right-clicking on the icon and selecting "Pin to Taskbar." Voila, it magically appears on the Taskbar.

Aero Snap

With just about every laptop being sold now having a widescreen display, have you ever needed to position two documents side-by-side? Rather than tearing your hair out in frustration, Aero Snap offers a quick and easy way to "snap" windows into the left or right half of your screen simply by dragging Windows to the edges. (You can also snap windows vertically.)

Jump List

A Jump List is what you'll see when you right-click on a program icon on the Windows 7 taskbar (or Start menu). What appears depends on the specific application, but typically contains a list of frequently or last-viewed files, as well as quick access to common commands.

Aero Peek

To quickly peer past all open windows to look straight at the Windows 7 desktop, simply point to the right edge of the taskbar. All open windows will instantly turn transparent, making it possible to see what's on the desktop.

Support for SSD

Microsoft has done a lot of re-engineering to Windows 7 since Windows Vista to improve its SSD read and write speeds; the use of ATA commands and support for the TRIM command further increases write speeds.

BitLocker To Go

BitLocker To Go (as with BitLocker) is found only on the Enterprise edition of Windows 7. For enterprise users, it allows them to protect the data stored on portable drives by encrypting them on-the-fly. Set up is extremely easy and recovery keys can be managed via policy-configured Active Directory Domain Services integration.

Enhanced Stability

I've been using various editions of Windows 7 for more than half a year now, and its stability is bliss compared with Windows Vista or even Windows XP. While I would be lying to say that it never crashes, it does so infrequently and is otherwise rock stable.

Windows XP Mode

Need to run Windows XP due to some legacy OS or to run some potentially dangerous software without any risk to your PC? You can make use of Windows XP Mode to run, well, Windows XP as a virtual machine.

Network Virtualization

Ok, this isn't technically something that would qualify as an official feature in Windows 7. However, the folks over at Connectify found that the Windows team did some unfinished work to virtualize the network plumbing in Windows 7. Using it, they managed to build a GUI and an interface that transforms your Windows 7 workstation into a full-fledged AP for other Wi-Fi devices - while it is connected to an AP!

By: Muhammad Iqbal Akhtar

How to Check if Windows 7 is Genuine?

So you have a computer with Windows 7 installed, but you’re not sure if you are running a genuine version of the OS. You may have this issue if you downloaded a copy of Windows 7 or if someone installed it for you.
Either way, there are a couple of different ways to check and make sure that your Windows 7 copy is genuine.

Method 1 – Activate Windows Dialog

The first way to validate that Windows 7 is genuine is to click on Start, then type inactivate windows in the search box.

If your copy of Windows 7 is activated and genuine, you will ge t a message that says “Activation was successful” and you will see the Microsoft Genuine software logo on the right hand side.

Method 2 – Validate Online

The second way to determine if you have a valid copy of Windows 7 is to use the validation tool on the Microsoft website.

If you ever tried to download updates from Microsoft, you’ve probably noticed that sometimes your copy of Windows has to be validated before it allows you to start the download.

Well, you can use that tool independently of downloading an update by going to the following address:

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/validate

Then click on the Validate link at the top. Make sure that you visit the site while in Internet Explorer, otherwise it will ask you do download a small program onto your computer in order to validate.

Method 3 – Control Panel

The third way to check for genuine Windows 7 is to go to the Control Panel. Click onStart, then Control Panel, then click on System and Security, and finally click onSystem.

Then scroll all the way down to the bottom and you should see a section called Windows activation, which says “Windows is activated” and gives you the Product ID. It also includes the genuine Microsoft software logo.

So, in conclusion, if you have bought a copy of Windows 7 from a shady local computer dealer or off eBay for a reduced price, you may want to check and make sure the product key is actually valid and not counterfeit!
If you have any other questions about whether your copy of Windows 7 is valid, post a comment here and I will try to help. Enjoy!

BY: Muhammad Iqbal Akhtar
Source:http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-7/check-if-windows-7-is-genuine/

How To Change Keyboard Input Language In Windows 7

In this article I will show you how to change keyboard input language in Windows 7.

Changing the keyboard language (input language) allows you type texts in other language with the keyboard.  For example, you can change your keyboard language from the default English to Arabic or Chinese or Tamil with a few clicks.

Here is how to change the keyboard language in Windows 7:

1. Open Region and Language by typing the same in start menu search box and hitting enter.

2. In the region and language dialog-box, switch to Keyboards and Languages tab. Under Keyboards and other input languages, click Change keyboards button to open Text Services and Input Languages dialog-box.

3. Here, under Installed services, click Add button to see list of languages available to choose from.

4. Select your language, expand the tree (click + button to expand) and check the box. Click Ok button to revert to Text Services ad Input Languages button.

5. Under Default input language, select the installed input language in the drop down list and click Apply button.

6. You are done! Open Notepad or any other text editor to start typing in your language.

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By: Muhammad Iqbal Akhtar