What is Windows?

Microsoft Windows is a software system based on graphics, which can run under MS-DOS. Like a huge shelf arranged orderly, Windows provides a user-friendly graphical interface including pop-up menus, scroll bars, dialogue boxes, icons and etc. The work under Windows seems quite comfortable and natural. So, someone says: Windows is a user’s paradise full of beautiful icons, graphics and menus.The Characteristics of WindowsWindows has two evident characteristics :(1) GUI-graphical user interface. In Windows, the computer screen is referred to as a desktop. The desktop displays all your work in rectangular areas called windows. You open a windows when you run an application and close the windows when you quit from an application program. You can easily drag a window to change its size and location with the mouse. You arrange windows on the desktop just as you move work items around on your actual desk.(2) Multitask operation. With Windows, you will find it easy to start up and work with application programs. You can run more than one application at a time, transfer information between them and switch quickly among them.Windows Modes Windows can run in two modes : 386 enhanced mode and standard mode. When you type “win ”,Windows starts in the most appropriate mode for your system. You can find out which mode Windows is running by choosing the “About ” command from the “Help” menu in Program Manager. Windows uses the following criteria to select the running mode: Windows stars in 386 enhanced mode if you have an 80386 SX computer (or higher) with at least 640k of conventional memory plus 1024K of extended memory. However, more memory is required to use the more advanced features of Windows . Windows starts in standard mode if you have an 80286 computer (or higher ) with at least 640K of conventional memory and 384K of extended memory . Windows also starts in standard mode on 80386 computers that have less than 2MB of free memory .Windows Initialization Files Windows initialization files contain information that defines your Windows environment. Windows and its applications can use the information stored in these files to configure themselves to meet your needs and preferences. There are two standard Windows initialization files: WIN.INI, which primarily contains settings that Windows maintains to customize your Windows environment according to your preferences. SYSTEM.INI, which primarily contains settings that customize Windows to meet your system’s hardware needs.Program Manager of WindowsProgram Manager is the central to the operation of Windows.It starts automatically whenever you start Windows and continues to run as long as you are using Windows．Starting applications from Program Manager is easy． You simply choose the program for the application you want to use and Program Manager dose the rest . When you do run other applications , Program Manager runs in the background or on your desktop as an application icon .The Accessories Group, the Games Group and the Windows Applications Group are represented as identical group icons at the bottom of the Program Manager window.You must return to Program Manager when you want to end your Windows session. You cannot quit Program Manager without also quit Windows.