OS/2

OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as the preferred operating system for IBM's "Personal System/2 (PS/2)" line of second-generation Personal Computers. OS/2 is no longer marketed by IBM, and IBM standard support for OS/2 was discontinued on December 31, 2006.[1] Currently, Serenity Systems sells OS/2 under the brand name eComStation.
OS/2 was intended as a protected mode successor of MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows. Notably, basic system calls were modeled after MS-DOS calls; their names even started with "Dos" and it was possible to create "Family Mode" applications: text mode applications that could work on both systems.[2] Because of this heritage, OS/2 is like Windows in many ways, but it also shares similarities with Unix and Xenix.
OS/2 is also remembered for being the first major operating system to have its own advocacy group. Team OS/2 was a grassroots, ad-hoc organization of volunteers, who promoted and supported the operating system and applications designed for it.

Mac OS

Mac OS is the trademarked name for a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. (formerly Apple Computer, Inc.) for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface. The original form of what Apple would later name the "Mac OS" was the integral and unnamed system software first introduced in 1984 with the original Macintosh, usually referred to simply as the System software.
Apple deliberately downplayed the existence of the operating system in the early years of the Macintosh to help make the machine appear more user-friendly and to distance it from other operating systems such as MS-DOS, which were portrayed as arcane and technically challenging. Much of this early system software was held in ROM, with updates typically provided free of charge by Apple dealers on floppy disk. As increasing disk storage capacity and performance gradually eliminated the need for fixing much of an advanced GUI operating system in ROM, Apple explored cloning while positioning major operating system upgrades as separate revenue-generating products, first with System 7 and System 7.5, then with Mac OS 7.6 in 1997.
Earlier versions of the Mac OS were compatible only with Motorola 68000-based Macintoshes. As Apple introduced computers with PowerPC hardware, the OS was upgraded to support this architecture as well. Most recently, Mac OS X has become compatible with Intel's x86 architecture.

Unix: OS

Unix (officially trademarked as UNIX®, sometimes also written as Unix or Unix® with small caps) is a computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie and Douglas McIlroy. Today's Unix systems are split into various branches, developed over time by AT&T as well as various commercial vendors and non-profit organizations.
As of 2007, the owner of the trademark UNIX® is The Open Group, an industry standards consortium. Only systems fully compliant with and certified to the Single UNIX Specification qualify as "UNIX®" (others are called "Unix system-like" or "Unix-like").
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Unix's influence in academic circles led to large-scale adoption of Unix (particularly of the BSD variant, originating from the University of California, Berkeley) by commercial startups, the most notable of which is Sun Microsystems. Today, in addition to certified Unix systems, Unix-like operating systems such as Linux and BSD are commonly encountered. Sometimes, "traditional Unix" may be used to describe a Unix or an operating system that has the characteristics of either Version 7 Unix or UNIX System V.

Other OS: Linux

Linux is an operating system that was initially created as a hobby by a young student, Linus Torvalds, at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Linus had an interest in Minix, a small UNIX system, and decided to develop a system that exceeded the Minix standards. He began his work in 1991 when he released version 0.02 and worked steadily until 1994 when version 1.0 of the Linux Kernel was released. The kernel, at the heart of all Linux systems, is developed and released under the GNU General Public License and its source code is freely available to everyone. It is this kernel that forms the base around which a Linux operating system is developed. There are now literally hundreds of companies and organizations and an equal number of individuals that have released their own versions of operating systems based on the Linux kernel. More information on the kernel can be found at our sister site, LinuxHQ and at the official Linux Kernel Archives. The current full-featured version is 2.6 (released December 2003) and development continues.
Apart from the fact that it's freely distributed, Linux's functionality, adaptability and robustness, has made it the main alternative for proprietary Unix and Microsoft operating systems. IBM, Hewlett-Packard and other giants of the computing world have embraced Linux and support its ongoing development. Well into its second decade of existence, Linux has been adopted worldwide primarily as a server platform. Its use as a home and office desktop operating system is also on the rise. The operating system can also be incorporated directly into microchips in a process called "embedding" and is increasingly being used this way in appliances and devices.
Throughout most of the 1990's, tech pundits, largely unaware of Linux's potential, dismissed it as a computer hobbyist project, unsuitable for the general public's computing needs. Through the efforts of developers of desktop management systems such as KDE and GNOME, office suite project OpenOffice.org and the Mozilla web browser project, to name only a few, there are now a wide range of applications that run on Linux and it can be used by anyone regardless of his/her knowledge of computers. Those curious to see the capabilities of Linux can download a live CD version called Knoppix . It comes with everything you might need to carry out day-to-day tasks on the computer and it needs no installation. It will run from a CD in a computer capable of booting from the CD drive. Those choosing to continue using Linux can find a variety of versions or "distributions" of Linux that are easy to install, configure and use. Information on these products is available in our distribution section and can be found by selecting the mainstream/general public category.

Windows NT

Windows NT (New Technology) is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was originally designed to be a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement consumer versions of Windows that were based on MS-DOS. NT was the first fully 32-bit version of Windows, whereas its consumer-oriented counterparts, Windows 3.1x and Windows 9x, were 16-bit/32-bit hybrids. Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 (beta), and Windows Home Server are based upon the Windows NT system, although they are not branded as Windows NT.

Windows 9x

Windows 9x is the family of Microsoft Windows operating systems that comprises the 32-bit, DOS-based Windows versions: Windows 95, Windows 98, and often also Windows Me,[1] which were produced in the 1990s and 2000. All these Windows releases have internal version numbers in the 4.x series.

Windows Xp

Windows XP is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on general-purpose computer systems, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. The letters "XP" stand for eXPerience.[2] It was codenamed "Whistler", after Whistler, British Columbia, as many Microsoft employees skied at the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort during its development. Windows XP is the successor to both Windows 2000 Professional and Windows Me, and is the first consumer-oriented operating system produced by Microsoft to be built on the Windows NT kernel and architecture. Windows XP was first released on October 25, 2001, and over 400 million copies were in use in January 2006, according to an estimate in that month by an IDC analyst.[3] It is succeeded by Windows Vista, which was released to volume license customers on November 8, 2006, and worldwide to the general public on January 30, 2007.
The most common editions of the operating system are Windows XP Home Edition, which is targeted at home users, and Windows XP Professional, which has additional features such as support for Windows Server domains and two physical processors, and is targeted at power users and business clients. Windows XP Media Center Edition has additional multimedia features enhancing the ability to record and watch TV shows, view DVD movies, and listen to music. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition is designed to run the ink-aware Tablet PC platform. Two separate 64-bit versions of Windows XP were also released, Windows XP 64-bit Edition for IA-64 (Itanium) processors and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition for x86-64.
Windows XP is known for its improved stability and efficiency over the 9x versions of Microsoft Windows. It presents a significantly redesigned graphical user interface, a change Microsoft promoted as more user-friendly than previous versions of Windows. New software management capabilities were introduced to avoid the "DLL hell" that plagued older consumer-oriented 9x versions of Windows. It is also the first version of Windows to use product activation to combat software piracy, a restriction that did not sit well with some users and privacy advocates. Windows XP has also been criticized by some users for security vulnerabilities, tight integration of applications such as Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, and for aspects of its default user interface.
Windows XP had been in development since early 1999, when Microsoft started working on Windows Neptune, an operating system intended to be the "Home Edition" equivalent to Windows 2000 Professional. It was eventually merged into the Whistler project, which later became Windows XP.

Windows 95

Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products. During development it was referred to as Windows 4.0 or by the internal codename Chicago.
Windows 95 was intended to integrate Microsoft's formerly separate MS-DOS and Windows products and includes an enhanced version of DOS, often referred to as MS-DOS 7.0. It features significant improvements over its predecessor, Windows 3.1, most visibly the graphical user interface (GUI) whose basic format and structure is still used in later versions such as Windows Vista. There were also large changes made to the underlying workings, including support for 255-character mixed-case long filenames and preemptively multitasked protected-mode 32-bit applications. Whereas its predecessors are optional "operating environments" requiring the MS-DOS operating system (usually available separately), Windows 95 is a consolidated operating system, which was a significant marketing change.

Windows 98 Second Edition

Windows 98 Second Edition (often shortened to SE) is an update to Windows 98, released on May 5, 1999. It includes fixes for many minor issues, improved USB support, and the replacement of Internet Explorer 4.0 with the significantly faster Internet Explorer 5. Also included is Internet Connection Sharing, which allow multiple computers on a LAN to share a single Internet connection through Network Address Translation. Other features in the update include Microsoft NetMeeting 3.0 and integrated support for DVD-ROM drives. However, it is not a free upgrade for Windows 98, but a stand-alone product. This can cause problems if programs specifically request Windows 98 SE, but the user only owns Windows 98. Also included on the CD-ROM is the option to install Microsoft Plus! themes for Windows 98. A list of all features new to Windows 98 Second Edition can be found here: KB234762

Widows 2000

Windows 2000 (also referred to as Win2K) is a preemptive, interruptible, graphical and business-oriented operating system designed to work with either uniprocessor or symmetric multi-processor computers. It is part of the Microsoft Windows NT line of operating systems and was released on February 17, 2000. It was succeeded by Windows XP in October 2001 and Windows Server 2003 in April 2003. Windows 2000 is classified as a hybrid kernel operating system.
Windows 2000 was made available in four editions: Professional, Server, Advanced Server, and Datacenter Server. Additionally, Microsoft offered Windows 2000 Advanced Server Limited Edition and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Limited Edition, which were released in 2001 and run on 64-bit Intel Itanium microprocessors.[4] Whilst all editions of Windows 2000 are targeted to different markets, they each share a core set of common functionality, including many system utilities such as the Microsoft Management Console and standard system administration applications. Support for people with disabilities was improved over Windows NT 4.0 with a number of new assistive technologies, and Microsoft included increased support for different languages and locale information. All versions of the operating system support the Windows NT filesystem, NTFS 3.0,[5] the Encrypting File System, as well as basic and dynamic disk storage. The Windows 2000 Server family has additional functionality, including the ability to provide Active Directory services (a hierarchical framework of resources), Distributed File System (a file system that supports sharing of files) and fault-redundant storage volumes. Windows 2000 can be installed and deployed to corporate desktops through either an attended or unattended installation. Unattended installations rely on the use of answer files to fill in installation information, and can be performed through a bootable CD using Microsoft Systems Management Server, by the System Preparation Tool. Windows 2000 is the last NT-kernel based version of Microsoft Windows that does not include Windows Product Activation.
At the time of its release, Microsoft marketed Windows 2000 as the most secure Windows version they had ever shipped,[6] however it became the target of a number of high-profile virus attacks such as Code Red and Nimda. More than seven years after its release, it continues to receive patches for security vulnerabilities on a near-monthly basis.

Windows Vista

Windows Vista (IPA: /ˈvɪs.tə/) is a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media centers. Prior to its announcement on July 22, 2005, Windows Vista was known by its codename "Longhorn".[1] Development was completed on November 8, 2006; over the following three months it was released in stages to computer hardware and software manufacturers, business customers, and retail channels. On January 30, 2007, it was released worldwide to the general public,[2] and was made available for purchase and downloading from Microsoft's web site.[3] The release of Windows Vista comes more than five years after the introduction of its predecessor, Windows XP, making it the longest time span between two releases of Microsoft Windows.
Windows Vista contains hundreds of new and reworked features; some of the most significant include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems. Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it easier to share files and digital media between computers and devices. For developers, Vista includes version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which aims to make it significantly easier for developers to write applications than with the traditional Windows API.
Microsoft's primary stated objective with Windows Vista, however, has been to improve the state of security in the Windows operating system.[4] One common criticism of Windows XP and its predecessors has been their commonly exploited security vulnerabilities and overall susceptibility to malware, viruses and buffer overflows. In light of this, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced in early 2002 a company-wide "Trustworthy Computing initiative" which aims to incorporate security work into every aspect of software development at the company. Microsoft stated that it prioritized improving the security of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 above finishing Windows Vista, thus delaying its completion.[5]
Windows Vista is the target of a number of negative assessments by various groups. Criticisms of Windows Vista include protracted development time, more restrictive licensing terms, the inclusion of a number of new Digital Rights Management technologies aimed at restricting the copying of protected digital media, lack of device drivers for some hardware, and the usability of other new features such as User Account Control.

"Latest PCI Slots"

The high-performance x16 configuration will have up to 4GB/sec bandwidth to replace AGP technology and will also have four times the bandwidth of AGP 8x!
With the advent of PCI Express video cards whole new worlds of 3D gaming and superior graphics performance will be possible. ATI and nVidia have already developed video cards using PCI express architecture and in just a short couple years will be the dominant video card interface and only choice for 3D graphics power users. The new video processors have a native, or “true” PCI Express interface. They can communicate directly with the PCI Express bus at PCI Express speeds (do not need to use a bridge).
With double the bandwidth of the AGP 8X graphics bus, NVIDIA’s PCI Express solutions deliver a new level of PC performance for graphics and networking. NVIDIA’s desktop, mobile, and workstation PCI Express solutions provide something for every type of PC user; delivering faster graphics and system performance for your PC. While the classic PCI Bus is based upon a parallel architecture, PCI Express is serial based, drastically reducing pin count. It is a point to point protocol much like AGP. Devices do not share bandwidth.
The usual PCI system is laid out in something like the following diagram:

"DDR3 Gold Series Memory"

OCZ announced the launch of its latest "ultra-high performance and high reliability memory" modules that are part of the DDR3 Gold series targeted at "mainstream system builders, gamers, and professionals upgrading to the latest Intel platforms". The latest of the Gold DDR3 memory modules features a high clock frequency of 1600MHz and

low 8-8-8 timings. This memory is a more standard abiding one than the 1800MHz modules that jumped 200MHz over the JEDEC's certified standard for DDR3 and it works with 1.8V, a little lower than the 1.9V needed by the previous model."More and more consumers are now starting to adopt DDR3 solutions with the platforms becoming more readily available," commented Alex Mei, EVP and CMO of OCZ Technology Group and he was cited in the company's press release. "To meet the needs of all levels of consumers during the proliferation of DDR3 technology OCZ is now introducing a DDR3-12800 Gold kit specifically designed for gamers looking to take advantage of the performance benefits of DDR3 technology in their cutting-edge desktops."The DDR3 PC3-12800 Gold Edition memory modules are developed to make the most of the new Intel P35 and X38 Express chipsets and they will be available in dual channel kits( 2x1024MB) and separate 1GB packaged modules. According to the press release, "OCZ has been working closely with the leading platform providers to ensure optimal performance and compatibility on all the next generation computing platforms that will be introduced later this year".Just like all OCZ products, this too comes with a lifetime warranty and has been hand tested for "quality assurance and compatibility". The gold-mirrored XTCXtreme Thermal Convection Z3 heatspreader that is specific to OCZ's Gold memory products is used on these memory line as well, in order to achieve the best heat dissipation and to ensure optimal system stability.

"Latest Motherboard"

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After Intel officially launched its high performance desktop X38 Ex chipsets for mainboards compatible with Intel made central processing units (CPU), Micro-Star International, better know as MSI, just announced the launch of a X38 equipped motherboard, the MSI X38 Diamond.As the new MSI Intel compatible mainboard is aimed at the gamer and computer enthusiast market segment, it comes with all the bells and whistles that are available to the X38 Express chipsets like the native support for DDR3 RAM modules and high frontside bus running clock speeds.

The MSI X38 Diamond motherboard is compatible with the latest generation of Intel CPUs available now on the market and with the upcoming processors that are built using the 45nm manufacture technology. It also offers native support for a frontside bus speed of 1333Mhz as well as Intel multi core architecture processing units, while providing extensive overclocking features for advanced users.Among the high level features that are integrated into this mainboard is the TroubleShoot Poster, an instant button that makes overclocking and setting up a gaming computer system a much easier and safer operation. In order to provide the most stable computing environment, the new MSI motherboard uses dual-channel pulse width modulation, PWM for short, which means the electronic circuits are designed to feed the central processing unit a very stable and finely filtered electrical current. A cool and stable operating environment is also provided by the presence of the unique MSI Circu-Pipe all copper heat pipe based cooling solution that cools off all hot spots like power circuits, northbridge and southbridge effectively and without any noise.The high quality of this mainboard is further enhanced by the use in the manufacturing process of Japanese-made solid capacitors, while, according to the news site DigiTimes, its extensive features include quad graphics slots based on PCI Express 2.0 slots, integrated high definition audio chips and so on.On the random access memory side, the new MSI mainboard comes equipped with four slots able to house dual channel memories compliant with the JEDEC DDR3 specification and running at frequencies between 800MHz and 1333Mhz.

"Latest Processor"

Although everyone knew they were coming for quite some time now, Intel, the world's biggest chip manufacturer, has finally decided to unleash its latest "horde" of 16 processors (the Core 2 Extreme QX9650 quad core desktop processor and 15 dual-core and quad-core CPUs) the first to use the Hafnium-based high-k metal gate (Hi-k) formula for the transistors contained within them, not to mention the 45-nanometer (nm) manufacturing process, which further boosts performance and lowers power consumption. Built using an entirely new transistor formula that alleviates the wasteful electricity leaks that threaten the pace of future computer innovation, these processors also eliminate eco-unfriendly lead and, in 2008, halogen materials. Furthermore, the new transistor technology will allow Intel to design products that are 25 percent smaller than previous versions and, thus, more cost-effective, as well as the ability next year to pursue new ultra mobile and consumer electronics "system on chip" opportunities. The new 45nm (a nanometer is 1 billionth of a meter) processors boast nearly twice the transistor density of previous chips built on the company’s 65nm technology – that is up to 820 million transistors for quad-core processors, each using Intel’s new formula.

The Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 quad core processor, the world’s first 45nm Hi-k desktop processor sports certain important enhancements such as a larger L2 cache and support for new Intel SSE4 media instructions that help bring desktop performance to "extreme" new levels. New to the Intel line-up of server processors are 15 server dual-core and quad-core 45nm Hi-k Intel Xeon processors. The 12 new quad-core chips boast clock speeds ranging from 2GHz up to 3.20GHz, with front side bus speeds (FSB) up to 1600MHz and cache sizes of 12MB. The three new dual-core chips feature clock speeds of up to 3.40GHz, an FSB of up to 1600MHz and cache sizes of 6MB.

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The 45nm Hi-k Intel Xeon processors are compatible with server platforms using the Intel 5000 chipset family. In addition, Intel is launching three platform solutions to support 45nm processors, including here the Intel 5400 chipset-based platform (previously codenamed "Stoakley") that is optimized for high-bandwidth applications such as high-performance computing (HPC), the Intel 5100 Memory Controller Hub chipset and Intel ICH-9R I/O controller (previously codenamed "Cranberry Lake"), which are cost-optimized solutions that support either one or two processors and also provide reduced power consumption using native DDR2 memory, as well as the Intel 3200 chipset-based platform (previously codenamed "Garlow") that is specifically designed for single-processor entry servers. Furthermore, Intel’s 45nm Hi-k Xeon processors also extend performance-per-watt characteristics by delivering an improvement of 38 percent over its previous-generation Quad-Core Xeon 5300 Series processors.The move from 65nm to 45nm involves more than just a shrink of current chip designs. The processors also include such additional features as new Intel Streaming SIMD Extensions 4 (SSE4), which are 47 new instructions that speed up workloads including video encoding for high-definition and photo manipulation, as well as key HPC and enterprise applications. Furthermore, they come packed with enhanced Intel Virtualization Technology, as the virtual machine transition (entry/exit) times are improved by an average of 25 to 75 percent through hardware with no changes to software required.Other additional features include a fast divider that roughly doubles the speed over previous generations for computations used in nearly all applications through a technique called Radix 16, a wider 128-bit shuffle unit that improves the performance for SSE-related instructions that have shuffle-like operations. This feature will increase performance for content creation, imaging, video and high-performance computing.

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"The intellects, physics and designs that went into solving one of the industry’s most daunting challenges are awe-inspiring and I congratulate the Intel teams for this breakthrough achievement," said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. "Best yet, this feat, coupled with our industry-leading architectures, means faster and sleeker computers, longer battery life and better energy efficiency. Our objective is to bring consumers a new class of computers delivering a full Internet experience in ever-smaller, more portable form factors."Pricing of the 45nm Hi-k Intel Xeon processors depends on the model, speeds, features and amount ordered and ranges from $177 to $1,279 in quantities of 1,000. The 45nm Hi-k Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 quad core processor is priced at $999 in quantities of 1,000.

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