1.2.2 WINDOWS Operating System

Windows is a graphical operating system created by the all mighty Microsoft way back in 1985. While Macintosh systems were incredible expensive, computers that came with Windows were much cheaper and more important in the way that they brought computers into every home. Windows made the general public realize that each and every household could have a computer and it wasn't just a machine that was used by big corporates. So Windows brought computers to the common man.

Advantages of using Windows:

1. Ease of use. Users familiar with earlier versions of Windows will probably also find the more modern ones easy to work with. This is ascribable to everything from the standardized look and feel of almost all programs written for Windows to the way the file system has been presented ever since the days of MS-DOS. This is one of the main reasons why Windows users are often reluctant to switch operating systems. 
2. Available software. There is a huge selection of software available for Windows. This is both due to and the reason for Microsoft's dominance of the world market for PC computer operating systems and office software. If you're looking for an application to suit your business needs, chances are that if it exists there will be a Windows version of it available somewhere.
3. Backwards compatibility. If you're currently using an older version of Windows and need something more up to date, but you don't want to loose the use of some older programs that are only available for Windows and are critical to your business needs, the chances are good (although not a certainty) that those programs will also work with a newer version of Windows.
4. Support for new hardware. Virtually all hardware manufacturers will offer support for a recent version of Windows when they go to market with a new product. Again, Microsoft's dominance of the software market makes Windows impossible for hardware manufacturers to ignore. So, if you run off to a store today any buy some random new piece of computer hardware, you'll find that it will probably work with the latest version of Windows. 
5. Plug & Play. As an operating system for the average home user, Windows still has an edge over the competition in the area of Plug & Play support for PC hardware. As long as the right drivers are installed, Windows will usually do a good job at recognizing new hardware. Other operating systems also offer Plug & Play functionality, but to a lesser degree and more frequently require manual intervention. 
6. Games. If you crave the latest in PC gaming technology, then you need Windows. A plethora of gaming titles are available for Windows, as well as lots of special gaming hardware that's supported. Some of the most popular games are also available for Linux, and even more for the Mac, but there's really no comparison. It must be said, though, that not all of the old games that were written for Windows 95 and 98 will also work with XP. 
7. Compatibility with MS driven websites. After Windows had become the world's most popular desktop operating system, Internet Explorer (IE) became the world's most popular web browser soon after Microsoft began bundling it with Windows 95.

Disadvantages of using Windows:

1. High resource requirements
2. Closed source
3. Poor security
4. Virus susceptibility
5. Outrageous license agreements
6. Poor technical support
7. Hostile treatment of legitimate users
8. Extortionist prices
9. Additional expenses
10. Poor stability
11. Vendor lock-in
12. Backwards incompatible file formats
13. Poor support for older hardware
14. Poor remote access
15. High total cost of ownership