BEYO ND 2000
Microsoft totally dominates the start of the millennium, but this decade ends elsewhere
The new centu ry would start with Windows 2000 (arguably the best release of Windows) and Windows Me (arguably the worst). Win 2000 was based on Microsoft’s NT platform, finally moving Windows away from DOS, while remaining mostly backward compatible with Windows 9x and DOS programs. 2000 had the stability of NT and the minimal aesthetic of the 9x series, without the bloat of future releases.
Later in the year, Microsoft released Windows Me (Millennium Edition)—still based on Windows 9x, which was still based on DOS. Often regarded as Microsoft’s worst operating system, it somehow managed to be buggier and less refined than previous 9x releases. Whereas Windows 2000 is remembered as an underrated gem, Windows Me brings cold shivers down the spines of IT staff who lived through that scary time.
October 2001 saw the release of Windows XP, using the same NT base as 2000, with a revamped interface, and improved multimedia capabilities. While previous versions of Windows were pretty drab, XP was colorful. XP made piracy much harder, being the first Windows to have an activation scheme. The mix of relative stability and a friendly GUI made XP one of the most popular OSes of all time. Microsoft kept having to extend support for XP, right up until 2014, when it officially cut the cord. Despite this, there are still plenty of XP users, spreading digital disease across the Internet.
PLATFORM SHAKE-UPS
In April 2003, AMD released its 64bit Opteron processor. This was the first major change to the x86 platform not made by Intel, and would be labeled either x86-64 or, embarrassingly for Intel, AMD64. Intel was forced into the position of modifying its processors for software compatibility with AMD’s new specification. Although it would take a few years for the new spec to catch on, it would eventually become the standard in use today.
In May 2005, IBM sold its PC division to Lenovo in a deal worth nearly $2 billion. As part of the deal, IBM would acquire a stake in Lenovo, and sell Lenovo goods under a marketing alliance— existing lines like the famous IBM ThinkPad laptops would be sold as Lenovo ThinkPads. Skepticism was high over the viability of such a merger but Lenovo went on to become the biggest PC vendor in the world, while IBM would focus on big-data markets and the cloud.
In June 2005, Apple announced that Macs would switch from PowerPC to x86 processors. Steve Jobs was disappointed in the progress of PowerPC CPUs, which were slower than Apple had promised consumers, too hot for laptops, and consumed too much power. Although the market was concerned, the Intel machines were faster than their PowerPC counterparts, and sales increased.
Between July and October 2006, AMD bought out graphics company ATI Technologies in a deal worth $5.6 billion. Merging ATI’s graphics tech with its existing CPU knowhow, AMD was now taking on the might of both Intel and Nvidia with
the manufacturing strength of combined technologies.
THE VISTA HITS THE FA N
In January 2007, Windows Vista was released. Even though it was based on NT, Vista had a vastly different framework from previous versions, making for an essentially new platform. Vista was designed to be more secure, showcasing new features like intelligent RAM storage, and an updated GUI with effects like window translucency, but it was savaged by the press.
Windows Vista had bad backward compatibility, long loading times, and a stream of invasive warning messages. It improved with time, but the damage was done— computer manufacturers started shipping PCs with the option of XP. Microsoft would learn from its mistakes with the next release.
Windows 7 arrived in July 2009. Based on the same platform as Vista, it refined the codebase, bringing performance improvements, better stability, and a sensible interface.
To pick some highlights from a long list of new features, Win 7 had faster boot times, better multicore performance, easier networking, new virtualization tech, and better backward compatibility. The UI changes were popular, including a new taskbar with more functionality, and the Snap function, which moved and resized windows when dragged against the screen edges.
Windows 7 would become the fastest selling OS in history, and around a third of PCs still use it. It’s well regarded among IT staff, and many users are avoiding the switch to Windows 10, despite Extended Support ending next year.
In July 2012, Google’s Chrome browser overtook Internet Explorer in usage share, and by April 2013, both Chrome and Firefox had a greater share of users than Internet Explorer, ending Microsoft’s dominance of the browser market.
In October 2012, Windows 8 was released. Despite Microsoft’s attempts to innovate, Windows 8 was critically savaged. As mobile devices were overtaking traditional desktops, Win 8 tried to have more of a “touch” interface, removing the “Start” button, and switching to a tile-based design. The result was a dreadful unintuitive compromise. Win 8 also introduced the Windows Store, a Microsoft-governed system for buying apps, in the style of Apple. This restrictive way of buying software drew criticism, especially from Valve, who started its own SteamOS in response.
Windows 8.1 addressed many of its criticisms, chiefly by bringing back the “Start” button and allowing users to boot a traditional desktop. But again, the damage was done. While Windows 7 is still in heavy use, Windows 8 is almost forgotten.
WHERE ARE WE NOW ?
We end the decade with Windows 10 (released July 2015). Reception has been mixed. On the plus side, the interface is a more functional blend of Windows 7’s traditional GUI and Windows 8’s tile system, and Windows finally has virtual desktops (something featured in other OSes for decades). On the down side, forced system updates continue to infuriate users, there is a worrying amount of data collection, and the Microsoft Store undermines the open nature of the PC platform.
Microsoft still dominates the PC desktop, but is no longer a monopoly, with Apple having spent most of the decade wealthier than Microsoft. Niche OSes are growing in popularity. Linux is creeping into everything from DVD players to the world’s supercomputers. Microsoft has gone from calling Linux “a cancer” to proclaiming “Microsoft loves Linux,” shipping Windows with a Linux kernel, and running its own Azure Sphere Linux distribution for IoT devices.
To focus on the PC, it isn’t the dominant format it once was. IBM has long since left the market it created, and wisely so. Computing is more varied and takes many forms, from iPads to smartphones, from Chromebooks to weird Android devices no one can categorize. Computing has returned to a diversity like the ’80s, but the PC no longer has the same supremacy— nor do the giants that established it, such as IBM, Intel, and Microsoft.