Error Codes:
  • Windows 286 & 386: problems with the programmers typing blindly in the dark under torture

  • Windows 3.1, 3.11, and Windows for Workgroups not completed yet

  • Windows 95, 98, NT:

    • General Protection Fault
  • Page Fault - some program has overwritten the operational functions of another program in RAM memory - funny how oftern this happens!
    		•  A Brief History:

    Bill Gates got the idea from competitors (Apple???) and tried to develop a graphical user environment using the same legal tactics as he did with DOS. MS Windows was a program that ran under DOS and allowed multiple programs to run at the same time enabling users to have two things at once. Windows was a standard installed GUI (graphical user interface) on most systems except for IBM with their OS/2 and a couple of others.

    Microsoft ironed out most of the bugs in Windows with release 3.1 and by that time even IBM realized that offering their customers MS Windows was a good idea for business.

    Microsoft developed alternate versions of Windows to support networking in an attempt to cut out DOS altogether - Windows NT is the mainline program arising from that idea.

    MS Windows 95 came out to allow long file names, plug-and-play, and many other "snappy" features that Macintosh has had all along, but Windows 95 brought more bugs in the first release than all of Apple's problems over their entire history.

    MS Windows 95 had 3 updated versions, none of which were available to the public without purchasing a new computer (another black spot on Microsoft's support strategy) and most of the support lines for Microsoft products are now requiring credit cards to bill per the minute when you talk to someone.

    MS Windows 98 is a big bug fix for the problems in MS Windows 95 - the week before the release Microsoft refused to admit there were any problems with Windows 95. The week after the release the word from Microsoft was that Windows 98 fixes over two thousand several hundred bugs in Windows 95. MS Windows 2000 is just around the corner .... forewarned is forarmed!
    Pros:

    The software available to the public is overwhelming

    Companies marketing to people with MS Windows is innumerable

    Computers come with Windows pre-installed due to monopolistic strategies by Microsoft, not so much set-up is required

    The majority of systems in the market place run MS Windows so using one makes going to another system easy

    Long file names and plug-and-play support with the later releases of Windows networking is native to Windows 3.11 and above

    Cons:

    The support staff at Microsoft is over 50% lawyers who defer the problem to something that is not their fault - call the manufacturer of that equipment or call the dealer who sold you the computer

    Problems can be reliably depended upon because there is no fix, there will be no fix, and if there is a fix, it will cost too much to make it worth while to fix

    Knowing the top support people at the companies who manufactured your computer (sound card maker, video card maker, etc.) is essential to having a well-oiled machine

    MS Windows now comes with at least 5 internet service provider software packages (Prodigy, Compuserve, AOL, AT&T, and MS Network) in the form of blatant advertising, and support from them is not rated top of the line
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