Windows 7

Windows 7, released on October 22, 2009, was a major update from Microsoft, designed as an incremental improvement over Windows Vista. Its goal was to address the issues Vista faced while ensuring compatibility with existing hardware and software.

Key features of Windows 7 included enhanced touch and handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, better performance on multi-core processors, and a redesigned taskbar that allowed users to pin apps for quick access. The OS also introduced new window management tools, libraries, and the HomeGroup file-sharing system.

Windows 7 received praise for its improved user interface and overall system performance compared to Vista. However, it did face some challenges, including a penalty from the European Union’s antitrust regulators due to a failure to display a browser choice screen with the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 update.

Despite these issues, Windows 7 became known as a stable and reliable operating system, fixing many of the problems that plagued its predecessor. It was widely adopted across both consumer and business sectors and remained in use until its extended support ended on January 14, 2020.