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• Intro
• Applications
• Server Support
• Operating Systems
• Developer Technologies
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Intro

Here is my simple model of MS products and services.

• Products:
  • Applications: aka Office and Internet Explorer.
  • Server Support: aka BackOffice.
  • Operating System: aka DOS and Windows.
  • Development Technologies:
    • Development Tools: aka Visual Studio.
    • Data Access Tools: aka MDAC (Microsoft Data Access Components).
    • Component Technologies: aka COM (Component Object Model).
  • Hardware: Xbox.
• Services
  • Internet Portal: MSN (MS Network). This is free to anyone with Internet connectivity. Includes lots of free services such as e-mail, calendaring, shopping, financial, auctioning, media, researching, etc.
  • Internet Connectivity: MSN.
  • Career Certification: MS Certification.
  • Misc.
    • Gaming Zone (zone.com)
    • Passport authentication.
    • All sorts of business services

There are so many gray areas in my model. EG:

• Does MS really make ODBC?
• Is Internet Explorer an application or part of the OS?
• Aren't some of the thing's in BackOffice used basically just for development?

However, for my purposes, my model of the MS product line is sufficient (after all, Microsoft isn't paying me!).

Applications

• Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE).
  • 1.0. Code named "O'Hare". Offered for free to compete with Netscape Navigator. Released 1995-12-07.
  • 2.0.
  • 3.0. Released 1996.
  • 4.0. Released 1997/09.
  • 5.0.
  • 6.0
  • 7.0. Code named "Rincon".
• Office Suites
  • 3.0. With Excel 4.0a, Word 2.0c, PowerPoint 3.0, Mail. Released 1992.
  • 4.0. With Excel 4.0, Word 6.0, PowerPoint 3.0. Released 1993.
  • Office for NT 4.2. With Excel 5.0 [32-bit, i386 and Alpha], Word 6.0 [32-bit, i386 and Alpha], PowerPoint 4.0 [16-bit], "Microsoft Office Manager". Released 1994
  • 4.3. The last 16-bit version. With Excel 5.0, Word 6.0, PowerPoint 4.0, and in the pro version: Access 2.0. Released 1994.
  • 95. With Excel 95, etc.
  • 97 aka version 8.0.
  • 2000 aka version 9.0. Released 1999-06-07.
    • Standard:
      • Excel. A spreadsheet.
      • Word. A word processor.
      • Outlook. An e-mail handler as well as calendar, and workgroup software.
      • PowerPoint. A presentation production app.
    • Small Business:
      • Excel, Word, & Outlook
      • Publisher. A scaled down desktop publishing app.
      • Small Business Tools
    • Professional
      • Small Business Suite
      • Access. A portable DBMS based upon JET.
      • PowerPoint.
    • Premium
      • Professional Suite
      • FrontPage. A web page development app.
      • PhotoDraw. A scaled image editing app.
    • Developer
      • Premium Suite
      • Sample Code & Documentation
  • 2002 aka version 10.0 and Office XP.
  • 2003 aka version 11.0.
• Online Services
  • MSN Apps.
    • Messenger
    • Explorer.
• Other
  • Visio. A diagramming aid with lots of pre-drawn objects.
  • Project. A project manager app.
  • Map Point. A map app.
  • Age of Empires. A real-time strategy game.
  • Virtual PC. Software that 'allows you to run multiple PC-based operating systems simultaneously on one workstation'. Virtual PC was originally created by Connectix in 1997-06 to emulate the Window OS on Mac. I used Virtual PC years ago on my Mac and it was too darn slow. MS acquired Virtual PC in 2003-02. One possible cheesy reason for the buy out was so that Virtual PC would not emulate Linux OS too.
    • Virtual PC 2004. Runs on Win XP Pro or Win 2000 Pro. "Guest OSes" include: MS-DOS 6.22, Win 95, Win 98, Win Me; Win 2000, Win NT 4.0, Win XP, and OS/2.
    • Virtual PC for Mac v7. Runs on Mac.
  • Windows Media Player. A digital media player and manager.
    • 4.x. Released 1992.
    • 5.1. Released 1995.
    • 6.1. Released 1998-06-25.
    • 6.4. Released 1999-11-22.
    • 7. Released 2000-07-17. Versions for Mac OS, Solaris, etc. also released.
    • 8. Released 2001-10-25.
    • 9. Released 2003-01-27.
    • 10. Released 2004-10.
    • 11. Released 2006-10-30.
  • Any app they make or overtake!

Server Support

• BackOffice
  • 1.0. Bundles apps for Windows NT Server 3.5. Released 1994-09-21.
  • 2.0. Released 1996-04-30.
  • 4.0. Released 1997-12-09.
• MMC (Microsoft Management Console). Provides a consistent interface for administering most BackOffice products via a snap-in for each product. Can also be controlled via Web interface and WSH (Web Scripting Host).
• SQL Server. A heavy duty DBMS. See also MSDE and SSE below under Developer Technologies.
  • 1987 Sybase SQL Server was created for Unix systems.
  • 1988 SQL Server for OS/2 made by Sybase, Microsoft, and Ashton-Tate.
  • SQL Server 4.2. Released 1993-09-14.
  • SQL Server 6. Code named "SQL95". 1995.
  • SQL Server 6.5. Code named "Hydra". Released 1996-04-16.
  • SQL Server 7. Code named "Sphinx". Released 1998-11-16.
  • SQL Server 7 OLAP. Code named "Plato". 1999.
  • SQL Server 8/2000 32 bit version. Code named "Shiloh". Released 2000-08-07.
  • SQL Server 2000, 64 bit version. Code named "Liberty". Now competitive with Unix/Linux and Oracle. Released 2003-04-24.
  • SQL Server 9/2005. Code named "Yukon". Released 2005-11-07.
• IIS (Internet Information Server/Services). Supports esp. web pages, web apps, and FTP services.
  • IIS 1.0, Windows NT 3.51 Service Pack 3. Released 1996-02-01
  • IIS 2.0, Windows NT 4.0
  • IIS 3.0, Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3. With ASP 1.0. Released 1996-12.
  • IIS 4.0, Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack. With ASP 2.0. Released 1997-09.
  • IIS 5.0, Windows 2000. With ASP 3.0. Released 2000-11.
  • IIS 5.1, Windows XP Professional
  • IIS 6.0, Windows Server 2003
  • IIS 7.0, Windows Server "Longhorn"
• Exchange Server. For knowledge exchange via email, custom newsgroups, document sharing, etc.
• MTS (Microsoft Transaction Server). Provides asynchronous, out-of-process transaction services.
• MSMQ (Message Queue Server). Provides asynchronous, out-of-process communications.
• Microsoft Exchange Server. Supports all sorts of e-mail, newsgroup, and groupware.
• Microsoft Proxy Server
• SMS (Systems Management Server). For Network Administrators to track and administer SW and HW in their network and systems.
• SNA Server (System Networking Architecture). See HIS.
• HIS (Host Integration Server). Supplants the SNA Server. "Provide object-oriented and programmatic access to relational DB2 data and flat file data on mainframes, AS/400, UNIX, Windows 2000, and Windows NT Server systems. Enable client/server-based applications to access this data transparently as if data were local to the server. "
• Various "site" servers
  • Microsoft Site Server. Web site analysis and management, including site replication.
  • Index Server. Services for content search engines.
  • Certificate Server. Services for Internet security.
  • SharePoint Portal Server. For Intranet portals utilizing MS Windows and MS Office.
  • BizTalk Server. For Extranet portals and processes.
  • Commerce Server. For e-commerce sites.

Operating Systems

• DOS. Based on QDOS by Tim Paterson.
  • 1.0. By IBM. Released 1981-08.
  • 1.25. Released 1982-08.
  • 2.0. Supports HDs (Hard Disks) up to 16MB. Released 1983-03.
  • 2.1. Supports HDs up to 32MB.
  • 3.0. For the IBM PC AT. Released 1984.
  • 3.1. For networks. Released 1984.
  • 3.3. Support for HD partitions (restricted to 32MB each). Released 1987-04.
  • 4.0. Support for partitions up to 512MB. Released 1988-07.
  • 5.0. Support for partitions up to 2GB. Released 1991-06.
  • 6.0 v5.0. With DoubleSpace disk compression, compatibility problems. Released 1993-08.
  • 6.2 v5.0. Bugs fixed, v6.1 skipped due to IBM DOS 6.1. Released 1993-11.
  • 6.21. DoubleSpace removed due to patent lawsuit with Stacker Corp. Released 1994-03.
  • 6.22. With DriveSpace disk compression, some minor bug fixes. Released 1994-04.
  • 7.x. Included in Windows95
  • For kicks:
    • IBM DOS (PC-DOS)
      • 1.0 same as MS-DOS 1.0
      • 6.1 same as MS-DOS 6.0 without disk compression but major bug fixes
      • 6.3 v6.1 with PCMCIA and Power Management support
      • 7.0
    • DR-DOS (Digital Research DOS)
• Win 1.x, aka MS-DOS Executive. A shell program or front end to DOS. Released 1985-11.
  
• Win 2.x. Released 1987.
• Win/386.
• Win 3.0, 3.1, 3.11, 3.11 NT, 3.x. The first Win32, non-OS/2 version of Windows. Released 1990.
• Win 95.  Code named "Chicago"
  • W95. 4.00.950. Released 1995-07-11.
  • W95 OSR1 (OEM Service Release). 4.00.950A. Released 1995-12-01.
  • W95 OSR2. 4.00.950B (4.00.1111). Released 1996-08-24. FAT32.
  • W95 OSR2.1. 4.00.950B (4.00.1212). Released 1996-08-27.
  • W95 OSR2.5. 4.00.950C (4.00.1214). Released 1996-11-18.
• Win 98. Code named "Memphis".
  • W98. 4.10.1998. Released 1998-11-05.
  • W98 SP1. 4.10.2000. Released 1999-05-26.
  • W93 SE. 4.10.2222A. Released 1999-04-23.
• Win NT. Code named "Daytona". More robust and stable than W95 but doesn't support Plug and Play and uses different HW drivers.
  • NT team formed at Microsoft. Team included David Cutler and Mike Lucovsky.
  • NT team at MS had a basic kernel mode system running on an Intel i860 simulator code named "N-Ten", the origin of "NT".However some give alternatives:
    • RSX begat VMS (digital) which begat ELN which begat NT, all of which were major designs of David Cutler.
    • Increment each letter in the VMS to get WNT.
    • Increment each letter in OS (as in IBM's competingn OS/2) to get NT.
  • NT Beta 1 released 1992-10-12.
  • NT Beta 2 released 1993-03-08.
  • NT Advanced Server 3.1 RTMs. Released 1993-07-26. Sold as app server to work in conjunction with Novel NetWare and Banyan VINES, who were leaders then. Suspiciously similar to OS/2 1.3.
  • NT Server 3.5. Released 1994-09-21. Integrates with NetWare and Unix.
  • NT Server 3.51. Released 1995-09.
  • NT Server and Workstation 4.0. Build 1381. Code named "Cairo". Server integrated IIS. Workstation has look and feel of W95. Released 1996-07-31.
  • NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition. Now has MTS, MSMQ, clustering, load-balancing, and more SMP support.
  • NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition. Multiuser version based on technology acquired from Citrix. Released 1998-10.
• Win CE. OS for hand held devices.
  • CE 2.0.
  • CE 2.10.
  • CE 2.11.
  • CE 2.12.
  • CE 3.0.
  • CE.NET.
  • CE.NET 4.1. Code named "Jameson".
  • CE.NET 4.2. Code named "McKendric".
  • CE.NET 5.0. Code named "MacAllan".
  • Mira. CE.NET for smart displays.
• Win Mobile 2003. OS for pocket PCs.
• Win 2000. Version 5.0. Code named "Neptune". Includes new Active Directory Service. Released 2000-02-17.
  • ME (Millennium Edition). 4.90.3000. Code named "Neptune". Released 2000-06-08.
  • Professional (continuation of NT Workstation). Code named "Odyssey".
  • Server
  • Advanced Server
  • Server Appliance Kit
• Win XP. Version 5.1. Code named "Whistler". Runs on NT kernel. Available in 32 and 64 bit versions. Released 2001-10-25. Origin theories: (1) eXPerience.  (2) X (Chi) P (Rho), which is phonetically "Cairo".
  • Home
  • Professional
  • Media Center
  • Tablet PC Edition. It's Win XP plus features specific for tablet PCs. Released 2002-11-07.
  • Embedded
• Win 2003. Code named "Blackcomb". Released 2003-04-24.
  • Web. 32 bit. Supports servers with up to 2 way SMP (Symmetric MultiProcessing), 2 GB RAM.
  • Small Business. Will be released ca. 2003/10.
  • Standard. 32 bit. For small businesses and departments. Supports servers with up to 4 way SMP, 8 GB RAM.
  • Enterprise. 32/64 bit. Supports servers with up to 8/64 way SMP, 8 processors, 32/512 GB RAM.
  • Datacenter. 32/64 bit. Supports servers with up to 32/64 way SMP, 64 processors, 512 GB RAM.
• Win Vista. Code named "Longhorn". Available in 32 and 64 bit versions. Developer beta released 2005-07-21; Released to manufacturers (RTM) 2006-11-08; Released to MSDN 2006-11-17; Released to consumers 2007-01-30.
  • An database based extension to NTFS called WinFS, i.e. Windows Future Storage. WinFS is built on top of NTFS but will also be tied to the Yukon SQL Server and make use of XML, esp. its data labeling capability. The plan is to put everything (file system too) in SQL Server to make all files (.htm, .doc., .xls, .mpg, email, etc.) searchable almost regardless of what app created them.
  • A new GUI code named "Aero".
  • Migration from Direct X based graphics to one code named "Avalon", which is based on .NET and XML.
  • A resurrection of the OFS (Object File System).
  • New graphics and animation tool set. Code named "Sparkle". Supposed to provide capabilities similar to Macromedia's Flash MX and Director MX.
  • A Linux/Unix-like CLI (command line interface) code named "Monad".
  • Versions:
    • Windows Vista Starter. Available only for emerging markets.
    • Windows Vista Home Basic. Like Windows XP Home. No Aero. Up to 8 GB memory. $200.
    • Windows Vista Home Premium. Like Windows XP Media Center. Windows Vista Home Basic plus more media capabilities. Up to 16 GB memory. $240.
    • Windows Vista Business. Like Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Tablet PC. Has IIS, file system encryption, dual processor support, etc.. Up to 128 GB memory. $300.
    • Windows Vista Enterprise. Up to 128 GB memory.
    • Windows Vista Ultimate. Like Window Vista Home Premium plus Windows Vista Enterprise. Up to 128 GB memory. $400.

Developer Technologies

• Development Tools
  • Visual Studio 6.0
    • Visual C++
    • Visual FoxPro
    • Visual J++
    • Visual Basic
    • Visual InterDev, for web projects
    • Visual SourceSafe, for controlling team projects
  • .NET initiative launched 2000-06-22.
  • Visual Studio .NET. Released 2002-02-13.
    • Visual C#
    • Visual C++ .NET
    • Visual Basic .NET
    • Support for other languages to port into its Common Language.
    • .NET Framework 1.0
  • Visual Studio .NET 2003. Code named "Everett", timed with the release of Windows 2003 ("Blackcomb"). Released 2003-04-24.
    • Visual C#.
    • Visual C++ .NET. Visaul C++ will go from 90% ISO compliant to 98%.
    • Visual Basic .NET
    • Visual J#
    • JScript .NET
    • SML .NET
    • J#. In the works.
    • Support for lots of other languages to port into its Common Language.
    • .NET Framework 1.1
    • .NET Compact Framework
  • Visual Studio .NET 2005. Code named "Whidbey", timed with the release of SQL Server 2005 ("Yukon"). Beta released 2004-06-29. Released 2005-11-07.
    • 2006-04-12: Here are the options (see also options with MSDN Subscriptions below):
      • Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition $299
      • Visual Source Safe 2005 $549
      • Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition $799
      • Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office $799
      • Visual Studio 2005 Team Foundation Server $2799
      • Visual Studio 2005 Team Test Load Agent $5089
  • Visual Studio .NET. Code named "Orcas", timed with the release of Windows "Longhorn". Will be released ca. 2004-10/2005/02 --> 2006.
• Data Access Tools
  • MDAC (Microsoft Data Access Components)
    • data access object APIs (in historical order)
      • DAO (Data Access Objects) for JET (Joint Engine Technology)
      • RDO (Remote Data Objects) for ODBC
      • ADO (ActiveX Data Objects) for OLE DB
    • OLE DB (Object Linking and Embedding DataBase)
    • ODBC (Object Linking and Embedding DataBase)
  • VS comes with stripped down versions of SQL Server
    • MSDE (Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine). Based upon SQL Server 2000. 2 GB size limit.
    • SSE (SQL Server Express). Based upon SQL Server 2005. A SSE database consists of a .mdf and a _log.ldf log file, both of which can be moved around just like regular files. 4 GB size limit.
• Component Technologies (in historical order)
  • OLE DB (Object Linking and Embedding)
  • COM (Component Object Model) aka OLE 2
  • ActiveX
  • DCOM (Distributed COM). Especially for COM across networks or the Internet.
  • COM+. Especially for COM with transactions.
  • .NET. Non-COM based distributed components based upon MIL (MS Intermediate Language) and Web Services. "Indigo" is the framework for Web Services in "Longhorn".
• MSDN Subscriptions
  • 2006-04-12: Here are the options:
    • MSDN Library $199
    • MSDN Operating Systems $699
    • Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition with MSDN Professional $1199
    • Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition with MSDN Premium $2499
    • Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Testers with MSDN Premium $5469
    • Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Developers with MSDN $5469
    • Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Architects with MSDN Premium $5469
    • Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite with MSDN Premium $10939

Hardware

• Video Gaming Systems
  • Xbox. Released 2001-11-15.
  • Xbox 360. Released 2005-11-22.
• Zune. Portable media player.
  • 30 GB player with video and FM radio. Supports .mp3, .wma, AAC (.mp4, .m4a, .m4b, .mov), .jpg, .wmv, MPEG-4 (.mp4, .m4v, .mov) and H.264 (.mp4, .m4v, .mov). Released 2006-11-14.
• Various mice and keyboards.

Page Modified: (Hand noted: 2007-09-13 16:30:39Z) (Auto noted: 2007-11-17 06:39:27Z)