Windows Home Server 2011
Main article: Windows Home Server 2011
Windows Home Server 2011 code named 'Vail'[22] was released on 6 April 2011.[23] Windows Home Server 2011 is built on the Windows Server 2008 R2 code base[24] It follows the release of Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 which added support for Windows 7 to Windows Home Server. Windows Home Server 2011 is considered a "major release".[22] (its predecessor having been built on Windows Server 2003) and only supports x86-64 hardware.
Windows Thin PC
Main article: Windows Thin PC
In 2011, Microsoft introduced Windows Thin PC or WinTPC, which is a feature- and size-reduced locked-down version of Windows 7 expressly designed to turn older PCs into thin clients. WinTPC is available for software assurance customers and relies on cloud computing in a business network. Wireless operation is supported since WinTPC has full wireless stack integration, but wireless operation may not be as good as the operation on a wired connection.[25][26]
Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
Bootable Windows To Go USB flash drive, upcoming Windows 8 feature
Screenshot of the new Windows 8 Start Screen
Main articles: Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
Windows 8 is the new version of Microsoft Windows. Windows RT, a special version of Windows 8, runs on system-on-a-chip devices with mobile ARM processors. Windows 8 features a redesigned user interface, designed to make it easier for touchscreen users to use Windows. The interface includes a full-screen Start screen to replace the Start menu, and a new full-screen application platform. The desktop interface is also present for running windowed applications, although Windows RT will not run any desktop applications not included in the system. On the Building Windows 8 blog, it was announced that a computer running Windows 8 can boot up much faster than Windows 7.[27] New features also include USB 3.0 support, the Windows Store, the ability to run from USB drives with Windows To Go, and others.
Windows 8 will ship with three editions and one edition called Windows RT will only be pre-installed on ARM tablets.
Windows 8
Windows 8 Pro
Windows RT (Only installed on ARM tablets)
Windows 8 Enterprise
The first public preview of Windows Server 2012 was also shown by Microsoft at the 2011 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference.[28]
Windows 8 Release Preview and Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate were both released on May 31, 2012.[29] Product development on Windows 8 was completed on August 1, 2012, and it was released to manufacturing the same day.[30] Windows Server 2012 went on sale to the public on September 4, 2012. Windows 8 went on sale October 26, 2012.
|
