Windows 95
Windows 95 upgrades its earlier versions (Windows 3.x) in
many ways. It has a new 3-D interface. It is mostly a 32-
bit system although it has 16-bit components included for
compatibility with Windows 3.x. Windows 95 does not need to
have a separate DOS. It integrates all DOS services. A
Windows 95 system runs in protected mode. This means that
it speeds up the processors and provides more safety.
Windows 95 serves two purposes: It will move developers to
the Win32 API and will ease the transition for users
whose hardware is not yet ready to handle the demands of
Windows NT.
Windows 95 offers better preemptive multitasking.
Although for most things, cooperative multitasking is
good. However, if users want to do several things
simultaneously, they are going to find that preemptive
multitasking provides smoother operation and better
speed.
Because Windows 95 is based on Win32 and has borrowed some
of NT's features, some people are confused over which
Windows to use. Windows 95 is for anyone who has a lower
capability computer that does not enable to use Windows NT.
Windows 95 is likely to perform better than NT as a desktop
system, especially when running older 16-bit Windows
applications.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Difference of 95 with Windows NT
- Advantages: This operating system provides compatibility with existing Windows and DOS programs. It also offers compatibility with existing Windows and DOS device drivers. It works as in standalone computer and in networked environment for both desktop and mobile users. It supports Windows for Workgroups, Novell and UNIX-style networks.
It is easier to learn and use, gives users better performance, has more capacity, integrates applications better, connects better, and crashes less than its predecessor, Windows 3.x.
- Disadvantages: Windows 95 still has limits from 16-bit components retained for backward compatibility with 16-bit application. It does not give much benefit to the 16-bit applications. To get benefits from Windows 95, users must upgrade their applications to 32-bit versions that support OLE and can interact directly with Windows 95's shell. It will cost users significantly.
Windows 95 has a different user interface with Windows NT. The interface of NT is much better. Windows 95 uses a different model for device drivers than NT. Thus, not all Windows 95 applications run on NT without modification, and vice versa. Windows 95 is a mix of 16- and 32-bit application programming interface, but NT is solely a 32-bit interface.
- Win32 API
- It is a 32-bit Windows Application Programming Interface. This enables applications to be more responsive, has larger document capacities, and handles CPU- intensive tasks more quickly than Win16 API. When a program marked with Windows 95 ready on the software package, it is designed using Win32 API.
- Preemptive/Cooperative Multitasking
- Preemptive multitasking means that one Windows application can get control of CPU without the knowledge of another Windows application. In contrast, Cooperative multitasking means that an application can assume it has full control until it yields to other applications. Many operating systems such as Windows NT, Windows 95, or OS/2 have preemptive multitasking function.
