had over the IBM PC world. While the hardware advances were certainly impressive, with the current crop of PCs capable of running at a screaming 450 MHz, the real story of the 90s was Microsoft Windows.While the first version of the Microsoft Windows operating environment was released back in 1985, the first truly useable version entered the scene in May of 1990. Released as version 3.0, this was the first successful attempt on the part of the Microsoft/Intel side of the computer world to really challenge the Macintosh head-on. Version 3.0 was a tremendous step-up from previous iterations and leaps and bounds beyond the c:* of DOS. Nonetheless, it still couldnt compare to the tightly integrated graphical environment offered by the Macs. But Microsoft kept on trying. A couple of years later, in 1992, they submitted Windows version 3.1 which was a big improvement over version 3.0. Then in August of 1995, Microsoft finally rolled-out their long-anticipated new release, Windows 95. This was by far the most mature and effective version to date. And it actually gave the Mac folks a run for their money. The latest version of the operating system is called Windows 98. Released in June of 1998, this version added some polish to Windows 95, and integrated the operating system very tightly with the Internet.Microsoft also developed a more business oriented line of operating systems (OS) in parallel with those listed above. Known as Windows NT (for New Technology), this OS is primarily designed for computers linked together in a network environment. The most current version of NT, as of this writing, is the soon to be released Microsoft Windows NT 5.0.Apple Computer was founded as a garage start-up by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. The company launched the personal computer revolution in 1978 with the first all-purpose PC, the Apple II. Then came the Macintosh computer in 1984, that was so easy to use, made desk-top-publishing a reality, an...
