Windows 8: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{Windows 8}}

'''Windows 8''' is a [[personal computer]] [[operating system]] developed by [[Microsoft]] as part of the [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] and [[Windows NT]] familiesfamily of operating systems. Development of Windows 8 started before the release of its predecessor, [[Windows 7]], in 2009. It was announced at [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]] 2011, and followed by the release of three [[Software release life cycle|pre-release]] versions from September 2011 to May 2012. The operating system was [[release to manufacturing|released to manufacturing]] on August 1, 2012, and was released for [[general availability release|general availability]] on October 26, 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8s-delivery-date-october-26-7000001158/|title=Windows 8's delivery date: October 26 |work=[[ZDNet]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|date=July 18, 2012|accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref>

Windows 8 introduced major changes to the operating system's platform and [[graphical user interface|user interface]] to improve its user experience on devices such as [[tablet computer|tablets]], where Windows was now competing with [[mobile operating system]]s such as [[Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[iOS]].<ref name=asd-win8ad/> In particular, these changes included a touch-optimized [[Windows shell]] based on Microsoft's [[Metro (design language)|"Metro"]] [[design language]], the [[Start screen]] (which displays programs and dynamically updated content on a grid of tiles), a new platform for developing [[Mobile app|apps]] with an emphasis on [[touchscreen]] input, integration with online services (including the ability to sync apps and settings between devices), and [[Windows Store]], an online store for downloading and purchasing new software. Windows 8 added support for new and emerging technologies such as [[USB 3.0]], [[Advanced Format]] hard drives, [[near field communication]]s, and [[cloud computing]]. Additional security features were introduced, such as built-in [[antivirus software]], integration with [[Microsoft SmartScreen]] [[Anti-phishing software|phishing filtering]] service and support for [[UEFI Secure Boot]] on supported devices with [[Unified Extensible Firmware Interface|UEFI firmware]], to prevent [[malware]] from infecting the boot process.