Day 2: The History of Windows, Microsoft, Bill Gates & Your First Windows Applications

SEO Title: Windows & Microsoft History Day 2 | Bill Gates, MS-DOS & Windows Basics Explained Meta Description: Day 2 guide covering the history of Microsoft, Bill Gates, why Windows became inevitable, key milestones, plus Windows Desktop, MS Paint, Notepad & Wordpad basics. Suggested Category: Computer Basics / IT Training Suggested Tags: Windows history, Microsoft history, Bill Gates, MS-DOS, Windows basics, MS Paint, Notepad, Wordpad, CSC course, IT basics for beginners

Introduction

On Day 1, we covered how computers evolved and how they process information. Today, we go one level up — to the Operating System that most of you use every single day: Windows. We’ll trace where it came from, why Microsoft became the giant it is today, and then get hands-on with the Windows Desktop and its core applications: MS Paint, Notepad, and Wordpad.

1. What is an Operating System (OS)?

An Operating System is software that acts as a bridge between the computer’s hardware and the user. It manages hardware resources, runs applications, and provides the interface you interact with.

Common examples of operating systems:

Windows
macOS
Linux
Android

2. History of Microsoft

Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.

Their first product was Altair BASIC, a programming language interpreter for one of the earliest personal computers, the Altair 8800.
The real turning point came in 1980, when Microsoft struck a deal with IBM to supply the operating system for IBM’s upcoming personal computer — this became MS-DOS.

3. Bill Gates — Brief Profile

Co-founder of Microsoft alongside Paul Allen
His vision was famously summarized as: “a computer on every desk and in every home.”
In later years, Gates shifted his focus to philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, working on global health, education, and poverty reduction.

4. Why Microsoft/Windows Became Inevitable

Several strategic factors made Windows the dominant operating system worldwide:

IBM PC + MS-DOS bundling gave Microsoft instant, mass-scale distribution across the personal computer market.
Backward compatibility meant businesses that invested in Windows-based systems and software stayed locked into upgrading within the same ecosystem rather than switching.
Aggressive OEM licensing — nearly every PC manufacturer pre-installed Windows, making it the default choice for consumers.
The Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) became the corporate standard, creating a powerful network effect — once everyone used it, everyone had to use it.

5. The “Unfair Advantage” — How One Deal Changed Everything

One of the most talked-about moments in tech history is IBM’s decision not to demand exclusivity over MS-DOS.

This non-exclusive licensing deal let Microsoft license DOS to other PC manufacturers too — not just IBM.
It is widely regarded as Microsoft’s single biggest structural advantage, allowing the company to grow independently of any one hardware partner.
Combined with being an early mover in enterprise software and building a strong developer ecosystem around its APIs and the .exe standard, Microsoft created deep ecosystem lock-in that competitors struggled to break.

6. Notable Milestones & Years in Windows History

Year	Milestone
1981	MS-DOS launched alongside the IBM PC
1985	Windows 1.0 released
1990	Windows 3.0 — Microsoft’s first huge commercial success
1995	Windows 95 launched, bundled with Internet Explorer (later led to an antitrust case)
2001	Windows XP released — one of the most widely used OS versions for years
Present	Windows 11, with deep cloud integration (OneDrive, Copilot)

7. Windows Desktop Basics

The first screen of Windows is called the Desktop.
Small pictures on the Desktop are called Icons.
The long bar at the bottom of the screen is the Taskbar.
The Start Menu gives access to programs and settings.

Permanent Icons

My Computer (Shortcut: Windows + E) Gives access to System Files, Folders, Drives, and Control Panel (Settings).

Recycle Bin Used to store deleted or unwanted files temporarily.

8. Windows Applications

The core built-in applications every beginner should know:

Calculator
MS Paint
Notepad
Wordpad

MS Paint

MS Paint is mainly used for mouse practice and basic drawing.

File Extension:.bmp (Bitmap)
- Example: First.bmp → First is the filename, bmp is the extension

Steps to Open MS Paint: Start → Run → Mspaint → Press Enter

File Menu Shortcuts (Alt + F):

New (Ctrl + N) — Opens a blank file/new document File Menu → New
Open (Ctrl + O) — Opens an existing file File Menu → Open → Select My Documents or Desktop → Select the File → Click Open
Save (Ctrl + S) — Stores the picture permanently File Menu → Save → Select Desktop → Type Filename → Click Save
Save As (F12) — Copies or backs up the file File Menu → Save As → Select My Documents → Type Filename → Click Save

MS Paint is also used to draw pictures, set the Windows background, and send images via email.

Notepad

Notepad is used to type simple documents and letters.

File Extension: .txt (Text Document)

Wordpad

Wordpad is used to type documents, letters, and statements — without calculation features.

File Extension: .rtf (Rich Text Format)

Difference Between Notepad & Wordpad

Feature	Notepad	Wordpad
Toolbar	Not available	Available (Standard & Formatting)
Ruler	Not available	Available
Formatting options	Limited	Full formatting available
File Extension	`.txt`	`.rtf`

9. File Management Basics

Document — Shows all recently opened files.
Windows Explorer — Used to organize files and folders.
Find/Search — Used to search for a particular type of file or folder.
Alt + F4 — Closes the current application.

Types of Calculator

Standard Calculator
Scientific Calculator

Common Programs Opened via Start → Run

iexplore — Internet Explorer
calc — Calculator
notepad — Notepad
wordpad — Wordpad
mspaint — MS Paint

10. File Extensions — Why They Matter

A file extension tells the computer (and the user) what type of file it is and which application should open it.

Extensions covered so far:

.bmp — MS Paint (Bitmap image)
.txt — Notepad (Text document)
.rtf — Wordpad (Rich Text Format)

Modern extensions every beginner should also know:

.docx — Microsoft Word document
.pdf — Portable Document Format
.jpg — Image file
.exe — Executable/program file

Key Takeaways from Day 2

Windows runs on top of an Operating System that bridges hardware and the user
Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen; the MS-DOS deal with IBM in 1980 changed everything
A non-exclusive licensing deal with IBM gave Microsoft its biggest “unfair advantage”
Windows evolved through key milestones: MS-DOS (1981) → Windows 1.0 (1985) → Windows 95 (1995) → Windows XP (2001) → Windows 11 (present)
The Windows Desktop, Icons, Taskbar, and Start Menu form the core interface
MS Paint (.bmp), Notepad (.txt), and Wordpad (.rtf) are the essential beginner applications, each with distinct features and use cases

This wraps up our two-day foundational series — from the birth of the computer to the operating system running it. Next: hands-on practice sessions with each application covered above.