Editing Microsoft Windows (section)

==Product line==
{{more citations needed section|date=December 2024}}
{{as of|2025|post=,}} the only active top-level family is [[Windows NT]].{{citation needed|date=December 2024}} The first version, [[Windows NT 3.1]], was intended for [[Server (computing)|server computing]] and corporate [[workstations]]. It grew into a product line of its own and now consists of four sub-families that tend to be released almost simultaneously and share the same kernel.

* Windows (unqualified): For a consumer or corporate [[workstation]] or [[tablet computer|tablet]]. The latest version is [[Windows 11]].{{citation needed|date=December 2024}} Its main competitors are [[macOS]] by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and [[Linux]] for personal computers and [[iPadOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] for tablets (cf. {{section link|Usage share of operating systems|Market share by category}}).
**''Of note: "Windows" refers to both the overall product line and this sub-family of it.''
* [[Windows Server]]: For a server computer. The latest version is [[Windows Server 2025]]. Unlike its client sibling, it has adopted a strong naming scheme. The main competitor of this family is [[Linux]]. (cf. {{section link|Usage share of operating systems|Market share by category}})
* [[Windows PE]]: A lightweight version of its Windows sibling, meant to operate as a [[Live OS|live operating system]], used for installing Windows on bare-metal computers (especially on many computers at once), recovery, or troubleshooting purposes. The latest version is Windows PE 10.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
* [[Windows IoT]] (previously Windows Embedded): For [[IoT]] and [[Embedded system|embedded]] computers. The latest version is [[Windows IoT#Enterprise|Windows 11 IoT Enterprise]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=RTOS: Embedded Real Time Operating Systems |url=http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/products-solutions-overview.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215074031/http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/products-solutions-overview.aspx |archive-date=December 15, 2014 |access-date=November 7, 2014 |website=microsoft.com |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Like Windows Server, the main competitor of this family is Linux. (cf. {{section link|Usage share of operating systems|Market share by category}})

These top-level Windows families are no longer actively developed:

* [[Windows 9x]]: Intended exclusively for the consumer market. The first version was [[Windows 95]], which was followed by [[Windows 98]]. The last version was [[Windows Me]] (which was infamously known as the worst operating systems of all time, with ''[[PC World]]'' labeling it as "Mistake Edition" and placing it 4th in their list of ''Worst Tech Products'' in 2006<ref name="WinMEbad" />). All versions of the Windows 9x family have a [[monolithic kernel]] that uses [[MS-DOS]] as a foundation alongside the kernel first used with Windows 95. This line has since been defunct, with Microsoft now catering to the consumer market with Windows NT starting with [[Windows XP]].{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
* [[Windows Mobile]]: The predecessor to Windows Phone, a mobile phone and [[Personal digital assistant|PDA]] operating system. The first version was called [[Pocket PC 2000]]. The third version, [[Windows Mobile 2003]], was the first version to adopt the Windows Mobile trademark. The last published version was [[Windows Mobile 6.5]].
* [[Windows Phone]]: Sold only to smartphone manufacturers. The first version was [[Windows Phone 7]], followed by [[Windows Phone 8]] and [[Windows Phone 8.1]]. It was succeeded by [[Windows 10 Mobile]], which is also defunct.
*[[Windows Embedded Compact]]: Most commonly known by its former name, Windows CE, it is a [[hybrid kernel]] operating system optimized for low power and memory systems, with [[OEM]]s able to modify the [[user interface|UI]] to suit their needs. The final version was Windows Embedded Compact 2013, and it is succeeded by [[Windows IoT]].{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}