Chapter 1. Windows 101: Its Origins, Present, and the Services It Provides

I believe in learning by understanding, rather than remembering pieces of information, and seeing how and why a technology evolved facilitates that. This chapter first looks at how the Windows OS and Windows Server 2008 got to where it is with an overview tour of the major Windows Server 2008 components. You then learn how to choose the right version of Windows Server 2008; the chapter ends with a quick look at licensing.

Windows powers around 97 percent of desktops and over half of all servers, making it the dominant OS today. No matter where you are, Windows surrounds you. How did Microsoft achieve this incredible feat?