Choosing a Windows Platform | Microsoft Windows Architecture for Developers Training Kit

The decision about which Windows platform to deploy should be based on the tasks that you need to accomplish. Windows 95 and Windows NT have complementary capabilities that can accommodate a broad range of needs. The following table lists the recommended operating system for various environments.

Windows NT	Windows 95
Office Environment	X
Remote Users	X
High Performance	X
C-2 Security	X
High Reliability	X

Office Environment

In most office environments, users perform a variety of tasks such as word processing, database queries, or spreadsheet analysis. They use productivity applications such as the Microsoft Office suite, as well as applications that are specific to their businesses. Most companies have an installed base of personal computers, peripheral devices, and applications, and want to maximize their investment in that computing infrastructure. For these users, Windows 95 is the best choice.

Remote Users

Many companies have employees who spend a high percentage of their working hours away from the office at a customer site, in a hotel, or in the field. These users also rely on personal computers to help them perform their jobs. They require application and device compatibility, but also need an operating system that doesn't require a lot of memory, battery power, or disk space. For these users, Windows 95 is the best choice.

High Performance

Engineers, scientific researchers, statisticians, and other technical users often need to use processing- intensive applications for data analysis and large design activities. Windows NT Workstation, with its support for symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) and portability to different high-performance platforms such as those based on Pentium, Alpha, or MIPS CPUs, can provide the performance of a leading-edge workstation or minicomputer at a fraction of the cost. Moreover, with Windows NT Workstation you do not need a separate machine to run personal productivity applications.

C-2 Security

In industries that need to protect sensitive data or application files, such as banking and defense, Windows NT Workstation is the right choice for a secure desktop. For example, the secure logon screen, which is invoked by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL, prevents programs from simulating an operating system's logon screen and capturing user names and passwords. The new technology file system (NTFS), combined with appropriate security procedures, helps prevent unauthorized access to systems and data. Moreover, the Windows NT Workstation security model complies with C2-level certification. With these features, a Windows NT system even can be shared by multiple users while maintaining security for all files on the system.

High Reliability

Many users require much higher than normal levels of availability and performance. In these cases, the user cannot afford downtime no matter what application they are running. These systems often are being converted from mini- and mainframe systems. For example, many companies today use 16-bit applications to manage their production lines. Windows NT Workstation supports these Win16 applications in a separate address space (often referred to as separate virtual machines). For users, this means that if one application fails, all other applications continue to run. Windows NT Workstation also provides complete protection for 32-bit applications and can automatically recover (rebooting if necessary) if the system goes down.

There are several advantages to running Win16-based applications in separate virtual machines:

Interoperability
If Win16-based applications follow the Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) and Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) specifications, they can interoperate with other applications in separate memory spaces.
Preemptive multitasking
If several Win16-based applications are running in a shared memory space, one busy application prevents the others from being used. By running each Win16-based application in its own memory space, however, all of the applications remain usable, even when one is busy.
Multiprocessing
Multitasking and multiprocessing of Win16-based applications is made possible by multiprocessor computers. If all Win16-based applications are running in a shared memory space, only one Win16-based application will running at a time. Therefore, even on a multiprocessor system, only one Win16-based application can run, and the Win16-based applications do not take advantage of any additional processors on the system. However, if applications are configured to run in separate memory spaces (as they are in Windows NT), they can run simultaneously , as long as the system has enough available processors.

Lesson Summary

Three Windows operating systems are commonly used today. Windows 3.1 and Windows 3.11 (called Windows for Workgroups) are the 16-bit version of the Windows operating system family. Windows 95 is a 32-bit desktop operating system. Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server are 32-bit operating system for users who require fast multitasking environments. The decision about which Windows platform to deploy should be based on the tasks that you need to accomplish. Windows 95 and Windows NT have complementary capabilities that can accommodate a broad range of needs.