Do you remember MS-DOS?

Time was when typing a command beginning with C: seemed like the cutting edge of modern technology. Present any computer savvy twelve year-old with the archaic, functional and painfully slow MS-DOS operating system in the 21st century and they will most likely burst out laughing. This is a reflection of how staggeringly far information technology and Microsoft itself has come in the past 30 years.

Although it may not have seemed like it at the time the release of Microsoft Windows 1.0 in 1985 was a seismic event in modern culture. The concept of junking the endless typed commands of MS-DOS in favour of the simple clicks of a mouse was truly revolutionary as were the boxes that appeared and vanished before your eyes and which gave Bill Gates' new system its snappy, now iconic name.

Many of the key components of the Windows that we know and love were present such as icons, drop down menus and dialogue boxes and yet Microsoft Windows 1.0 had inevitable teething problems and sold only moderately. It was not until the release of Windows 3.0 in 1990 that Microsoft's operating system really began to take off. This version boasted far greater graphics than previous incarnations and, with similarly huge strides being made in processor capability, programs were running infinitely faster. By this point in time that 21st century twelve year old would certainly recognise the look and style of the Windows they know and love.

Fast forward five years and the world had changed with dizzying speed. E-mail and other electronic communications were all the rage and there was the sense of a real community developing 'online.' And then there was the commercial advent of the Internet. These were all areas that Microsoft was quick to exploit and Windows 95 is arguably the most significant version of the operating system in terms of sheer developmental progression. Moving from 16-bit to 32-bit allowed for much greater possibilities in terms of multimedia support, networking and pre-emptive multitasking and ensured that the world of Windows would never be the same again.

The latter half of the 1990s saw a decisive shift from workplace computer use to the home consumer and both Windows 98 and Windows Me reflected this change with greater facilities for multimedia and digital editing.

Come the 21st century and there were two big issues for Microsoft XP to address: the increased presence of digital media and the increased sophistication of hackers and computer viruses. The former was accommodated with significant enhancements to Windows Media Player whilst the latter was dealt with by a strong emphasis on security software and regular warnings and updates. The incredible interface usability that Windows 7 boasts was implemented here as well with navigation made more intuitive and accessible.

Windows Vista consolidated these developments and significantly boosted security before Windows 7 arrived in 2009 as the world was going wireless. Once again Microsoft had their finger on the IT pulse making it easier than ever to connect to the Internet from just about wherever you chose. Features such as Snap, Touch and Peek would have been almost unthinkable luxuries a few years before.

It has been an incredible journey from crude commands to silky smooth usability and who knows just what lies around the corner?