Solved What is a "Windows NT based system", relative to a text editor

[bawldiggle]

What is a "Windows NT based system", relative to a text editor

While looking for an alternative text editor (for VBS Scripting) I have found "Notepad2"
It states "only suitable for Windows NT based system".

The NT has me bluffed.
What does "Windows NT based system" actually mean ?
Google search has not revealed a definition for a dummy

Thank you
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Notepad++ is highly commended but I find it too technical to set up.
Others are so basic they are as limiting as Notepad.
I have been testing all comers and assembling a list of pros and cons for about 3 weeks.
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[Ranger4]

This Wikipedia website should explain what Windows NT based systems are all about. As an example Windows XP & 7 are NT based systems.

Windows NT - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[bawldiggle]

Thanks Ranger4

In a nutshell ...
NT is old language for Windows. Today "Windows Operating Systems"
I wonder why after 20 years developers still refer to it as NT ?
I thought it referred to servers. Well now I know !

Thanks again

 

[fireberd]

"NT" is "New Technology". Windows NT 4 was introduced in mid 90's and is the basis for Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Later OS' such as Vista/Win 7 (and maybe Win 8) are, as mentioned, still based on the original NT.

I worked as a Network Manager back in the mid 90's and NT came along when the agency I worked for was converting from Novell 3.12 Netware servers (and DOS workstation PC's) to Microsoft Client Server, NT based servers with Windows workstations (PC's).

 

[bawldiggle]

Thanks fireberd

I finally got my head around "NT" by reading the wiki page.

When I googled Windows NT based system originally, all I found was technical jargon that was expressed for the already converted.
The wiki page (which is extremely verbose) suggested by Ranger4 ... clarified "NT"​

Thank you for the additional history, adds to the wiki info.

NT = Microsoft Windows (in today's usage)

The contemporary use of the expression "NT" can be very confusing for newbies
I assumed it was exclusively for "networks" ... but today it is is used in a generic sense.
Many text editors are suitable for non-Windows operating systems as well as Windows. (as I understand it)

The text-editor (Notepad2) I am evaluating at the moment is reviewed as...

Cons:
only suitable for "Windows NT based system"

... which for newbies can be a scare-off.
Translation:= can only be used with MS Windows operating system

I started (briefly) in punch cards. I lasted about 6 weeks (it was so boring sorting dropped cards into right-side-up) and pushing boxes of cards across town to the process centre was not my idea of being CEO by 23 years of age. Fresh out of university (Engineering)
And loosing a few cards along the way when a box burst ... what was a few bits of cardboard!
Later in my very early years I was detailing Microsoft's first 2 books to academic establishments. It was presumed that "this Microsoft stuff" would die a quick death. It was tough going selling it not helped by my youthful ignorance.​

"Notepad2" works perfectly well on my Windows 7 laptop.
(Next to test is TED Notepad and finally try and get my head around the mammoth settings of Notepad++ )
Its all an interesting exercise comparing text editors, I am up to 7 evaluations so far)

 

[strollin]

Windows versions prior to NT were guis built on top of DOS. NT was a real OS, hence "New Technology".

 

[alphanumeric]

Think of it this way, there were the 9x series of Windows operating systems where DOS was an underlying component. Windows 95, 98, ME, etc. To install Windows 3.1 for example, you had to first install DOS. With Windows NT 4 they switched to the NT kernel and abandoned the underlying DOS.
NT 5.0 > Windows 2000
NT 5.1 > XP
NT 6.0 > Vista
NT 6.1 > Windows 7
NT 6.2 > Windows 8
NT 6.3 > Windows 8.1

I think I got that right.

 

[LMiller7]

Think of it this way, there were the 9x series of Windows operating systems where DOS was an underlying component. Windows 95, 98, ME, etc. To install Windows 3.1 for example, you had to first install DOS. With Windows NT 4 they switched to the NT kernel and abandoned the underlying DOS.
NT 5.0 > Windows 2000
NT 5.1 > XP
NT 6.0 > Vista
NT 6.1 > Windows 7
NT 6.2 > Windows 8
NT 6.3 > Windows 8.1

I think I got that right.

Almost correct.

The first in the NT line was NT 3.1, released in 1993. The NT 3.1 designation was for compatibility with Windows 3.1, limited as it was. Later there was NT 3.5, NT 3.51, and NT 4, released in 1996. Among other things NT 4 had the user interface of Windows 95. Prior versions had that of Windows 3.1. In the entire NT line the CPU goes into 32 bit protected mode very early in the boot process and DOS never plays a part. The NT line continues to Windows 8.1 and beyond.

 

[bawldiggle]

WOW !
I didn't expect to get this much attention. Thank you all. :grouphug:
I still have my 3.1 discs

"IT" is not my background ... I only ever learnt what I needed and embarrassingly ignored the rest.

So am I safe in assuming NT (in these XP/Vista/7/8/8.1 days) represents MS Windows ?
.

 

[alphanumeric]

WOW !
I didn't expect to get this much attention. Thank you all. :grouphug:
I still have my 3.1 discs

"IT" is not my background ... I only ever learnt what I needed and embarrassingly ignored the rest.

So am I safe in assuming NT (in these XP/Vista/7/8/8.1 days) represents MS Windows ?
.

Yes.

 

[alphanumeric]

Think of it this way, there were the 9x series of Windows operating systems where DOS was an underlying component. Windows 95, 98, ME, etc. To install Windows 3.1 for example, you had to first install DOS. With Windows NT 4 they switched to the NT kernel and abandoned the underlying DOS.
NT 5.0 > Windows 2000
NT 5.1 > XP
NT 6.0 > Vista
NT 6.1 > Windows 7
NT 6.2 > Windows 8
NT 6.3 > Windows 8.1

I think I got that right.

Almost correct.

The first in the NT line was NT 3.1, released in 1993. The NT 3.1 designation was for compatibility with Windows 3.1, limited as it was. Later there was NT 3.5, NT 3.51, and NT 4, released in 1996. Among other things NT 4 had the user interface of Windows 95. Prior versions had that of Windows 3.1. In the entire NT line the CPU goes into 32 bit protected mode very early in the boot process and DOS never plays a part. The NT line continues to Windows 8.1 and beyond.

I almost went and looked it up, something in the back of my mind was telling me there was a 3.x version of NT. At work we went from Windows 3.11 for workgroups to NT 4 Workstation and that's all I remembered. I didn't have a PC at home at that time. I almost got it right though. As we used to say "close enough for government work".