Windows Products and Technologies History

Microsoft Windows® XP technologies make it easy to enjoy your favorite games, music, and movies; create home movies; enhance digital photos, and more.

DirectX

Microsoft DirectX® 9.0 technology drives high-speed multimedia and games on the PC. DirectX provides the exciting graphics, sound, music, and three-dimensional animation that bring games to life. DirectX is also the platform that allows software developers to build the type of exciting, high-speed multimedia required for today's PC-based games.

DirectX debuted in 1995 and quickly became a recognized standard for multimedia application development on the Windows platform. Today, DirectX 9.0 integrates an advanced suite of multimedia application programming interfaces (APIs) into Microsoft Windows operating systems so that software developers can access specialized hardware features without having to write hardware-specific code.

DirectX 9.0 can be installed on:

Direct X technology adds life to game play.

For more information, see the DirectX Web site.

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Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player 9 series, released in 2003, gives users more control of their music with smart jukebox features, easy CD transfer to computer, CD burning, and compatibility with the widest range of portable players. Users can also discover more with services that offer premium entertainment. Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows XP takes full advantage of the built in digital media features in Windows XP for an optimum experience. There is also a version of Windows Media Player 9 Series available for Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows 2000.

For more information, see the Windows Media 9 Series site.

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Windows Movie Maker

When Windows Me arrived in 2000—specifically designed for home computer users—it featured the first Microsoft version of a consumer video-editing product, Windows Movie Maker. An easy-to-use video editor, Movie Maker is used to capture, organize, and edits video clips, and then export them for PC or Web playback.

Movie Maker 2, released in 2003, adds new movie-making transitions, jazzy titles, and fun special effects. Based on the Microsoft DirectShow® and Windows Media technologies, Movie Maker was originally included only with Windows Me. Today Movie Maker 2 is available for Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional.

For more information, see the Windows Movie Maker Web site.

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Windows Messenger

With the release of Windows XP in 2001 came Windows Messenger, bringing instant messaging to users across the Internet. With Windows Messenger, users communicate with one another in real time with text messages. Although real-time communication such as video conferencing has been available as a technology for some time, Windows Messenger was the first communication tool that provided an integrated, easy-to-use way of participating in text chat, voice and video communication, and data collaboration.

The latest edition, Windows Messenger 4.7, improves instant messaging capabilities with new task-based menus, cool emoticons, and easier ways to organize and group contacts.

For more information, see the Windows Messenger Web site.