A. Windows NT (both the Workstation and Server) is a
32-bit Operating System. It is a preemptive, multi-tasking Operating
System, which means that the Operating System controls allocation of CPU
time, not the applications, stopping one application from hanging the OS.
NT supports multiple CPU's giving true Multi-tasking, using symmetrical
multiprocessing, meaning the processors share all tasks, as opposed to
asymmetrical multiprocessing, where the OS uses one CPU and the
applications another. NT is also a Fault Tolerant Operating System, with
each 32bit application operating in its own Virtual Memory address space
(4 GigaBytes) which means one application cannot interfere with another's
memory space.
Unlike earlier version of Windows (such as Windows for Workgroups and
Windows 95), NT is a complete Operating System, and not an addition to
DOS.
NT supports different CPU's: Intel x86, IBM PowerPC (Not to be supported
for NT5.0) and DEC Alpha.
NT's other main plus is its Security with a special NT file system
(NTFS) that allows permissions to be set on a file and directory basis.
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