Something for everybody
You'll find Windows '98 more appealing if you're a fan of Internet Explorer
By Doug Harper -- Industrial Distribution, 9/1/1998
Now that Microsoft's eagerly awaited Windows '98 has finally arrived, reaction to it seems about evenly divided.On one hand you have the techno-journalists and the power users waxing euphoric over Win '98's new whistles and bells. And then there are the rest of us who aren't quite sure what all the fuss is about.
Part of the reason for this dichotomy is that prior to the introduction of its latest OS, Microsoft predictably raised the expectations of many of us to unrealistic levels. If Win '98 were called "Win '95: The Sequel" or "The Son Of Windows '95" and it was billed as "starring the same cast of lovable characters that you enjoyed in the original production," we would probably be more than satisfied.
But Windows '98's documentation doesn't help by assuring us that the "Windows '98 operating system [makes] working in Windows more fun and productive than ever." While more productive may be a possibility, "fun" is not the word that usually comes to mind when you're sitting in front of a computer.
But to be fair, at a "street" price of around $90 to upgrade from Windows '95 or Windows 3.1 and at about $180 for the complete installation from scratch, Win '98 is undoubtedly a
worthwhile investment.
For one thing, it incorporates hundreds of bug fixes and patches to handle compatibility
problems that have crept up in the three years since Win '95 was introduced.
In addition, Microsoft claims that Windows '98 opens applications 36 percent faster and shuts down anywhere from two to five times faster. Microsoft also estimates that by switching to Win '98's new 32-bit FAT (file allocation table), the average user will recover an estimated 28 percent of hard drive space.
But what Microsoft giveth Microsoft also taketh away. Depending upon the options you choose during installation, Win '98's space requirements range from 120 MB for a "bare bones" configuration all the way up to 295 MB with all the options implemented.
To run Windows '98, Microsoft says that you need at least a 486 processor (they don't specify clock speed) or higher with a math coprocessor and at least 16 MB of RAM.
But unless your peculiar idea of "fun" is watching your grass grow, it is strongly recommended that you make your minimum installation platform nothing slower than a PC with a Pentium or equivalent chip and at least 24 megabytes of RAM.
Among Windows '98 new features:
* A Web-based online help system that supplements the "Help" files installed with the program.
* Windows Update, a Web-based resource site that allows registered users to download the latest drivers and system updates.
* Support for the Universal Serial Bus (USB) and digital video disks (DVD). The Windows '98 Tune-Up Wizard that detects file conflicts, scans the registry for errors and performs system file integrity checking.
* Built-in Year 2000 compliance that guarantees that you can enjoy the bacchanal that will take place on Dec. 31, 1999, without having to worry about your data.
On the other hand, the fact that you see the words "Web" and "Web-based" dominating any discussion of Windows '98 should tell you something.
Microsoft is apparently so convinced that life does not exist beyond the World Wide Web that they've turned the entire operating system into a giant web browser.
So if you're esthetically or philosophically opposed to Microsoft's Internet Explorer, you may be disturbed by Windows '98 because IE 4.0 serves as the role model for the entire interface.
It is, of course, possible to use another Web Browser such as Netscape to navigate cyberspace and it's even possible to reconfigure most of Win 98's apps to resemble Win '95 in what MS calls "Classic Style" a la Coca-Cola.
However, everywhere you look, including the "Help" menu, you keep bumping into Internet Explorer.
Regardless of which browser you prefer, you can send your comments to dharper@interport.net.
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