No, Peter, you can't buy an upgrade from 95/98 to NT. You must buy the full version, but you'll see it in the stores, and you can buy it all by itself.
As far as compatibility with NT, if your Windows programs had the 'designed for Win 95/98 logo', then they must have been able to work within NT. I think that was MS requirements for that designation. Some older programs, especially the 16 bit programs, might not, but all you can do is try to install them. You will be told during installation if there is a problem.
You'll probably like the least, the steeper learning curve in the beginning . A close second may be the lack of a real plug and play feature. Adding hardware is quite different in many cases, so setting jumpers is sometimes part of the mix. If you're a tinkerer, or like to try a lot of programs, (like me) you'll probably also not like having to reinstall the SP3, and any other hotfixes that apply to your situation, every time you tinker or add.
You will also tire of looking to make sure any new peripherals you buy specifically state support for NT. Others won't but they will say things like 'Windows 95 or higher', which in some cases mean yes, and in some cases means no. Sometimes you have to go searching websites for NT drivers, also. It gets a little irritating, but IMHO, the negatives are far outweighed by the positives.
You'd be wise to make friends with someone who is very familiar with NT, as even the best books leave out quite a bit, and it is comforting to know you can pick up the phone and get out of a jam, especially in those early days of the learning curve. You also need to decide on Workstation or Server, depending on your needs.
I'd be happy to help, if you make the leap.
Len |
