(COMTEX) B: Subtle improvements in Windows 98 mean no mad rush for it
B: Subtle improvements in Windows 98 mean no mad rush for it at stores
Three years ago, when Windows 95 made its widely ballyhooed debut,
Kerry Goodman of Orlando, Fla., was one of the first people standing in
line. He bought it and liked it. Still does.
That's why when Windows 98 _ Microsoft's latest edition of the world's
most popular computer operating system _ went on sale, Goodman was be
at work, in no hurry to spend the estimated $90 retailers will charge
for the software.
''I'm sure it has a lot of improvements ... but I'm going to let other
people be the guinea pig this time,'' said Goodman, owner of an Orlando
utility contracting firm.
There could be a lot of people just like Goodman. Industry experts who
had an advance peek at Windows 98 generally agree that though it offers
plenty of new features, there are no big breakthroughs.
In other words, don't expect to see computer nerds camped outside
computer stores as they did when Windows 95 hit store shelves.
If you buy Windows 98, what will you get for your money? A lot of
subtle improvements. Microsoft says it has packed Windows 98 with more
than 3,000 upgrades.
It's just that none of them is revolutionary.
From Windows 95 to Windows 98, the interface _ what you see on the
screen _ is essentially the same. At the bottom of the screen, there's
still a Start button, which allows you to launch programs, find
recently used files or change your computer's settings.
What you will notice is that Windows 98 boots up faster, opens programs
faster and shuts down faster. The improvement is between 20 percent and
50 percent, depending on the size of the system and the programs run.
When you click on the Start button, the menus elegantly slide up and
over instead of popping up on your screen, which Microsoft calls
''schussing menus.''
Additionally, you may notice that Windows 98 crashes less than Windows
95.
Windows 98 also allows you to use a variety of new devices and
accessories. For example:
_Printers, scanners and digital cameras that plug into universal serial
bus ports. USB accessories work as soon as they are plugged in, without
requiring any special setup.
New computers have been sold with USB ports for about eight months, but
the sockets cannot be used unless you run Windows 98 or download a
special watch from Microsoft.
_TV tuner card. By plugging such a card into your computer, you can
watch television on your computer screen.
_3D graphics card. Windows 98 enables the cards to better display
textured graphics on your computer screen.
There is the infamous integrated Web browser that Microsoft has built
into Windows 98. The browsing software, called Internet Explorer, has
drawn the ire of the U.S. Justice Department, which argued in a recent
federal antitrust suit that Microsoft is using its dominance in the
operating system market to put browser competitors out of business.
The integrated browser makes its presence felt in a number of ways. If
you are working in a program that contains Internet links _ such as
Quicken or WordPerfect _ you can click on them without having to launch
your Web. When you click on the ''My Computer'' icon, you can explore
your computer's files as a series of Web pages as opposed to a series
of Windows.
There's another nice feature: When you browse picture files in a
folder, the browser quickly generates a ''thumbnail preview'' each time
you select one.
Whatever the outcome of the federal antitrust suit, you can run Windows
98 plus any competing Web browser at the same time. Windows 98 lets
Netscape's famous Navigator software install itself as your ''default''
browser without any conflicts. You can have both Internet Explorer and
Netscape on your hard drive _ if you do not mind dedicating the space.
Actually, some of the new operating system's biggest advances may never
be very noticeable. For example, a new file management system, called
FAT32, is intended to free space on your hard drive, especially on
drives with more than 4 gigabytes in space. However, FAT32 works in the
background, never asking you to make a decision. You will not see it;
but it is giving you about 28 percent more room.
Microsoft said it has streamlined and improved the installation
process, which attracted a lot of attention for the problems it caused
with Windows 95.
On a test computer at The Orlando Sentinel, a Windows 98 installation
was relatively straight-forward, although not trouble free. About 30
minutes into the 45-minute process, the computer suffered a ''fatal
exception error'' and shut down.
It wouldn't reboot until it was disconnected from a local network
connection. Then the installation continued without more problems.
If you get any errors during the installation, write down the error
number before trying to reboot. That will help Microsoft technicians
diagnose the problem.
Improvements in the installation procedure, Microsoft says,will make it
easier to upgrade computers running the old Windows 3.1 operating
system. An estimated 40 million computers in the U.S. run on Windows
3.1.
To upgrade from Windows 3.1, the computer must have the seminimum
system components: a 486-class processor running at least at 66 MHz and
195 megabytes of free space on the hard drive.
Perhaps the coolest thing about installing Windows 98 is the
accompanying Windows 98 Plus, a $45 add-on that extends the
capabilities of the new operating system.
The Plus disk comes with a built-in virus scanner, an advanced file
management program and an advanced CD-ROM player that lets you play CDs
plus download music information from the Internet.
The Plus disk lets you customize your computer's desktop with a variety
of themes. For example, it offers screen savers from popular cartoon
strips such as ''Doonesbury,'' ''Garfield,'' and ''Peanuts.'' It also
comes with three new games: Microsoft Golf 1998 Lite, Spider Solitaire
and a fast-paced Tetris-like game called Lose Your Marbles.
So should you run out and buy Windows 98? The best answer is: It
depends.
If having the latest and greatest computer toys is important in your
life, you probably have the experience needed to appreciate the
operating system tweaks that Microsoft has built into Windows 98.
If you are planning to buy a computer in the near future, the point
will be moot. After Thursday, virtually every major manufacturer will
sell computers with Windows 98 installed.
But, if you are happy with the way your computer currently works, you
will not be hurt by waiting.
Reasons to upgrade:
_It's the latest computer toy.
_It crashes less than Windows 95.
_Programs open faster, by up to 50 percent.
_''Plug and play'' accessories that use a Universal Serial Bus port
(available on newer computers) now work.
_A ''maintenance wizard'' will help keep your hard drive clean.
Reasons not to upgrade:
_Your trusty old PC runs fine now.
_Your PC is less than 6 months old; it likely came with many of the
Windows 98 features, except for USB and DVD support.
_You've already downloaded and installed Internet Explorer 4.0. It has
many of Windows 98's features.
_You don't have 150 MB of free space on your hard drive. That's a
minimum requirement.
_You're opposed to the notion of an integrated Web browser. That's
philosophical, but it appeals to a lot of people.
Changes from Win 95:
_''Schussing menus.'' Click on the Start button and the menus ''slide''
up, instead of popping onto the screen.
_Integrated browser. Click on My Computer and you can search your
computer's files using a Web browser. Same thing for Help files.
_Single-clicking. Applications on the desktop can be launched with a
single click, instead of a double click.
_WebTV: If you have a TV tuner card in your PC, you can watch TV and
surf the Web at the same time.
_New disk management system _ called FAT32 _ opens up space on your
hard drive.
Changes from 3.1:
_New interface is more intuitive.
_You can run all of the newly written software.
_Windows 98 upgrade runs with fewer hitches than the Windows 95
upgrade.
_You can visit any Web site without fear of crashing your Windows 3.1
Web browser.
_Longer file names. You can save files with up to 128 characters (as
opposed to 10 in Windows 3.1).
Information on the Web:
_Microsoft official Windows 98 page: www.microsoft.com/windows98
_Windows98.org, an online user community: www.windows98.org
_Windows magazine: www.winmag.com
_ZDNet: www.zdnet.com
_CNet: www.cnet.com
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