Windows 98

[lowman]

I just want people's opinions:

Is there any benefit at all for someone to still be running Windows 98? I've heard a few reason from people I work with in the technology business, but I honestly can't think of any that make any sense to me...

 

[SNGX1275]

Better DOS support/compatability.
Also runs better on systems with slower processors and less RAM than 2k or XP.

Those are 2 pretty well provable points - at least out of the box.

Also just from personal expierence I've seen that Windows98 is more tolerable of mixing ram brands. But I have a very limited sample size, so I could be wrong if you look at the larger population.

 

[Didou]

& some devices do not have NT/2K/XP drivers. Blame the manufacturors for that one.

 

[lowman]

Interesting

2 valid points that I really hadn't given much thought...I appreciate the feedback...

 

[poertner_1274]

Just be aware that M$ has stopped support for 98.

 

[Didou]

Wasn't it extended ?

 

[Rick]

It was extended... For too long in my opinion. Support should have been dropped as soon as it hit the market back in 98.

 

[hrms]

Originally posted by Rick
It was extended... For too long in my opinion. Support should have been dropped as soon as it hit the market back in 98.

Why do you say that???....win98..IMO is still the best OS...at least nothing is "forced" on you....Its a big bad world out there and money talks......

 

[SNGX1275]

Windows 98 is about as stable as a drunk elephant on a tightrope.

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by SNGX1275
Windows 98 is about as stable as a drunk elephant on a tightrope.

LoL

Why do you say that???....win98..IMO is still the best OS...at least nothing is "forced" on you....Its a big bad world out there and money talks......

Windows 98 is a clown suit for DOS. I used to do a lot of heavy graphics and 3D modeling... Windows 98 would run out of memory constantly, crash and hang even with fresh installs with nothing more than the program I was using. I had to reinstall the operating system about every 3 weeks (no exageration). It could barely stay up for days at a time, let alone weeks...

This was probably my worst experience with 98, but there's plenty of examples if you'd like more. Windows 2000 fixed all of those and more.

Windows XP might have a lot of junk that no one wants, but it works and works very well.

Windows 98 blows, although I do respect it in the 9x family of OSes.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

For what it is worth, the majority of OS-problems on this website stem from Windows 98 and Windows XP.
There are very few issues with Windows 2000 pro (which I use). It does not have the bloat of XP and it does not have the mumbo-jumbo with forced registering at M$.
My last install was in January 2003 and the only updates made were SP4 and some hotfixes. It has been rock-solid all that time.

The only issue I have is with my Logitech MX700 wireless mouse, which freezes every once in a while, but I am blaming this on the Via KT333 chipset on my mobo and inadequate Via Hyperion drivers.
Eventually I will by a mobo with nVidia chipset, which seems to cope better with this.

So, Thumbs Up for Windows 2000 Pro.

 

[Liquidlen]

I agree Real and as ususal I couldn't have said it better myself

me

 

[iss]

For what it is worth, the majority of OS-problems on this website stem from Windows 98 and Windows XP.

that is becasue the majority of people are running either 98 or XP and not 2000. Win2000 does not have the home user base usuage that either 98 or XP has and never will.

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by iss
that is becasue the majority of people are running either 98 or XP and not 2000. Win2000 does not have the home user base usuage that either 98 or XP has and never will.

That's very true.

There's more to go wrong in XP, but 2000 probably shares many of the same bugs that XP does. And lest we not forget no matter how reliable 2000 may be, it seems like software developers don't care enough about 2000 to optimize their apps for it.

I've had lots of drivers issues and software / compatability problems in Win 2000 which are not inherit in Windows XP. But this really isn't 2000's fault and I won't hold it against it, because it really is a great [Microsoft] operating system.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

The OSes like NT and W2000 are basically made for business purposes, and that is exactly what I use it for. The only game on my PC is Spider, which I copied out of the Win98-Plus disk.
I can throw any business-program at my W2000 and it works!

When my daughter got the Sims, I had to take W2000 off her PC and replace it with W98-SE, because (on her PC at least) it would not run.