Windows 98 vs XP

[Vaskez]

Originally posted by Harkoliar: Quote: AS I keep saying: go get windows 2000 if you need to upgrade - it is just as good as XP in resource management and stability but the interface is more like 98. It basically has all the good features that you want from XP without the annoying stuff.

i heard that win2000 is not very user friendly and that it doesnt run some games especially pirated or burned ones... is that true??[/QUOTE]2000 is just as user-friendly as 98 or ME - maybe not quite as much as XP but who needs that level "daddy knows best" help? Windows 2000 has run all my games except old DOS ones which XP does no better at (believe me I've tried it - I installed XP for 5 days then went back to 2000).

[Larry_OHF]

Sir Krustin : Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That has been some great reading and help!

You're wonderful!!!!!!

[ 02-15-2003, 03:20 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[Tobbin]

Originally posted by Vaskez: Quote: Originally posted by Larry_OHF: One question. Does XP work well with people who constantly upgrade their system, like installing new memory, video cards, sound cards, adding a second HD...etc.? What tells Microsoft that you are running the same XP cd on two PCs? The hardware configuration? So...if I buy some new toys to throw in there, my OS will not work?

NO because every major hardware change you will have to reactivate it! And after 3 activations (as I have heard) you can no longer do it over the web but must do it by phone.[/QUOTE]This isn't entirely true. It depends on how much stuff you change. If you just add on hardware, it normally won't affect the system. Adding memory hasn't triggered it. Adding a Scanner hasn't affected it. Adding a TV card didn't affect it. A friend change the motherboard, which did affect it. Another friend changed out his HD, which also affected it (he had to re-install XP on his new HD). I added a 2nd HD, which did not affect it. Changed out a keyboard, did not affect it. Changed the mouse, did not affect it. A friend changed out his video card, did not affect it. My nephew changed out his modem, which did not affect it. Changed out the monitor, no effect. I think it's mainly if the CORE components are affected whether or not you have to re-register. Again, I don't make a lot of changes all at 1 time, so that may trigger it. If you do regular upgrades you shouldn't have a problem.

[Tobbin]

Originally posted by Vaskez: Quote: Originally posted by Harkoliar: Quote: AS I keep saying: go get windows 2000 if you need to upgrade - it is just as good as XP in resource management and stability but the interface is more like 98. It basically has all the good features that you want from XP without the annoying stuff.

i heard that win2000 is not very user friendly and that it doesnt run some games especially pirated or burned ones... is that true??[/QUOTE]2000 is just as user-friendly as 98 or ME - maybe not quite as much as XP but who needs that level "daddy knows best" help? Windows 2000 has run all my games except old DOS ones which XP does no better at (believe me I've tried it - I installed XP for 5 days then went back to 2000).[/QUOTE]5 days isn't a good test run of a system. It takes awhile before you can get to know it enough to tell what kinda system you are working with. I'll have to admit that at first, I was really impressed with XP. After a few days, I was starting to get a little frustrated with it, but more because I hadn't worked with it too long really than the OS itself. After a few months, I started to learn how to interact with it and have grown to get used to it. I still prefer Win Xp over 98. Since I am not that familiar with 2000, I don't have any special preference for it either. I tried installing 2000 on my computer, but it didn't find all the drivers I needed. Xp found everything the first time. I was up and on the internet within the hour. With 2000, I never even got to where the modem could dial out. If I were more used to 2000, that may not have been a problem, but you have to go with what you know. Again though, if someone has an OS they are comfortable with and does not need any bells or whistles from another OS, they should stay with what they have. A lot of companies still use Win 98 for day to day business use and a few still use NT. More and more are going with 2000, but I think mainly because Xp is more known as a glorified 98 with NT capabilities. I don't want to really promote Xp, but I don't want to bash it either. My computer has been stable for awhile now. That's something I didn't have before. Hopefully, it will stay that way. As for spyware and stuff, most internet sites you go to will gather information from your system. How is that different from Xp? If you are that worried, stay off the internet. If you don't connect, a lot of the problems mentioned would disappear. It's all about compromise. That and common sense.

[Vaskez]

Originally posted by Tobbin: Quote: Originally posted by Vaskez: Quote: Originally posted by Harkoliar: Quote: AS I keep saying: go get windows 2000 if you need to upgrade - it is just as good as XP in resource management and stability but the interface is more like 98. It basically has all the good features that you want from XP without the annoying stuff.

i heard that win2000 is not very user friendly and that it doesnt run some games especially pirated or burned ones... is that true??[/QUOTE]2000 is just as user-friendly as 98 or ME - maybe not quite as much as XP but who needs that level "daddy knows best" help? Windows 2000 has run all my games except old DOS ones which XP does no better at (believe me I've tried it - I installed XP for 5 days then went back to 2000).[/QUOTE]5 days isn't a good test run of a system. It takes awhile before you can get to know it enough to tell what kinda system you are working with. I'll have to admit that at first, I was really impressed with XP. After a few days, I was starting to get a little frustrated with it, but more because I hadn't worked with it too long really than the OS itself. After a few months, I started to learn how to interact with it and have grown to get used to it. I still prefer Win Xp over 98. Since I am not that familiar with 2000, I don't have any special preference for it either. I tried installing 2000 on my computer, but it didn't find all the drivers I needed. Xp found everything the first time. I was up and on the internet within the hour. With 2000, I never even got to where the modem could dial out. If I were more used to 2000, that may not have been a problem, but you have to go with what you know. Again though, if someone has an OS they are comfortable with and does not need any bells or whistles from another OS, they should stay with what they have. A lot of companies still use Win 98 for day to day business use and a few still use NT. More and more are going with 2000, but I think mainly because Xp is more known as a glorified 98 with NT capabilities. I don't want to really promote Xp, but I don't want to bash it either. My computer has been stable for awhile now. That's something I didn't have before. Hopefully, it will stay that way. As for spyware and stuff, most internet sites you go to will gather information from your system. How is that different from Xp? If you are that worried, stay off the internet. If you don't connect, a lot of the problems mentioned would disappear. It's all about compromise. That and common sense.[/QUOTE]*sigh* I don't need lecturing on windows or its merits or demerits thanks. Most internet sites install cookies on your system, I've developed internet pages that store cookies on the user's system. So what? That's a completely different story to what MS are doing. Have you actually ever read anything about windows? You might find that XP has over 17 different built-in applications that access the internet and MS's servers without user knowledge unless they install a 3rd party firewall and block those applications. The direction XP is going, you won't BE ABLE to use the OS without connecting to the internet and checking in with MS's servers. Anyway I deviate. I'm just trying to give people advice to the best of my (some may think limited) knowledge. In my view, the best anyone can do right now is steer well clear of Microsoft. The only reason I am still using windows is because I grew up on it and haven't had a chance to learn Linux yet. I will be doing this as soon as I can. I might grudgingly keep the windows system for games

[Dagorion]

Ah thats another thing, I heard that there is a Windows emulator for Linux. Is that true? Also is it only 95 or is it higher and would it slow down my computer? (If I actually got Linux)

[Vaskez]

Originally posted by Dagorion: Ah thats another thing, I heard that there is a Windows emulator for Linux. Is that true? Also is it only 95 or is it higher and would it slow down my computer? (If I actually got Linux)

Yeah there is a thing called VM-ware which can run windows in linux or vice-versa. It would probably run slower than normal linux or windows on its own. However, there is a newer and better project called WINE which is not so much like an emulator - it allows windows programs to run under linux - even games! I don't know much about it but have a look at: http://www.winehq.com/

[Sir Krustin]

Originally posted by Dagorion: Ah thats another thing, I heard that there is a Windows emulator for Linux. Is that true? Also is it only 95 or is it higher and would it slow down my computer? (If I actually got Linux)

There is an emulator or two, but the far better approach is to use WINE (short for "WINE IS Not an Emulator" ) which is an opensource lib that loads unmodifed windows binaries and runs them under linux. It's not perfect, but using a version of WINE called TransgamingX, I've played Jedi Knight 2: Outcast without having winblows installed!

Another interesting development is Xandros/CrossoverOffice, which allows seamless integration of windows office applications into the linux desktop.