by Bud Stolker (1000 words)

Clients are asking whether Microsoft's upcoming release of Windows 98 is a worthwhile upgrade.

We think it is if you find yourself in one of the following categories:

• You're still running DOS and Windows 3.
• You're using Windows 95 but are frustrated by its erratic performance.
• You're using an older edition of Windows 95 and are limited by its two-gigabyte maximum partition size.
• You're interested in pursuing the latest personal computer technology.

If, on the other hand, you're content with your computer, its applications software, and the world in general, this is an upgrade you can skip.

Three years ago we were advising clients to consider Windows 95 carefully and cautiously before making the leap, but that was then and this is now.

I should explain that I am a registered computer curmudgeon. I am still using DOS and Windows 3.11 on my mainstay workstation (though I must admit that it is beginning to feel really old). I'm working both sides of the fence, too, because I have a Windows 95 workstation on the desk behind me and a Windows 98 workstation around the corner. So I'm not really left out of all the fun.

I've stuck with DOS and Windows because I just do not trust Windows 95 to run my business computer. Here at Landmark we fix Windows problems all day long, and we're familiar with its ugly underside. It's a fundamentally flaky program.

But putting aside the well-known Windows 95 problems, it's an inescapable fact that all software development has moved to the 32-bit platform. I love configuring new Windows systems for clients because I get to play with them. And we do sell a lot of Windows 95 systems. 19 out of 20 clients go for Windows 95; the others are simply buying new machines to replace their old slow ones. They neither need nor want to change.

There's been a change in the last three years in that five percent who shy away from Windows 95. They have shifted from the crafty few users too smart to fall for the Microsoft pitch to the unenlightened users who don't realize what they're missing.

We'll never be apologists for Bill Gates. But the fact is, the new software is fun, and the new Windows environment can be far more efficient if you know how to use it (and you, our clients, are smart people, right?).

There's a lot of grumbling about this new Windows release:

• It's a bug fix disguised as a new operating system. (One urban myth has it that Microsoft itself claims Windows 98 fixes five thousand bugs in Windows 95! Document this for us with a pointer to the Microsoft Web site and earn our undying gratitude.)
• It's Bill Gates' way of ramming Internet Explorer down our throats. Well, you know what? The page/browser metaphor has brought many ordinary folks to personal computing for the first time, because it's so easy to learn. You don't have to love Explorer to appreciate the benefits of browsing around your desktop. True, making everything browser-based causes the computer to run a little slower, but hey, it's no big deal. And you can still use Netscape if you absolutely hate Internet Explorer.
• It's a thinly-disguised attempt to undermine Netscape and the rest of Microsoft's competition. Well, maybe. Go get 'em, Janet!

Even the Department of Justice has painted Microsoft as the Evil Empire.

Who knows? The fact is, Windows 98 does work, where Windows 95 never really did. We believe people will soon enough realize that and make the change. Once Windows 98 is established (let's say 6- 12 months from now), then DOS and Win311 will be declared truly dead.

Of course, if you're going to switch, you have to do it right. You need a Pentium-class processor, lots of memory (32-64 Mb. is now the minimum) and a fast, large hard disk. Fast video helps, and it's almost time to spring for a 56K modem (the new generation, using the V.90 standard). Think big monitor, too, to accommodate all those sliders and button bars. 17" monitors are half the price they were a year ago, and let you feel less constrained as you multitask your way through the day.

You can run this software on a mid-range 486 if you must. You'll find it works, and you may find performance to be acceptable unless you've been exposed to a more contemporary setup. But better would be a big hard disk (4-6 gigabytes), more memory (cheaper than ever!), and of course a decent multimedia system, including CD-ROM drive and sound card. Really fast processors are now common and Pentium II is raising the bar considerably. New software is being written to run on some awesome new hardware, and that hardware is cheaper than ever.

So an upgrade to Windows 98 may trigger a hardware upgrade. However, in many cases you can get by without buying a whole new computer. (If you want to discuss specifics, give us a call. We're in the business of upgrading computers, so we're happy to hear from you.)

By the way, forget altogether about Windows 95, especially if you're still running DOS or an older version of Windows 95. Jump right into Win98. It changes the mathematics of file storage so that you can efficiently use a large hard disk. For reasons known only to Microsoft, the Windows 95 Upgrade Edition (as opposed to the OEM Edition, for use only with new computers) never incorporated 32-bit File Allocation Table technology. Thus if you upgraded today from DOS to Windows 95 your C: drive would be limited (no matter what its actual size) to 2.1 gigabytes of storage. Win98 cleans that problem up and lets you expand right into a 4-8 gigabyte drive without bloating the size of your current files.

The bottom line: I'll be switching my primary business computer from DOS and Windows 3 to Windows 98 as soon as the final release is available (the target release date is June 25, 1998). If this old computer curmudgeon can do it, so can you.

We're currently gathering materials on Windows 98. Meanwhile, here's a quick set of links to reviews and tips, thanks to CMPnet's TechShopper.

Fine print: Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

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Last update: 5-28-98.