Rating: 
Summary: Excellent product. Very stable.
Review: I installed Windows 98 as an upgrade from 3.1 What a difference! Win 98 found all of my hardware and installed the device drivers without any intervention on my part. After running it for a month, the system has not crashed once, although Internet Explorer 5.0 did hang up when the telephone connection was lost. Even then, I simply shut down the dead program and Win 98 kept going without so much as a blink. The interface is very intuitive and I can usually do what I need without consulting Help. If I like it so much, why not 5 stars? For one thing, I feel trapped into using the FAT16 file system and am therefore limited to drive sizes of 2GB each; splitting my hard drive into pieces. Microsoft provides a utility to convert to FAT32 which lets me have much larger drives. However, if after converting to FAT32 I want to repartition the drive, I will lose all of the data on my hard drive and will need to re-install everything. (I have seen a utility for $70 that will repartition the drive without losing the data.) Second, I have found several references to Frontpage Express in the online Help that is supposed to be included with the other Internet applications. However, Frontpage Express is nowhere to be found, either on the CD or as part of the install procedure. Microsoft's web site has been no help either. All in all, I am very happy with Windows 98. I would not switch to Linux if they gave it to me. Actually, they do give it away and I still will not change. (I had to get that in after reading all the Window-bashing reviews.)
Rating: 
Summary: Poor poor Microsoft.
Review: How do you make an OS that in most cases is terrible...worse? You make an even more terrible update.This is a strange case (as is to me with most MS products) as some of the things added when using this update actually make Windows 98 easier to use...while also hogging resources, making the system more unstable and other things that the normal user wouldn't notice but drive me nuts. It is so sad that all the gamers out there must rely on such poor stability to play games that otherwise would be amazing if they didn't have to fight the OS for resources. Alas, in close, Windows is here to stay (Win2K actually looks like a winner though kiddies) so we may as well get used to it. Linux, BeOS, FreeBSD, et al. are newcomers on the block and will steal some of Microsoft's glory but it's going to take many years to knock out all of the companies that rely on being "Windows Compatible" to make them money. Yes indeed, it is here to stay.
Rating: 
Summary: What is everyone talking about?
Review: I have been reading the reviews about Windows 98 SE, and people say it sucks. I disagree! I admit that Windows 98 SE does have a couple of bugs, but it for sure has less than Windows 95. The only problem with it is that sometimes it hangs during shutdown, but that is only a minor problem. Its more stable than 95 and has more features. It is easier to use and is faster too. The upgrade went great and only took about 30 min. For all those people with "name brand pc's" that have trouble upgrading I have one too. Its a Compaq Presario 8760, with 166MHz and 64mb of ram. Windows 98 SE also comes with a new version of DirectX and even has Microsoft Plus included. It features more 3D icons, and has a mini-desktop in the taskbar. Windows 98 also has an improved start menu and help capabilites. It even comes with Windows Update which goes on the internet and shows you new files you can get for it. Oh yeah... the startup is alot faster (about 50 sec). Windows 98 also has better system tools and network capabilites. So if you are using Windows 3.1 or 95, and your computer can't handle the newest version of Windows (ME) than go with Windows 98! Its worth it.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't wait for Windows 2000... unless you use NT now.
Review: I use Windows NT, 95, and 98 in varying work and leisure activities and find there are definite advantages to having 98 available when it comes to adding and configuring certain devices, especially USB and certain 3D cards. If you're a gamer and want to keep playing the leading 3D games, Windows 2000 won't treat you any better than Windows NT. Of course there are exceptions. Like Quake II in Open GL with my Voodoo Banshee. But for most popular games you will still need Windows 98. Upgrading from Windows 95 to Windows 2000 and expecting to be able to use all the same software on your system, is like expecting the same thing out of Windows NT 4. That's because Windows 2000 IS Windows NT. Remember, it WAS called WIndows NT 5.0. Windows 98 makes it easier to operate in today's market with the newer software and devices that are becoming available. Remember, if the system requirements on that software you are buying don't state that it will work on NT, it probably won't work on Windows 2000 either.
Rating: 
Summary: Instability is my middle name... Shhh.... Don' tell a soul!
Review: I was completely in the unknown in how to buy Pc's back in the day (2001). I unfortunately bought a HP Pavilion computer loaded with a Windows 98se. The operating system is unstable because it freezes if you run too many programs. It also doesn't have a "eye-candy" interface with the fancy metallic stream-lined toolbars, [see mac os x if you want to know better], if you care. Overall, if you're tight on the budget and can't afford a Apple Macintosh like me, you're stuck with Microsoft. Its a cheap, unstable O.S made WAAAY too fast without care, for a massive population. Get an apple if you want a life-time reliable computer, because if you're stuck with a microsoft windows computer, you'll be changing your computer every 2 to 3 years BECAUSE THE OS WILL BURN UP LIKE A SHRAPNEL!.
Rating:
Summary: Kudos to Amazon.com
Review: Hi out there;
Recently, I wrote a negative review about my negative experiences with MS products over the years. To my amazement (my apologies to Amazon) it was published on the Amazon web site on the customer review list associated with the MS XP OS. I was a poor little David with my little slingshot attacking Goliath ... (The richest man in the world)one bill gates, featured in the movie; "Pirates of Silicon Valley".
To my ,pleased, amazement the following occurred;
Days after my review published Customer reviews of 5 stars to XP numbering over 800 obscured the negative customer reviews already onsite. Highly suspicious, eh?
I replied with a review that my decision not to buy XP was based on the negative customer reviews of XP, rather than the avalanch of phoney 5 star reviews then on site. I was feeling used rather than "User".
Soon after the XP software was no longer featured on Amazon.com neither was ME nor 2000, they disappeared along with my negative reviews.
Now, featured is Win 98SE upgrade (It's unclear if this is an upgrade of Win 98SE or what and would'nt it be clearer if it was called Win 98 third edition). Also WinSE upgrade is selling at a 25% increase in the usual upgrade price an obvious display of immense gall.
Throughout all this where was Amazon.com? Running quietly in the background doing what a responsible business does ... objectively reporting even to the extent of referring a customer to an other vendor to satisfy that customer's needs. I recently ordered a book from Amazon.com and added another book to that order based only on Amazon's "Other customers also bought". OK it was a small order but it was an order made with confidence. Amazon.com has taught me over the years to trust them. How sad for MS that they as yet don't understand that simple basic process.
To those of you out there that feel your voices are too small to be heard, I encourage you to speak up and let's together make this world the place it ought to be.
Again Thank You Amazon.com we love ya!
As always Sincerely
John King AKA jhnkij@aol.com
Rating:
Summary: This software is nessessary, but there are alternatives:
Review: I used to have some SERIOUS problems with this software. It would crash frequently. It was very slow. Some bugs, like software entries in your "Add/Remove" software list remaining even if you UNINSTALL that software like Microsoft tells you to do, I thought Microsoft would have fixed. I cannot imagine why Microsoft has not removed bugs like this. The only possible explanation in my mind is that the software is too bloated and too complicated for fundamental changes to be made to it any more. All I can do is express disappointment, and wait for Windows ME, the consumer version of Windows 2000. Windows ME, much of its kernal being written from scratch, will not have the stability issues and speed issues that the current versions of Windows have. Until it is released, however, there are a few other options availible besides using only Windows. One day I found a shell that works on top Windows 98, which makes Windows 98 much faster, more stable, and more productive, while providing full software compatibility. The shell is called LiteStep. . . I suggest that you check it out. LiteStep is a multi-tasking giant, allowing you to have as many as 8 virtual desktops open at the same time. This has been the greatest boon to my productivity. The funny thing is, even when I have things open and running in more than half of the virtual desktops at the same time, this shell is STILL faster than the regular Windows enviornment. There are also thousands of colorful and functional MODs availible to download for free. A MOD is graphical and functional overhaul, and depending on your asthetic tastes, functional requirements, and computational needs you can pick a MOD that is right for you. No one MOD is best for everyone. LiteStep is part of the open source movement, which means that people are always working on this software and it is constantly evolving. The download for the core shell is not even a megabyte, and took me less than twently minutes to download, install, and be running LiteStep. The only problem with LiteStep right now, however, is that it is generally not ready for beginner users. Configuration involves editing text files and can be somewhat painstaking, and would be hard for those new to computers. If you want a new feature for LiteStep, however, you can download that feature individually and combine it with other features and create your own cusomized version of LiteStep for you. I am using LiteStep right now to write this review because I think that the benefits of LiteStep outweight the downsides for advanced users. There is another alternative, and that is to put Linux on your system. It is stable. It is robust. It is fast. Very, very fast. Faster than LiteStep. But, no doubt you are saying now that it is probably too complicated and archaic to install. Not so any longer. A brand new type of Linux, the Corel Linux OS is so amazingly user friendly that I can only begin to express how helpful it has been to me. It takes only 4 steps to install. FOUR steps. It installs in less time than Windows and detected hardware on my computer without a hitch, but I have heard reports of others having problems configuring hardware, and needing to do things manually. As far as I can ascertain from what I have heard, about 30% of users have these troubles, and require tech support. About 70% install it without a hitch, like I did. However, it is not Plug and Play compatable as of yet. It is so amazingly fast, though, that I hate it when I need to run a program on Windows or LiteStep that I do not have to run on Linux. Corel Linux OS I would reccomend to intermediate computer users. Also of interest is the Corel Linux WordPerfect Office Suite 2000, which is excellent, but that is another review. PC World Magazine says of Corel Linux: "The new kid on the block, the 1.0 release has a few rough edges but is the easiest, friendliest Linux yet." The main strength of Windows is software compatability, and total simplicity for those without the time or the knowledge to use another system. If you want to be able to run everything that is availible, you will NEED this software in some form or another (LiteStep). My solution? Have the best of both worlds. Set up a dual-boot system with Windows/LiteStep and Linux. My prediction is that Microsoft Windows is going to go the way of the dinosaur, but it will still be around for another 10 or so years. During that time, we will be in a transition period, when more and more software packages are released for Linux. Until everyone uses Linux, however, windows is a nessessity.
Rating:
Summary: Bleh
Review: This was installed on my Pentium II 450Mhz when I bought it in 1998. It works if you NEVER install any third party software or hardware...but if you do...get ready for the error boxes,blue screens of death,computer freezes and more hell. Be sure to keep the installation disc in your CD Rom,not to mention the bootdisk in your floppy drive. Go buy Windows XP.
Rating:
Summary: Good for a couple things....
Review: Ah . . . Windows 98 SE - the latest product Microsoft is shoving down our throats. When I first installed Win98SE, I didn't expect much. A couple cosmetic changes here and there, a newer version of Internet Explorer bundled, and improved hardware compatibility. And that's _exactly_ what I got. Nothing more, nothing less. God forbid that Microsoft make their latest creation faster, more efficient, and more stable. A lower price wouldn't hurt, either ($89 for an upgrade and $179 for a full install is unacceptable, IMO). But we get none of those things, and instead get a shoddy upgrade that changes a few little things that a normal Windows user wouldn't care to notice. My advice: pick this up _only_ if you're _still_ on Windows 95A or older. If you're on Windows 95B or Windows 98, stay away. Keep your money. Invest in Windows 2000 instead. In fact, personally, my Windows partition sits dormant on my hard drive. It serves no other purpose but to play some old DOS games, or to test an application that I absolutely need to use (which isn't often). If you're anything like me, get BeOS instead (only if you already have Win95/98, of course). Not only is it cheaper ($49 at this site), but it's faster, more efficient, offers better stability, etc etc.
Rating:
Summary: Always a dll problem
Review: So frustrated I had to write this review. I taken a course on the A+ certification (haven't had time to take the test yet) I know and understand how to maintain a computer. .dll files are shared between win 95/98 programs, if a .dll file is removed improperly, other programs will still look for it and give you an error. Then you have to shut down your computer (unless the computer froze on you then you have to power off and go through scan disk, which isn't good either). To avoid these errors you are suppose to always use the uninstall.exe the software came with, if it does not have one you go into the control panel and use the "add/remove program". Now that I have been maintaining my computer as stated above, why the hell did I just get a .dll file error while using Adobe Photo Shop? According to "Microsoft" this should not have accured. - I am sick to death of Microstoft - The reason why I give this 2 stars instead of 1 is because of USB and all of the games and programs available for win 98. It also crashes way less than windows 95 (but still crashes). The win 98 machine is my work computer. At home I have just installed Red Hat Linux. Now keep in mind you still have to take proper care of linux system, but it seems that linux is pretty solid. I'm glad I chose it. I'm just starting to learn perl and there are plenty of program you can download for free to use and to mess with the code. I've used Unix for over a year and a half so it may be a little easier for me to start having fun with linux then most people, but I urge you to give a try. Oh yeah, as soon as the BeOs is free I'll try that out as well. Be said they would release the free version soon. I hope my review helps. Thank you.
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