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| Which Windows Is For You? |
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Windows Computing January 1999 • Vol.10 Issue 1 |
Which Windows Is For You? The Simple Choice Between Windows 98 & NT Raises Many Questions | ||
 You've made the big decision: It's time to upgrade the operating system on your home computer or your company's multiple computers. With that settled, you now face a few more decisions, including which operating system will work best for you. If you want to upgrade to a mainstream PC operating system, you can use any operating system you want—as long as it's Windows. You can, of course, consider something off the Microsoft path for your next operating system. We investigated the pros and cons of some lesser-known operating systems in the article "Life Beyond Windows" in our November 1998 issue. In this article, we'll stick to the computing world's two dominant operating systems, which just so happen to come from Microsoft. Microsoft currently offers two versions of its pervasive operating system for desktop and portable computers: Windows 98 (Win98), released in June 1998, and Windows NT (WinNT), Workstation 4.0, released in 1996. The company's other current operating system, Windows CE (WinCE) 2.0, runs on just about everything but desktop and portable computers. Microsoft's marketing machine tries to simplify the choice between the two Windows, labeling Win98 ($180 for full version, $90 for upgrade) its home or consumer user operating system and NT 4.0 ($250 for full version, $140 for upgrade) its business operating system. Features in both versions of Windows, however, make each useful to both types of users. If you're content to let Microsoft decide what is best for you and your computer, or your company's computers, proceed to the store now and buy the prescribed operating system. If you'd rather choose your own operating system based on details of your own situation, keep reading.
 System Requirements An operating system's technological wonders are worth little if they won't run on your computer. Upgrading to Win98 requires a computer with at least a 486DX processor running at 66 megahertz (MHz), 16 megabytes (MB) of RAM, 120MB to 295MB of free hard drive space, a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive (the diskette version of Win98 costs extra), a video graphics array (VGA) monitor, and a mouse. NT 4.0's minimum requirements include a Pentium or faster processor, 16MB RAM (32 recommended), 110MB of free hard drive space, a CD-ROM drive (or access to one over a computer network), a VGA monitor, and a mouse. Remember, these are minimum requirements, and if you run either operating system on a PC with these exact specifications you can expect slow performance. As the specifications show, if you're running an older computer, Win98 may be your only option. Before spending money to upgrade an older PC's operating system, however, consider putting that cash toward the purchase of a new computer, which will come loaded with a new operating system. There's no use in upgrading your operating system if your home or business computer lacks the power, speed, and memory to take advantage of its features. Hardware Compatibility Your hardware issues are just beginning when you decide you have enough computer to run these operating systems. Another issue concerns making sure all your computer's parts will play nice with the new boss, since a new operating system loses its appeal quickly if it costs you your modem. Both business and home users will probably find more to love about Win98 than NT 4.0. Win98 supports just about all types of hardware, including the latest multimedia standards such as DVD-ROM and the ability to watch television through your PC. It also offers Plug-and-Play capabilities, which means if you install a Plug-and-Play hardware device, such as an internal modem, the operating system will detect it and begin the installation process. Win98 also offers native support for Universal Serial Bus (USB), which means when you plug a new printer, scanner, or other USB device into your computer's USB port, Win98 will install the device for you. It doesn't get much easier. NT 4.0, on the other hand, has a much shorter hardware compatibility list, so you must check Microsoft's World Wide Web site (http://www.microsoft.com) to make sure your computer's hardware is on the list. NT 4.0 lacks built-in Plug-and-Play and USB support, so installing new hardware can be significantly more difficult under this operating system. Software Compatibility The operating system's cooperation with your software is just as critical as hardware compatibility. Here again, Win98 is superior to NT 4.0 in business and home settings. That's because Win98, while a 32-bit operating system, retains the ability to run most old 16-bit applications. NT 4.0's ability to run 16-bit applications is shaky at best. What does that mean to you? If you're a business user and your company is still using an eight-year-old, custom-made accounting program it's probably a 16-bit application that won't run well with NT 4.0. Your option here is to go with Win98 and keep your old accounting program or update or replace the program and broaden your operating system options. Home users probably run few old-fashioned, custom applications. But you may run DOS-based games or applications designed for Windows 3.x, and while they'll run under Win98, there will be problems under NT 4.0. Stability Stability is a buzz word used mostly in the business computing world. Put simply, a more stable operating system crashes less. While Win98 seems more stable than Win95, NT 4.0 is even more so. The major reason is NT's ability to assign individual portions of memory to different applications, which keeps the whole system from crashing if one application fails. A potential problem with Win98 and its Web-integrated interface is if the pervasive browser crashes, it could cause system-wide problems. Microsoft obviously designed its "business" operating system to be more crash-resistant because crashes waste time and money in business. Of course, most home users aren't just playing Solitaire, and they could benefit from NT 4.0's stability. Interface The jump from Windows 3.x to Win95 introduced a huge change in the look, feel, and function of the operating system interface. The differences among Win95, Win98, and NT 4.0 are considerably less profound. Win98 shows off its tight Internet integration by merging its Win95-based interface with the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 browser (a Win95 machine running Explorer 4.0 looks like Win98). This integration creates an interface that basically lets you browse your Desktop and files on your hard drive just as you do sites on the Internet. NT 4.0 looks like Win95 before installation of Explorer 4.0. If you enjoy the Web look, you might favor Win98. Aside from some basic surface differences, however, the NT and Win98 interfaces are about the same. The interface probably won't be a major issue unless you're looking for a feature to help you make a final decision. Security & Speed While Win98 offers decent security features, including the ability to let multiple users create password-protected profiles on a single machine, there's really no contest here. Security has long been NT 4.0's rallying cry. With everything from user authentication to access control to the special Windows NT File System that protects the system and its contents, NT 4.0 is very serious about security. If you're similarly dedicated to protecting your sensitive data, whether from menacing corporate spies or your family's accidental invasions, NT 4.0 is the better choice. Installing either Win98 or NT 4.0 on a capable PC should produce better speeds than your old operating system (install them on a weak system, and performance will suffer). Generally speaking, Win98's improvements provide better boot up, application launch, and shut down times than Win95. Surprisingly, however, Microsoft claims on its Web site that the older NT 4.0 is faster than Win98 on a capable computer running standard business software. According to an independent study by National Software Testing Laboratories, NT 4.0 on a PC with 32MB RAM operates, on average, 22% faster then Win98 on the same machine. At 64MB RAM NT 4.0 is 30% faster. That makes NT 4.0 the clear choice if you're looking for improved performance running word processing, spreadsheet, and other business applications. Networking Win98 offers some very basic networking capabilities, but NT 4.0 is obviously the stronger choice in this category. The operating system works with a variety of different server operating systems, but when pared with its companion product WinNT Server 4.0, it offers a high level of manageability. Manageability, another operating system buzz word, refers to the ability to control certain aspects of a networked workstation, such as application authority and file access. If you're a home user with a single PC, this is probably of little importance to you. If you're the person at the office in charge of keeping a network of computers up and running, it's a high priority. The Looming Windows 2000 Anyone who keeps current with computing is aware of a third Windows option that could play into upgrade decisions. The hype surrounding the upcoming Windows 2000 (Win2K, formerly known as NT Workstation 5.0) is huge, largely because it represents the merging of the Win9x and WinNT operating systems and should offer the best of both products. The new operating system's leap forward in technology has many computer users, both home and business, debating whether to delay upgrades until its release. That could be unwise. Microsoft has repeatedly pushed back the Win2K release date, and best-guess estimates now place it as early as the end of 1999, or as late as mid-2000. Plus, smart users won't upgrade when it first hits the market because they know it's better to wait awhile, up to six months, so Microsoft can work out the bugs that are inevitable in a program so large and complex. In other words, a dependable version of Win2K could be two years away. If you need a new operating system right now, that's way too long to wait. Better to choose between Win98 and WinNT 4.0 and achieve better performance now and worry about the Win2K decision when it's a more realistic option.  by Tom Mainelli
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