Hi there once again readers. Hope you are enjoying reading my daily blogs focussing on Media based subjects. In this blog, I want to carry on the technology theme by focussing on what I think is one of the best operating systems Microsoft has ever produced. I am talking about the legend that is Windows 98. Just to backtrack slightly, I need to explain about Windows 95, the one before 98. It was a revolution when it first came out. I remember around the time I first saw it, the layout and functionality was excellent. Maybe as technology goers, we are impressed if something new comes on the scene. I certainly was when I realised this new computer thing takes music CDs! I was impressed to see video playing on the computer! I think the Windows 95 installation disc had Buddy Holly by Weezer on it, my first encounter with compressed video. Sure, the video had noticeable pixels, and the sound was ultra compressed, but I was impressed all the same! All seems a bit primitive in our age of MP3s and Youtube generated content but this was truly amazing back in 95. In addition to this, it had the DOS operating system under it. To me, this meant one thing, GAMES! There are still plenty of games out there on the platform; it’s a shame Windows 7 doesn’t take them.
Then along came Windows 98. This was more impressive. More functionality and more scope for going on the internet, back in the days when all there was available was a dial up connection. Is it just me, or did you think that this operating system could do no wrong. There was literally nothing wrong with it, the odd crashing during a game but that was a hardware issue. I used to, and still do, play a lot of DOS games on the system. I think Theme Park is a main one which is still played regularly.
Once 98 had come and gone, along came a succession of systems, predominately Windows XP. Sure it looked good, it worked well on the internet and it played more up to date games but I always had a few issues with it. I found it used to take an age to start up and shut down. 98 used to come on like a flash and switch off almost as soon as I pushed the button. Suddenly my DOS games wouldn’t work anymore, well not properly anymore. I needed to download DOSbox to be able to do anything. It worked but it is a lot of fuss just to play Astro Fire!
Nowadays Microsoft doesn’t support Windows 98 anymore, which is a shame. What I have to consider is when my old Packard Bell PC decides to pack up, I just go on Ebay and buy another for peanuts. It is only a Pentium 2 with 100mb of ram and a 3DFX Graphics Card, but it does things my newer computers doesn’t do. The issue with the modern PCs is that they don’t run every piece of software ever made. I have software designed for Windows 3.1 that wouldn’t work properly under some of the new ones.
Once again I feel I should end this rambling post. I would like to know your opinions on it. So please feel free to comment at the bottom.
Once 98 had come and gone, along came a succession of systems, predominately Windows XP. Sure it looked good, it worked well on the internet and it played more up to date games but I always had a few issues with it. I found it used to take an age to start up and shut down. 98 used to come on like a flash and switch off almost as soon as I pushed the button. Suddenly my DOS games wouldn’t work anymore, well not properly anymore. I needed to download DOSbox to be able to do anything. It worked but it is a lot of fuss just to play Astro Fire!
Nowadays Microsoft doesn’t support Windows 98 anymore, which is a shame. What I have to consider is when my old Packard Bell PC decides to pack up, I just go on Ebay and buy another for peanuts. It is only a Pentium 2 with 100mb of ram and a 3DFX Graphics Card, but it does things my newer computers doesn’t do. The issue with the modern PCs is that they don’t run every piece of software ever made. I have software designed for Windows 3.1 that wouldn’t work properly under some of the new ones.
Once again I feel I should end this rambling post. I would like to know your opinions on it. So please feel free to comment at the bottom.
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