johnrobert
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Is a Windows 98 machine usable in 2017?
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jft135
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I have a customer who insists on only using Win98SE. I've ordered several PC's for him from eBay as the old ones have died, and he's always thrilled I can still get them.
He's not stupid either. He was on the team of programmers that wrote the code for the Voyager probes. He just hates all the newer editions of Windows.
He's not stupid either. He was on the team of programmers that wrote the code for the Voyager probes. He just hates all the newer editions of Windows.
nlinecomputers
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So this is a man in his late 70s or 80s then? An old dude who has gotten to a point in his life where he can't take change.
Krilus
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mraikes
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FTFY
That's the thing about Windows versions. Since roughly 98se & XP, no windows version has brought a significant improvement in user experience (for the vast majority of users). Change yes, improvement - not really. Sure, they might be faster (due mostly to hardware improvements), but your average user back then and now uses Word, maybe Excel occasionally, an email client, browses the web, plays the occasional game. About the only relatively new thing is watching streaming videos/movies.
For most users, every new version of Windows, and MS Office, has just been change for the sake of change. Background stuff, like improved security, isn't even on people's radar. Sure, W10 has Cortana - but no one uses it. It and 8 has an app store, but very few use it on purpose.
Think about it. I can't think of a single customer ever that said "I wish Windows could do x, y or z". They never asked for an app store. They never asked for the start button to go away (or change). They never asked for a browser that looks/works differently than IE (Edge!). They never asked for magic ribbon in MS Office. The only thing they ever want is faster and more reliable.
People like us think of things like improved security for all that comes from a type of "herd immunity" when we all have more secure systems. But that isn't a concern of the average Joe & Jolene.
From the user's perspective, why would/should an old guy want to change if he already has something that does everything he wants it to do, in the way he wants it done?
EDIT: In my first paragraph I mentioned faster computers being an improvement. I just thought about a lady's Win 95 computer I worked on a week or two ago. It was FAST. Booted fast, ran fast, responded fast. So we haven't really improved in that area as much as my faulty memory would have me believe.
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nlinecomputers
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Really? My Windows 10 laptop boots to the desktop in 4 seconds.
mraikes
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Boot speed is pretty much a red herring, but nevertheless a 4 second boot isn't the norm and you know it.
For most end users it really doesn't matter if it takes 4 seconds or 60 seconds to fully boot. It's how they use the computer after it boots that matters most.
nlinecomputers
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It is for those willing to embrace change. You are not going to get a 4 second boot on a Win 98 system because it can't run the hardware. And with a software add on or two you can make Windows 10 look and behave more like Windows 98. Classic shell or other like programs can give you that.
Hybrid boot... not a real reboot ;-)
Anyway, 100% with this Win98 guy. Without the need to use Internet on this particular PC, no need to change... just for the sake of change...
And he can access Internet on another device if he wish...
nlinecomputers
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So what? If it reduces my idol time and thus my productivity I am all for it. Microsoft has been trying and horribly failing for 20 years to improve boot time. SSDs have finally made that come true.
So... nothing. Note the ";-)".
;-) ;-)
mraikes
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Someone happy with W98, or XP, or W7, Or W8, is probably not that concerned about achieving a boot speed that isn't normal for most users. Embracing change or not, 4 second boots don't happen by accident, nor with your typical off the shelf computer. Nor with probably 95% of the Free Upgrade! systems out there from the last year or two. But thankfully, a 4 second vs 60 second boot isn't particularly valuable in any non-lifesaving situation.
And using kludges to make W10 a little more like W98? It's kind of a weird thought, but yeah - you're right, I suppose it could be done. But it would still be W10, with all the associated crap no one asked for, and a version of office a user like that wouldn't be happy with, and, and, and.
Face it, there's nothing wrong with someone wanting to stick with something they like and works for them as long as they can. I wouldn't be surprised if @jft135 's customer uses a cell phone, a TV with a wireless remote, and drives an automatic shift car - embracing change that benefits him.
Good on ya JFT for keeping your client tickled pink.
One of the stories I read about this stated that the owner used KernelEx and Opera11 for improved web compatibility, and KeepVid to view YouTube videos locally.
http://bgr.com/2017/02/28/windows-98-today-video/
Rick
http://bgr.com/2017/02/28/windows-98-today-video/
Rick
Some people hate change and then there are other people that seem to take a weird pride in using old stuff and the challenge of using it to get things done.
While you may wonder why they would want to suffer like that, it's a waste of time trying to convince them otherwise.
While you may wonder why they would want to suffer like that, it's a waste of time trying to convince them otherwise.
carlitos31
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I have a customer that has new, expensive computers, and also old computers that he has me fix when trouble happens. He doesn't mind paying to have this W98 desktop fixed, we have replaced power supply, memory, hard drive, DVD drive and labor/parts charges do not concern him at all.
I think I am the only tech in my area that welcomes this types of job, so he is not going anywhere. I have many customers that run old applications that will only work on NT, or Win95-98 systems so upgrading is not an option, and they do have newer systems for internet/email
I think I am the only tech in my area that welcomes this types of job, so he is not going anywhere. I have many customers that run old applications that will only work on NT, or Win95-98 systems so upgrading is not an option, and they do have newer systems for internet/email
kwest
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Why not set them up with a virtual machine on a new system if they only use it for a program. I have done this a couple of times. Image the system and open in virtual machine and fix any issues that come up.
LordIntruder
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What if such a machine is a stupid print server or something like that (you don't want to know how many matrix printers with IEEE-1284 interface are running right now on this planet within a network)? To make such a low cost stand alone machine virtual is not really a useful solution.
YeOldeStonecat
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Recently had an old programmer in our office a few months ago, he did stuff for Electric Boat/General Dynamics...they brought him out of retirement for a project. Old project on Windows 95.
It's not about the ability to embrace change or not, it's running the program in the environment it was designed in/for. Yes we're all familiar with compatibility mode and DoSBox and tons of emulators...but some software is just happiest being where it's always been, and doesn't play well in newer environments.
Was odd looking at the Windows 95 desktop again after all these years.
It didn't go on the internet at all.
It's not about the ability to embrace change or not, it's running the program in the environment it was designed in/for. Yes we're all familiar with compatibility mode and DoSBox and tons of emulators...but some software is just happiest being where it's always been, and doesn't play well in newer environments.
Was odd looking at the Windows 95 desktop again after all these years.
It didn't go on the internet at all.
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