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Today's Featured Computer Term: Operating System
The Operating System is the most important program that runs on a computer. Every general-purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
For large systems, the operating system has even greater responsibilities and powers. It is like a traffic cop -- it makes sure that different programs and users running at the same time do not interfere with each other. The operating system is also responsible for security, ensuring that unauthorized users do not access the system.
Operating systems can be classified as follows:
Operating systems provide a software platform on top of which other programs, called application programs, can run. The application programs must be written to run on top of a particular operating system. Your choice of operating system, therefore, determines to a great extent the applications you can run. For PCs, the most popular operating systems are DOS, OS/2, and Windows, but others are available, such as Linux.
As a user, you normally interact with the operating system through a set of commands. For example, the DOS operating system contains commands such as COPY and RENAME for copying files and changing the names of files, respectively. The commands are accepted and executed by a part of the operating system called the command processor or command line interpreter. Graphical user interfaces, like Windows, allow you to enter commands by pointing and clicking at objects that appear on the screen.
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Today's Topic: Windows Me
What is Windows Me?
Windows Me is the latest member of the Windows 9X family. If you've used Windows 98, you'll have to look pretty closely to see the differences, because the basic interface and architecture are the same as Windows 95 and 98. Don't let anyone tell you this is just a minor upgrade, however; Windows Me contains a host of new multimedia tools, a new Home Networking Wizard, and some important changes to the system design that should help you avoid some of the most common causes of Windows problems.
What's the difference between Windows Me and Windows 2000? Windows 2000 is Microsoft's business-oriented operating system and is loaded with features intended for use on corporate networks. Windows Me is intended primarily for use in the home, by users who don't have a lot of technical background. It's especially well suited for games and multimedia programs.
Will my current Windows software work with Windows Me? Probably. Compatibility with existing Windows programs was a primary goal of the Windows Me design team. However, before upgrading, you might want to check with the developers of your favorite programs to make sure they'll work.
Will Windows Me crash as often as my current Windows version? Well, this is Windows we're talking about! There's nothing in Windows Me that will prevent a Windows program from crashing. And because it's based on the same basic architecture as Windows 95 and 98, a poorly written program or device driver can take down the rest of the system, too. The good news is that Windows Me has an impressive new System Restore capability that can help you put your system back together when it falls apart.
Is Windows Me faster or slower than Windows 98? That depends on how you measure it. It should start up and shut down faster. In fact, on new systems due out this year and early next year, the FastBoot feature will let you go from a cold start to the desktop in under 10 seconds. Now the bad news: The same new features that protect your system will drag down performance slightly. The faster your PC, the more likely it is you won't even notice.
Should I upgrade?
-If you're buying a new computer, insist on Windows Me. For new hardware, this is absolutely the way to go. You can be certain that all hardware drivers are the right ones, and you won't have to worry about incompatibilities with older software.
-If you have a PC with Win 98, don't upgrade unless you have the right hardware. Memory is the most crucial ingredient to a successful upgrade. If you have less than 128MB of RAM, save the $50 you would have spent on Windows Me and put it towards your upgrade budget instead. If your PC is more than two years old, forget about Windows Me. |
