Windows 98SE or Windows XP home / Pro

[Mat]

So there you go. I know a lot (if nit all) people on CF will be runing Windows XP, but whihc do you think is better.

I know a few people who think that windows 98SE is better than XP, I think that they are mad!

I love winows XP it is far better to use than windowns 98 and looks beter. Also Windows 98 doesnt support Wireless networks that well as it doesnt like sharing files over it and I can't be bothered and don;t have the patients to sort it out!

So there you go... which is better?

 

[Anonymous]

Definatley XP.

98 is harder to use, and XP is much better setup for ease of use...

 

[Anonymous]

XP.. I've had no problems with it, and I don't like grey.

..even though I'd be using a custom theme anyway :\

 

[Hyde]

XP for me, simply because it is a lot more user friendly than 98.

 

[Anonymous]

Windows XP, so much better looking and has so many extra features that are actually really useful.

 

[Anonymous]

Also Windows 98 doesnt support Wireless networks that well as it doesnt like sharing files over it and I can't be bothered and don;t have the patients to sort it out!

I have never actually gone out and looked for it, as I dont use 98 anymore, but I would put quite a bit of money there are easy ways of doing that, such as a 3rd party plugin, getting a wifi USB thing, etc etc. But your point is valid, its not automatic for all the non-tech-savy people in the world (90% of computer users *cough...) that dont want to deal with the configuration of everything manually.

I personally prefer XP (and 2000 as well), because of NTFS, but only with the classic windows theme. I cant stand the ugly toddler looking skin that comes default.

 

[Angel]

Xp ... dont know weather its pro or home most likely home but Its on all computers in my house.

I much prefer it to 98 as I found that pretty bland and boring.

XP is easy to use for a computer dumbo like me.

 

[aly]

I only like Windows XP Media Centre Edition, it looks a lot more sexier and has a few more features.

The default theme is the same as the Silver theme on XP Home + Pro however it is in the green + blue style so it has that embossed metallic look.

 

[furie]

I ran 50 plus PC's on Windows 98 SE for years. They're a nightmare. Nothing works properly and they fall over at the drop of a hat.

We're runnnig Windows 2K now, which is essentially the same(ish) interface, but with the OS backend that XP is based on. So you have the basic looks of Win98 and the stability and compatability that XP has. Works a treat in an office environment.

XP I really like though. I run it at home (BTW, don't run XP Pro at home, the only difference between Home and Pro is about 40% of your PC being used for security stuff that allows you to connect to business networks, as your home machine will never do this, that's a lot of resources being tied up doing nothing).

XP is just right: it's stable, pretty, user friendly and has oodles of media stuff and clever little things that make computing easy for noobs! If you want to get more complicated and push it beyond it's default, it still works pretty bloody well!

98 was a dogs dinner and should have been sent out back to be shot a long time ago!

 

[Anonymous]

Windows Xp!!

I'll always remember Windows 95 and how bad it is compared to XP.

I think that XP is alot easy to use and is more Aesthetically pleasing

 

[joe]

Obviously Windows XP. Windows 98 was crap, slow and dull. Nuff' said.

 

[Harvey]

^ Whereas XP is crap and slow, but snazzy colour wise, the UI is bollocks though.

Sorry my good man

OS X (10.4)

 

[Anonymous]

I ran 50 plus PC's on Windows 98 SE for years. They're a nightmare. Nothing works properly and they fall over at the drop of a hat.

Hmm, would you prefer running 50 PCs with 98SE, or ME? :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

^ Whereas XP is crap and slow, but snazzy.

Sorry my good man.

OS X (10.4)

Damn true. I want a mac so badly..

 

[Harvey]

^ Heres a tip, not the Intel Mini Mac - wanna know why?

Apple said that using Intels chips would make their computers more accesible to the common user (go figure), oh yeah, yeah! More accesible - at a higher price.........

Also, INTEGRATED GRAPHICS CHIP *laughs madly* What the **** were they thinking? Cheapo, crappy integrated graphics for a system that runs a graphically intense (by operating system standards anyway) operating system (uses 3D acceleration for features like expose) - it actually has less graphical clout that the PowerPC Maci Mini that its replacing, which boasted an ATi 9200.

No denying it, the Core Duo chip is fast, but with tacky hardware in the Mini system to go with it - its being underused, you simply cant use the power of the processor, because all the other components cant keep up with it.

Waste of money, and thats coming from an Apple fan.

 

[Titan]

I use 98, I hate all the fancy ****e xp has. Its got all these usless annoying things on it, even though theyre optional, that just get in the way. But alot of it isnt optional still. Mostly stupid things like the cursor shadow, stupid bubbly menus and whatnot, etc. Basically, its crap thats there to make it look good and fancy, but doesnt help at all to the operation of the machine. I guess Im a minimalist then. But even though XP is probably safer, I dont like how it acts. Things like folders, start menu set-ups, operation things like that. I dont like change usually, and getting xp means Id have to learn how to use a completely different operating system practically... I just dont feel like it. Besides, I only got a virus once and that was my fault, for accepting a curiously named MS-DOS file that was automatically sent to everyone when this.. one person.. signed on. Windows '98 doesnt feel 8 years old, as long as I have virus scans and a working hard drive, 98 works perfectly fine and doesnt have the extra crap. Whats the SE part?

Since when in s h i t e censored, and crap not?

 

[Anonymous]

I use 98, I hate all the fancy <img src="http://www.coasterforce.info/images/smiles/5censored.gif" width="34" height="15"> xp has. Its got all these usless annoying things on it, even though theyre optional, that just get in the way. But alot of it isnt optional still. Mostly stupid things like the cursor shadow, stupid bubbly menus and whatnot, etc. Basically, its crap thats there to make it look good and fancy, but doesnt help at all to the operation of the machine.

You can turn off the cursor shadow and the bubbly menus, I believe. Everything aesthetically about my current configuration of xp minus the extended start menu (which you can also change) looks just like a 9x machine (aka 95, 98, ME), while still running xp. Its seriously like 98 but on a more stable kernel.

Whats the SE part?

Second Edition. Im not totally sure as to why that was added, as that wasnt an aesthetical update, if I remember correctly. I really dont see why this poll was made xp vs 98, instead of the more logical 9x vs NT.

 

[Harvey]

Um.....unless there's something I'm missing here.....part of the marketability of Windows's operating systems is that they DON'T take ages to learn, and once you learn one, you pretty much know the rest.

To be honest, in some cases I'd disagree - I tried teaching my grandparents to use a PC, but it was a no go, so I gave OSX a try and they did fine (after a fashion), OSX IS simpler to use for none techy savvy folk - where as windows usually gives you several ways of doing things, OSX generally gives you one (two if you start talking about hotkeys). I find when teaching people how to use a computer, that simplicity makes life much easier.


Also, as people are talking about XP looking flashy - if your running a low power system it'll knock a slight edge of your performance (no joke), as it requires CPU and GPU cycles to process it - so on slower computers I disable the lot, including the ugly task bars.

 

[Anonymous]

ill say Windows Xp!! alot better then 98 and looks alot better

 

[Mat]

Whats the SE part?

Second Edition. Im not totally sure as to why that was added, as that wasnt an aesthetical update, if I remember correctly.

The update didn't do much t just let you use USB and I think it as SLIGHTLY easier to use but I can't see much difference.