- Platform: Windows 98 / Me / 95
- Media: CD-ROM
- Item Quantity: 1
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Product Description
Amazon.com Review
With the cutely named Windows Me (for Millennium Edition), Microsoft raises the bar a bit with a new operating system that you'll certainly want to consider for your next new PC. While this version will probably not be a compelling upgrade for most Windows 95/98 users, the newest member of the Windows operating-system family bundles a number of minor improvements aimed at making computing life easier for home users. This upgrade version of Windows Me is available for licensed users of Microsoft Windows 95, 98, or 98 Second Edition only.
There are several noteworthy features in Windows Me, even if no one feature really stands out. First, we liked that Windows Me boots noticeably faster. The reason is that the underpinnings of DOS have been removed from this new release. One result of this absence is that you can no longer boot to a command window as in Windows 95/98 without special diskettes. (Also, don't expect Windows Me to support older hardware that uses virtual device drivers written in the days of yore.) Of course, you can still run DOS command sessions within Windows Me.
Besides removing legacy support for DOS, Windows Me adds several other improvements to reliability. The most important is that every 10 hours or so, the operating system automatically backs up its system files (just like Windows 2000), thus reducing the chance of your system being corrupted. Windows Me also borrows the TCP/IP stack (the low-level code that connects to the Internet) from Windows 2000, meaning you should have slightly more reliable networking connections. For laptop users, you can also hibernate a session and restore it quickly, another feature borrowed from Windows 2000.
The personality of Windows Me also changed a bit for the better. Principally, you can take advantage of personalized menus, which show the most frequently accessed menu choices on the Start bar and hide the others. (This feature is also based on Windows 2000, but don't worry, you can turn it off.) Internet Explorer 5.5 is bundled here; so is support for working with compressed Zip files, which no longer require an add-on.
Microsoft has been touting the multimedia capabilities of the new Windows Me. There's a built-in video editor for video files, and the operating system makes it easy to connect to today's video cameras, scanners, and digital cameras. But without built-in support for Real Media files, these features probably won't please everybody.
So what's the verdict on Windows Me? Provided you have recent hardware, there are some good reasons to upgrade, but most users will want to stick with their current OS. If you are buying a new system, by all means choose Windows Me instead of Windows 98. Even though it isn't a major release for most users, Windows Me shows that Microsoft has done its homework when it comes to improving the computing experience for consumers. --Rich Dragan
Amazon.com Product Description
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition is a home operating system featuring digital media, an improved user experience, enhanced home networking, and a rich Internet experience. Windows computing offers extras like the Windows Media Player 7 and Windows Movie Maker, and it supports the latest in gaming technologies like DirectX, graphics accelerators, in-game chat, and more.
Using Windows is now even safer with new features like System Restore, to quickly restore your computer to a previous working state, and System File Protection, providing built-in safeguards to prevent accidental deletion or overwriting of key system files. This operating system even updates itself by automatically downloading the latest enhancements from the Web.
The included Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and Outlook Express afford a rich and full Internet experience. Take advantage of simple desktop-based tools to import photos from scanners and cameras, then organize, print and share them. Newly enhanced support of home networking includes step-by-step directions for setting up shared Internet connections, printers, and other peripherals, with full support for Ethernet, Home PNA, and wireless networks. Need help? Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition now offers a centralized location to find comprehensive and easy-to-use help--the Windows Help Center.
Note: This upgrade requires a licensed copy of Microsoft Windows 95, 98, or 98 Second Edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not worth the money - 98 with a pretty face,
By
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition Upgrade w/ Encryption Coded Software [Old Version] (CD-ROM)
Windows ME just isn't worth the investment. It is just Windows 98 with some added features. The core operating system is still the same, unreliable OS it always was. Let's start by looking at the plus side. The new features are pretty nice. Windows Media Player is much better than its predecessors. Internet Explorer 5.5 is a great browser and not having to download the beast is an added bonus. The auto update feature (while somewhat annoying at times) is much easier than searching the web for the latest software updates. If you feel these features are reason enough to upgrade your to ME, then go for it. As I said, ME still has plenty of reliability problems. It is still possible for a single application to bring down the entire operating system. In my experience it has been rare that I actually get the OS to shut down properly. I have used Linux and NT for years and gotten used to their stability. I had forgotten just how bad the stability of this line of operating systems could be. One word of caution if you are still thinking about making the purchase: pay attention to the system requirements! I tried installing the upgrade on an old Pentium 133 Mhz system. The requirements say a minimum of 150 Mhz is needed, but I figured the OS would just run slowly so I went ahead with the install. After ME partitioned and formatted my hard drive, it told me my system didn't meet the 150 Mhz requirement and exited the installation. There you have it, the pluses, minuses and some annecdotes. I don't believe the additional features are worth the investment.
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't waste your money!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition Upgrade w/ Encryption Coded Software [Old Version] (CD-ROM)
I recently bought a new computer that was preloaded with Windows Millenium and after only a few weeks I looking to scrap Millenium and buy Windows 2000. Millenium is mainly Windows 98 with a prettier cover, but it still has a lot of problems - sudden lock ups (can't kill a stalled application either), jittery audio using Real Player and Quicktime, & overabundant memory hog. I've got 128 MB and I need more. My advice is to keep your current 95 or 98 and if you decide to make a change move to Windows 2000. Microsoft is trying to move that way, but Millenium doesn't take much of a step closer to that than 98 does. Good luck.
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nice operating system, but forget about upgrading,
By
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition Upgrade w/ Encryption Coded Software [Old Version] (CD-ROM)
Two weeks ago, I carefully installed Windows ME on my computer, replacing the preinstalled Windows 98. That was a mistake. While ME has some nice features and improvements over 98, it left my system more unstable and buggy than it had ever been before. For the record, my computer easily met the system requirements for ME. Anyway, after the upgrade, I found IE 5.5 to be slower than IE 5.01, Media Player 7 was a piece of garbage, my McAfee VirusScan loaded much slower, there were video driver glitches, etc...I had similar hassles years ago when I upgraded another computer from Windows 95 to 98. After the experiences I have had, I do NOT believe in upgrading your PC's operating system. If your machine came preinstalled with Windows 95, 98, or ME, then leave it alone. Putting in a new OS totally upsets the equation and causes innumerable problems. Many of these problems don't develop right away. Also, upgrading your OS often violates your manufacturers warranty. So if you need tech help, often the maker of your PC will say..."sorry, but we can offer no support since you changed the operating system. Call Microsoft". So a few days ago, I got fed up with the glitches and completely erased my hard drive, and put back in Windows 98. My computer works better than ever. My PC has a small sticker on the front that I should have paid better attention to: Designed for Microsoft Windows 98/NT. Didn't say anything about ME. If a new OS is released and you simply must have it, wait a few months until patches and bug fixes are released, then buy a new computer that has the new OS preinstalled.
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