It seems like, I got nice amount of time now days, don’t know but I am getting time to write reviews on MouthShut.com, wow lucky me and unlucky you, because you people will need to read my boring reviews.
Choosing Windows Variant is one of the tough tasks that you might face, yet easy provided you know what you want to do with your computer. In this review I will tell you about how you can choose your ideal Windows Variant.
Windows is running on nearly 90% on home computers, and 85% on office computers or on Servers. Since its first version, lots of Windows has come out in the market, and currently Windows is in its 5th version, Windows Server 2003 is called as Windows 5.2 also. I started using Windows since its version 3.11 back in 1992, and from that day till today, I have seen and tried each and every Windows, and also upcoming Windows called Windows Longhorn(codename), which is releasing in 2005.
Now let’s check out how to choose your perfect Windows.
Well, today no one is or no one would like to use Windows earlier then 95, i.e. Windows 3.11 or Windows NT 4.0, but still Indian companies are using Windows NT 4.0, it’s very surprising. But I will give detail information on each and every Windows variant.
In 1998-2000 something really happens which opened an eye of Microsoft, and told Microsoft that customers are not moron, and after that, the changes which occur in Microsoft are really great; it sounds like re-born of Microsoft. After the grand success of Windows 95, Microsoft came with Windows 98 in late 1997, and people found that, Windows 98 is nothing but Internet Explorer 4.0 support and several bug fixes, but this is not really the case, but 95% of Windows 95 was only upgrade towards Internet Explorer 4.0, customers got angry and Microsoft came with Windows ME, which is a lot buggy and crashes very often, after that when Microsoft saw the slowdown in Windows after the release of Windows ME, Microsoft came with Windows XP Home in 2001, and that’s from where Microsoft re-born. On server side, Microsoft after Windows NT 4.0, Microsoft came with Windows 2002(5.0) and then now with Windows Server 2003(5.2), 5.1 is Windows XP Professional which is not for server purpose.
I am not going to talk about Windows 1.0 to Windows 3.11, because these Windows were not the operating systems, this Windows were the software which gives power to the MS-DOS.
Home Users:
Windows 95: This was the one of the best operating system from Microsoft in 1995, complete GUI was first time used by Microsoft for home user operating systems was in this Operating System, earlier Microsoft had used GUI in Windows NT 4.0, which released before Windows 95. Windows 95 is the ideal operating system for the machines with 486 or Pentium-1 with 8 or 16MB of RAM. It provides every normal software like calculator, notepad, wordpad and several things which you find in current operating systems. You can also install Microsoft Office 95 or 97 in Windows 95 to take advantages of Windows, if you want to work on DTP kind of thing, like making graphics then don’t go for this operating system, and also if you are planning to use high end applications and latest applications then also don’t go for this operating system. Second edition of Windows 95 is also known as Windows 97.
Windows 98: As per my view, Windows 98 is the one of the best operating system from Microsoft for the home users to work completely on MS-DOS based and Windows based applications, I don’t know why many people don’t consider this operating system as a new version of Windows, they just think its installation of Internet Explorer 4.0 on Windows 95/97, but it is not true, maybe because no GUI increment was there in Windows 98. Windows 98 is ideal for the Pentium MMX or later with 16 MB+ RAM, and it is ideal for the small business purpose and also for home user operating system. Windows 98 was made better for the plug-n-play, gaming support, DTP, and also for the high end applications, but it is not made for the animation purpose, because for animation animators uses alpha blending and several other things, which is not supported in any of the Home User operating systems from Microsoft except Windows XP Home Edition. Second edition of Windows 98 is knows as Windows 98 SE.
Windows ME: One of the worst operating system from Microsoft ever. This operating systems gets crash very often, I am sure no one would like to go with this operating system, but this operating system, was having the nice GUI looking which is adopted from Windows 2000. Never in your life go for Windows ME, if you get it even for free.
Till Windows ME, security and stability was the problem, with the Microsoft’s operating systems, but it stability got completely solved from Windows XP and security 70% got solved which got solved almost in Windows Server 2003.
Windows XP Home Edition: Yet one of the most powerful and current operating system from Microsoft for the home users, if you want to play games, 3d animation, DTP, or software development or any type of work go for it, this is one of the best operating system, Windows XP Home Edition requires Pentium-3 or later and 64MB+ RAM in order to feel eXPerience of Windows XP. Excellent GUI
Business Purpose and Server Side:
Windows NT: First server operating system from Microsoft, still lots companies are using this operating system in server side, but security is the very big problem with Windows NT, and stability problem is also there but not much. This is ideal for the server side, not for the business purpose, because of lack of application support. Requires Pentium MMX+ and 32MB+ RAM.
Windows 2000: This is the complete set of Operating Systems from Microsoft for business purpose and server side, it comes in several editions like Professional, Server, Advanced Server, Active Directory, etc. Professional is the best operating system for the any type of business except high end or real time business, but server is the best for any kind of business and web serving purpose, it has got greater support for applications, ideal for software development.
Windows XP Professional: One of the best operating system from Microsoft for business purpose, fast and stable, yet security is the problem with Windows. Excellent GUI, and excellent application support, best for the software development, check my review on Windows XP to know more. Requires Pentium 3 or later, 128MB+ RAM.
Windows Server 20003: It is one of the best server operating system from the Microsoft, stable, fast and very secure. Ideal for the any type of Business and best for the software development. Requires Pentium II or later, 64MB+ RAM, don’t get shock by reading this requirement, but its true, it runs very smooth on Celeron. I will come up with my review on this operating system.
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