In 1998, the long-awaited successor to the bug-ridden and incompatible Windows 95 hit the shelves and was greeted with a wave of relief in the computer world. At last, Microsoft was able to realize its dream: An operating system that would meet the requirements of beginners.
Windows 98 was designed to be easy to use (drivers, installation, setup and wizards) and therefore also attracted newcomers. However, not only the user interface but also many functions were revised, which triggered a general revolution in the computer business.
Many people today are not aware that Windows 98 has made a significant contribution to the boom in computers, and at a price of DM 249 that was almost a gift.
Eine neue bunte Welt – Windows 98 und die Neuerungen im Überblick
Here we present all the innovations of the time, which caused a sensation on the operating system market.
Der Aufbruch in eine Online Welt – Internet Explorer 4.0
Microsoft wollte die Fehler der gescheiterten Internet Explorer 2 und 3er Versioner wieder gutmachen und präsentierte für Windows 98 einen rundum erneuerten Brwoser, welcher wesentlich kompatibler und leichter zu bedienen war als die Vorgänger. Auch die Funktionsvielfalt ist der der Vorgäner weit überlegen, was dem IE 4.0 letztendlich zum Durchbruch verschafte – Mit ihm wurde das Internet berühmt, da sich viel mehr User trauten ihre ersten Schritte ins weltweite Datennetz zu unternehmen.
Internet Explorer 4.0 achieved the breakthrough of the networked world
Internet Explorer 6.0 has now been released, which shines with its new features and superior speed and security. But you will find out more about this in a later article.
The new Windows 98 web view in Explorer
Of particular interest to Windows 95 users was a modified view in Explorer which provided many folder-oriented tasks. In addition to the folder information (name, access, size, etc.), previews of an image or an Internet Explorer file were also displayed, which increased convenience a little.
The new Windows 98 web view conveniently offered a lot of interesting information
Unfortunately, this view also delayed access times to folders and files, which led to a noticeable loss of speed, especially on slow computers. Fortunately, this function can be easily switched off.
DVD and USB support on board as standard
But it was not just the software side that had changed a lot: hardware support was also extended to include the universal serial bus (USB), which was very successful thanks to its simple installation, even during operation.
Microsoft also recognized the coming boom in DVD media at an early stage and added this extension to Windows 98, although it was not used until 1999/2000, when the first films found their way onto the shelves.
The speed of Windows 98 under the magnifying glass
Microsoft has tried to keep its new operating system fast and efficient compared to Windows 95, despite numerous resource-consuming innovations. Both the Windows registry and the Windows kernel (the heart of Windows) have been completely overhauled, which has slightly increased the speed of games and office applications. The fact that Windows 98 uses less than 30 megabytes of RAM is also commendable and has a positive effect on speed, especially in today's world (with RAM sizes of 256 MB to 512 MB).
Unfortunately, the joy is clouded by the still integrated DOS (Disk Operating System), as the relics of the past slow down the new processors a little. This becomes clear in comparison to Windows 2000/XP, which can do without DOS completely.
Die Stabilität von Windows 98 – Absturzsicher?
With its predecessor Windows 95, Microsoft really didn't win any laurels when it came to having the most stable and crash-proof operating system. The long-suffering user had to fight his way through exception errors and blue screens of death until he could continue his work without any problems. Driver problems and software errors were often the cause. Unfortunately, these unstable programs always took Windows down with them, which meant a reboot and possible data loss.
Windows NT and its successors 2000 and XP are more advanced in this respect. Even a program crash cannot cause you to falter due to the completely changed architecture. A program only crashes in user mode, while the actual kernel remains untouched and the program can be safely removed from memory.
But what about Windows 98? Does it have the necessary stability to be able to assert itself in the tough world of work? Only in part!
Viele neue Funktionen machen aus Windows 98 ein stabileres Betriebssystem als sein Vorgänger in der 95er Version. Leider sieht die Gesamtsituation auch für das schmucke neue Windows nicht sehr gut aus. Abstürze durch Treiberprobleme, die berühmte Bildschirmeinfrierung und blaue Bildschirme – auch mit dem neuen Windows ist dies traurige Wirklichkeit, was aber auf keinen Fall heissen soll, dass es permanent abstürzt. Nur falls ein Programm instabil wird so zieht dieses ihr Betriebssystem auch mit ins Jenseits.
How secure is Windows 98? An insight into the security features
For most users, computer security is still the top priority. They want absolute and permanent protection for their files, programs and settings. Attacks from outside, e.g. by hackers or unauthorized persons, should also be fended off just as successfully as protection against other people tampering with your PC.
The password properties of Windows 98 (as with 95) are a laudable approach, but totally pointless. A click on Cancel in this password dialog allows every user complete access to the computer. The creation of several separate user accounts is still reserved for Windows NT systems.
Encrypting files is also a dream that does not come true with Win98. If you are looking for security, you are completely wrong with Windows 98 and should make friends with the professional operating systems.
Conclusion: Is Windows 98 suitable for you?
This question is very easy to answer. If you have your computer at home and you enjoy watching movies, playing computer games, listening to music or browsing the Internet as well as working on common Office applications, Windows 98 is highly recommended. The speed and functions are sufficient for this and for most common programs.
Every professional should think carefully about buying Win98. The stability and security leave a lot to be desired and the network functions are very limited, which is why Windows 2000/XP would be more suitable here.
If you have now decided on Windows 98, you can read here how to install it: Windows 98 Installation – Verständliche Step by Step Anleitung.
Addition: The Windows 98 screenshot collection for first impressions
This article was produced by Sandro Villinger and comes from the Windows tweaks archive, which has been built up since the end of the 1990s.
