Let’s face it – there’s no legal alternative
May 04 '01
The Bottom Line Break the law and install Windows 98.
Before I dig into explaining what Windows version I deem to be the best, let me state that following my advice would be illegal. Well, not in all cases, but in about 90% of cases, installing an older version of Windows is classified as copyright infringement.
Legal issues
Let me elaborate on this for a moment: Most computer users, and I believe that many of you as well, buy their operating system along with a new computer. They get the installation disk as a backup if anything goes wrong, a neat greenish license certificate and an absolutely useless “How to” book Microsoft is so famous for.
When people buy a new computer, it tends to come with a newer operating system. However, they still have the old installation disks and play with the idea of installing the OS they know so well on their new machine. Doing so, however, they break the law.
Almost any program that comes pre-installed on a computer has a so-called OEM license. That means that the license is not bound to the user but to the computer it has been installed on. So if you discard your old computer, it is not enough to wipe out the hard drive and retain your only copy of the operating system on the new computer – the operating system’s license does not cover that computer, and thus is illegal. While there are many worse examples of software piracy, for some reason the Business Software Alliance, a legal arm of Microsoft, seems to take this issue pretty seriously.
As a consequence, talking about what Windows variant to chose is pointless. Legally, you’d be stuck with the variant that comes in your new computer.
Deciding what OS to install
If you are like me, you probably went to the Microsoft Web site and found out that it does not sell additional licenses for MS-DOS 6.2 anymore. You didn’t care about any copyright issues and decided to install it anyway. Then you decided to supplement DOS with a Windows version as well. But what Windows should you choose? Let’s see:
Windows 3.1
Windows 3.1 is still a DOS shell; not a standalone operating system. The main advantage is that it is relatively fast and small. If you have a 386 or 486, it’s perfect for you, but be warned – most current programs will not run on it.
Windows 95
Windows 95 (with all the necessary service packs) is a good choice for slower Pentium computers or for people who prefer a bare-bones system. The main advantage is the relative speed and small size, as well as the freedom to have only the software you want. You will not get Internet Explorer or Outlook Express automatically. On the other hand, I have recently run into several Windows-based programs that refused to run under Windows 95 and required at least Windows 98.
Windows 98
Windows 98 is my choice for a secondary operating system. It seems to support DOS programs better, it has greater stability than Win95 and I simply love its shortcut bar. It is very easy to handle, yet able to support a whole range of software – from pure DOS games to almost any application I can think of. Its disadvantage is that it is a bit slow and too big; not a big problem on current computers.
Windows Me
I have several gripes with WinMe. First, DOS support is disabled and you have to run a patch to enable it. Even then, DOS does not perform properly. Second, Microsoft did a big leap forward in its “We know better what you want” attitude and redesigned the interface. From now on, any shortcut you did not click on in the Start menu within a certain period of time will become hidden. I have had this OS just for two months before I gave up – this feature let me forget what I’ve had on my PC way too often. Lastly, networking with WinMe is another pain – completely redesigned interface makes such a small task as adding a network printer to be a job for a complex wizard interface.
Windows NT/2000
With no DOS support at all, I did not even bother with these operating systems. Supposedly they are very stable, but not designed with too many multimedia and games-supporting capabilities; definitely not a good choice for home computers.
Windows XP
I have not tried this one, but as far as I’ve heard, it will not have DOS support either and will be loaded with spyware, as well as even more badly designed interface, WinMe style.
Timing is crucial
However, choosing a certain operating system is only half of the problem. Another big part of the problem is to chose the perfect timing to get a computer. So far, Microsoft proved that buying a computer with a brand new operating system is foolish. You should wait for at least 9 months or Service Pack 2 before buying a computer with an OS already installed. That way, you’ll have the disks for a relatively stable and functional system, as well as a good primary operating system.
Installing the OS
Having only one operating system on your computer is not wise these days. With the size of the current hard drives, you can afford to have several systems at once. For that, you’d have to create a disk partition and boot disks. Disk partitioning means to divide the hard drive into several smaller chunks and name the differently. This way, you may end up with drives C through X (or more), all behaving as separate hard drives.
There are several ways to do it. Experienced people seem to prefer the fdisk function, as that wipes out the whole hard drive in the first place and lets them start from scratch. I also consider fdisk to be the best way to install pure DOS, since you need to have your primary partition different from the rest (FAT-16 as opposed to FAT-32).
Another way is to use Partition Magic. This software which runs on Windows, will allow you to chop up your hard drive and install different operating systems. In addition, it will create boot disks for you. Boot disks are floppies that you insert into the floppy drive before starting the computer to let it know what operating system you want to load.
The last way is to use System Commander, an application specifically designed for installing multiple operating systems on your hard drive. I never tried this one, but it seems to have a considerable following.
Conclusion
No matter what operating system you will be installing, you may break the law doing so. However, the PC community’s resentment against Microsoft’s policy of a new operating system every two years is growing, and so soon you may be able to do so legally. Just remember – install a “seasoned” operating system that has been around for long enough to be tested and repaired. As for my advice, go for Windows 98 Second Edition, as the best of two worlds – supporting DOS and having customizable interface that
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