By Peter Hilton
peter@newsroom.byu.edu
Early this year many business offices around the country installed Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 2000. But many home computer owners found little to be excited about.
When consumers began looking for the new Windows in stores, the sales staff had to explain that it wasn't what they thought it was-it wasn't the Windows 98 upgrade.
'I really feel Microsoft named this system poorly. Because of the name most people assume that it is the next home-use system to replace Windows 98,' said CompUSA employee Oliver Hall.
Windows 2000 is Microsoft's new version of Windows NT, the operating system used mostly for technical and business needs. It is a multi-tasking operating system that allows you to access information for analysis, as well as perform business-critical functions. Basically it lets you do many things at once.
Windows Millennium, nick-named Windows 'Me', is Microsoft's new version of Windows 98. According to Microsoft, Windows Me focuses on improving four key areas, simplicity and ease-of-use, greater digital media and entertainment support, home networking and improved online access from the desktop.
Other benefits include more system stability, i.e. your computer won't stop functioning after being on for too long, better Internet security and will have 3-D interface capabilities.
'Basically the Millennium will take out all the extra junk Windows 95 and 98 pull up,' Hall said.
At present Microsoft has samples of Windows Me distributed to a few companies so as they use the system they can catch any bugs that were missed. No specific release time, but Microsoft has said that the new operating system should be out by the end of the year.
Although Millennium will be the newest Microsoft operating system for home use, Microsoft is already in the development stages of a for-home-use operating system that works from the Windows 2000 code base. This code base is considered to be more stable than Windows 98's and thus Millennium is the end of the Windows 98 family. This new operating system code-named Neptune will mostly likely be released April 2001.