When I obtain a new computer, the very first thing that happens is that Windows is removed and Linux is installed. However, over the years I have retained Windows on a few limited systems, for a few limited purposes. Jodi and I have desktop PCs, on which we run dual-boot OSes: Fedora Core linux and Windows ’98. We have Windows ’98 for several reasons. The first is that it was “state-of-the-art” in 1998-2000, when Jodi and I migrated to grad school. The second is that we refused to spend another $100-$300 dollars to upgrade to XP, which for a very long time was far less stable than ’98.
However, now Microsoft has phased out support for 98 after agreeing to extend it for one more year (2005-2006). Last week, a critical flaw was identified in internet explorer in 98, one which will never be fixed by Microsoft. A lot of tech experts felt that this was a betrayal of the user community, because about 4% of all machines on the internet still run 98 and many are “zombies” – machines that are no longer maintained or even updated, but which remain connected to the net and are vulnerable to attack.
Now, Slashdot reports [SlashdotWin98] that with the end of 98 and a look by the community toward a new OS, Linux appears to be picking up “newbies”. Ironically, it was 98 that I first installed on the PC I built for my mother and father in-law, and which due to promiscuous use by them became infected with over 20 viruses. That incident, not a surprise for new computer users who are eager to open every e-mail, convinced me to switch them to Linux. Being new to computers, one OS (interface) was as weird as another. I showed them how to get around the web, e-mail, and print, and they were fine.
So to people looking to get rid of their 98 box, I say this: save a few hundred buck, and NEVER fear the penguin.
.. [SlashdotWin98] “http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/19/2250257&from=rss”:http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/19/2250257&from=rss
