Happy Win2K launch day!

[LrngToFly]

Okay, I'm not exactly a Microsoft lover (have had a linux computer sitting next to my Windoze PC since '95 and I hope the DOJ busts the company up), but I have been eagerly awaiting Win2K.

Can't wait until the Matrox drivers are decently mature- no more rebooting to Win9x for games and DVD.

Plus, finally have true(er) Plug 'n Play, USB support and FAT32. All crap that NT4 should have had long ago...

Anyway, it will be nice to not hear "we don't support unreleased OSes" from hardware vendors. At least until Windows 2001 (to be released in 2006)

Now, where's that dang'ed DirectCD update from Adaptec??

[This message has been edited by LrngToFly (edited 17 February 2000).]

[PaulS]

Fat32? Unless you are dual booting there is nothing fabulous about Fat32!

I wonder if we are going to see release drivers from Matrox today?

Paul

[LAMFDTK]

LrngToFly "I hope the DOJ busts the company up"

Oh course your opinion is your own but I have to disagree here BIG TIME

Janet (Waco) Reno and the DOJ can keep their hands off of successful businesses in the USA. Look at all the money you are saving on your Cable TV and your Phone Bill. The Goverment can't be allowed to Break up companies...

Klintoon and Janet (Waco) Reno could care less about you and making things better for the consumer.

Oh by the way W2K is the best O/S I have ever used

[Maniac]

Just to make it clear for everyone. Win2K is really NT5, and is designed for business users. While it does offer better multimedia features and plug n'play support, it is not a gaming platform. Windows millenium, which comes out later this year, is the upgrade for Windows 98, and should provide the stability all the gamers are looking for

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Celeron 366@567 2.2V, 128meg generic PC-100 RAM (running at CAS2) Abit BH6, G400 16meg DH@150/200, Western Digital Expert 18gig, Ricoh mp7040A(morphed to mp7060A) Pioneer 6X DVD slot load, Motorola Cable Modem w/DEC ethernet card, Soundblaster Live Value Ver. 2, Viewsonic GT 775

[LrngToFly]

Maniac-

Sorry, that might be the official Microsoft line, but it's bull. If Microsoft keeps Win2K's DirectX/Direct3D up-to-date w/ Win9x/WinMill's, and it's within 5% of the performance of 9x/Mill, then it's just fine for gaming.

As for stability, I have tons of problems with my Win98 SE partition. It hangs constantly, I've had my registry corrupted several times, and have had many network funnies.

Exact same hardware gives me absolutely no problems under either WinNT4 or Win2K. Very stable.

Sorry, but Win9x sucks. Even for consumers. (Although I'm a Software Engineer/Programmer)

ps- the _only_ reason they decided not to push Win2K to consumers is that they couldn't figure out how to charge one price that is palatable to consumers and another, higher price to businesses. They didn't have time to strip out some of the features (like some of the security) to make a "Win2K Consumer" since the product took so much time to develop.

They were, as late as 1998, saying Win2K would be for consumers as well.

That diferentiated consumer/business revenue stream is very important to MS. If they try to charge consumers to much, they won't buy. If they charge business too little, it cuts into their revenue stream. It is very important to maximize profits.


[This message has been edited by LrngToFly (edited 17 February 2000).]

[LrngToFly]

LAMFDK-

There's no doubt that some of the shit that MS has pulled is illegal as hell.

I'm all for competition, but a lot of what MS does is not competition.

Building one monopoly off of another through bundling (built their Office 90+% marketshare off of Windows monopoly) is most definitely illegal- even more than any of the Netscape stuff. I was dissapointed the DOJ didn't press that issue.

If you look at MS's financials, they make MORE revenue off of Office than Win98/WinNT Workstation combined(doesn't include Server)

I am a happy MSFT shareholder though. But I'm also a Software Engineer who would like to see _true_ competition.

[This message has been edited by LrngToFly (edited 17 February 2000).]

[APV]

Matrox latest beta for w2k is actually quite good and stable, at least we have beta to play with, look at Creative... no beta live wire for thier live sound cards until mid march.

[turbodog2]

I can't ding Creative Labs all that much. The Live!-series cards had acceptable driver support in RC2. As far as I'm concerned, the Live Ware stuff is all extras. Actually, kudos to Creative for getting their drivers on the retail CDs, unlike the G400 series drivers.

[LAMFDTK]

LrngToFly, Well spoken and I see where you are coming from!

Disney and ABC ?

[Ashley]

Of course we'll see new W2K drivers today. On their web site it clearly states "Windows® 2000 ready (support upon full version release)" - which is, well, today.