Tom's Hardware

[Hati]

Whats this about driver support for win2k and xp striaght away with 9x/me following. I can't see that being right.

Thats what I read on some german sites too. Hope it isn't so, because I'm still using Win98SE.
But if I remember correctly ATI doesn't support Win9x at all with their 8500AIW. Guess it is time to think about a new OS.

[The PIT]

Yes that would be a slight mistake

[Reckless]

I'd honestly prefer everyone to give themselves an upgrade to 2K/XP PDQ. I've been running 2K since release and I there's only been one game that I never got to run (I was miffed but I got over it!). You REALLY don't know what you're missing with a robust OS - 2K's base (what XP is from) is MUCH MUCH better than anything that came before from the MS camp. Get the correct drivers and it'll never fall over.

Being selfish I'd wouldn't mind if they get solid 2K/XP drivers out first but I'm not one of the hundreds (of thousands) who has stuck with Win98. Not upgrading to the latest OS must only be down to cost, as if you run the latest games you must surely have decent hardware! Please for your OWN sakes, upgrade ASAP!

P.S. Don't upgrade - clean install

[The PIT]

Well I dual boot win2k (Work machine) and use 98 for gaming as I've got some games that only like 98. I won't use XP until the next service pack as far less than stable than win2k.

[Kosh Naranek]

Originally posted by The PIT
Well I dual boot win2k (Work machine) and use 98 for gaming as I've got some games that only like 98. I won't use XP until the next service pack as far less than stable than win2k.

No no no no and no ... 2K is not far more stable than XP ... NO NO NO NO and NOOO !

At least not on my machine ~ Athlon XP 1800+ / Epox 8KHA+

[EDIT]
And Mandrake Linux 8.1/8.2 .. it's slooow compared to XP
or maybe that's because I didn't use it that much, since I couldn't get my cablemodem running under Linux.

[Kosh Naranek]

Anyway ...

I do look forward to some benchmarks as well, espicially some villagemark tests.

On the z-buffer area ... Matrox has choosen the quality way !!

[Hati]

I won't use XP until the next service pack

That's what I am waiting for too. Maybe Parhelia will make me move to WinXP earlier.

[Reckless]

XP is Win2K SP 3 Really guys, it is versioned Windows V5.1 (Win2K = V5.0). It's not a major difference from Win2K, just a new set of Telletubby clothes - which I personally h8 and spend a hour getting rid of!

[Kosh Naranek]

an Hour ... hmm ... I used 1 min to do it.

And I call it Fischer Price interface.

[ChronosZero]

Why would it surprise you that they would make the NT/XP drivers first? XP is the current mainstream operating system. It's been available for six months now, and it's shipping with every new PC. I believe even the majority of corporate users are either running 2k or XP now.

And yes, Reckless is right about XP being a glorified service pack to Win2k. As a matter of fact, the major analysts that normally recommend that businesses do not upgrade to a new Microsoft OS until the first service pack failed to make that same recommendation with XP for that reason.

[ChronosZero]

Oh... and thank you for the additional responses to my question. I will do my best to promote unbiased, fact based reporting.

All I ask is that we keep the lynchings to a minimum when I have something negative to say about Matrox.

[Novdid]

IMO, Firingsquad and Gamers Depot gave some fairly unbiased previews on Parhelia.

[BuddMan]

Originally posted by The PIT
I won't use XP until the next service pack as far less than stable than win2k.

Um...why does an SP make XP more stable? It could make it less stable. In fact, in XP's upcoming SP this fall, Microsoft is talking about incorporating their codenamed Freestyle and Mira technologies, and these are brand new technologies. You know what happens with brand new technologies....can anyone say bugs? XP is stable enough as it is, it only has a few issues with it which are fixed by updating fixes from the Microsoft Update site. The SP release is mainly for Mira and Freestyle, not bugs.

[The PIT]

Originally posted by Kosh Naranek


No no no no and no ... 2K is not far more stable than XP ... NO NO NO NO and NOOO !

At least not on my machine ~ Athlon XP 1800+ / Epox 8KHA+

[EDIT]
And Mandrake Linux 8.1/8.2 .. it's slooow compared to XP
or maybe that's because I didn't use it that much, since I couldn't get my cablemodem running under Linux.

Most people I know have had problems with XP. Win2k I know very few that have had problems. Winxp infinite loops for me on my Epox 8kha works perfectly under win2k.
I used various versions of Mandrake Redhat and SUSE and I've got to agree it's slower than the Microsoft products. However I never recompiled the kernal. which probably make a differance.
Buddman since XP has a well known infinite loop problem Microsoft may been addressing the problem in the next service pack.
ChronosZero theres probably still more 98/me machines out there than win2k/xp.

[Pace]

ChronosZero theres probably still more 98/me machines out there than win2k/xp

I'm not sure if a "Professional" graphics company will target a Home OS. It seems as if Parhelia is trying all out to be a Pro card, which means an Win2k "Pro" and XP target audience...

We can still hope 9x drivers are released too, but I'm sure that 2K/XP users will get better drivers.

P.