What OS to use?

[Rimfaxe]

I am building a new computer but have not decided what OS I should run on it. It is a computer at home.

So, do you guys got any ideas?

I play Counterstrike, commandos 2. I really like those new features XP got.

I will have a computer that have the power to run it, but is it worth it? Do you know of any big security issues with XP? (yea, i know, it is microsoft we are talking about, but compared to ME, 98SE or 2000)

[Greebe]

Win2K is the best choice currently... best mix of Multimedia, gaming, stability and security.

XP at best is still a beta OS... just like every OS M$ puts out till at least SP2.

[Werdna]

On the upside, nobody is buying XP. Maybe Microsoft will realise they suck and get their asses into gear.

[Rimfaxe]

I don't like win2000.

Is there any gain in performance if you use 2k or ME? It's all down to matrox drivers, right?

[Werdna]

Win2000 = A lot of stability, I don't think it ever crashed on me requiring a reboot.
WinME = Better for games, hardly stable at all.

XP = Best of both, but it's still immature.

[Alec]

NT-based OSes (NT/2000/XP) are light years ahead of the rest because of their exclusive 32-bit nature. 95, 98 and ME suck because their still have that 16-bit DOS layer dragging them down.

Gamingwise, all of the above are very alike, apart from the better stability in NT-based OSes. 98 and ME are a little bit faster in D3D and 2000/XP are a tad faster in OpenGL (we are talking 2-6 fps here in some resolutions).

Rimfaxe,
try Windows 2000 with SP2 and the Application Compatibility Update (which gives you compatibility with a lot of games). Also, Windows 2000 is a hell of a lot faster at general work than the rest if you have a 300Mhz+ and 128Mb+ RAM in your computer.

[Rimfaxe]

Thanks Alec.

I still think winME is good enough for me. Still no good use of my memory...

If XP and 2k is alike, is it possible to run games that work under 2k with XP OS?

[Werdna]

So far I haven't found any games that don't work. ALthough I've only played Motorcross Mandess 2, Half-Life (and mods), Return to Castle Wolfenstein... basically, I don't think there's much chance of a middle-major game not working in XP either out of the box or with a patch.
There is already Software Campatability updates for XP, I like your chances of being able to run every game.
System tools however, as mentioned in many reviews, things like Norton programs etc. wont go well with a new OS. You'll need updated versions of those.

[PeTe]

XP all the way.

Actually with the compatibility mode you can run ANY game from the W95 days in XP.. games that just wont start in W2k will work in XP with this feature turned on. And yes i have tried it.. some chess game first reported that it wont run on NT, put the feature on and everything worked like a charm.

Sure, with most drivers Win98SE is the fastest OS with games, but if you want ANY security and stability, then go to XP. After installing XP i never looked back, its just the best OS that Microsoft has ever released. ( Bring it oooon, M$ haters. )

I have never got XP to show BSOF or in a jam that i needed to reset.. with w2k those thing were pretty easy to do. =) And after a while the program install without a reset really makes you LOVE XP. =)

PeTe

[Werdna]

I have to agree about it being the best OS ms have released, I really do like it.

I completely forgot about that feature, I haven't tried it as I haven't played any older games, I do use it for FreeCell, my mother is a huge fan but she likes to have it fill up the entire screen, so I've setup her own username and renamed freecell.exe to game.exe and now I can use compatability on it without getting errors about it being a windows based program.

[leech]

I agree that it's the best OS that Microsoft has released, but that's not saying much with their track record. (yes I'm an MS hater and I'll bring it on!) I'll say this much for XP. It has been REALLY stable for me. Though I've ran into a few problems with it here and there. Firstly, it required a reboot after I installed my HP Scanner.... that's a USB!! (so much for hot pluggable) Also I have had a BSOD on a few occasions, though I'll be nice and say it was due to using Win2k drivers. Once was on installing my Webcam (Aiptek HyperCam Fun, which actually has NO drivers for win2k or XP, but I used the HyperVCam Home drivers for win2k instead) Those gave me a BSOD when I first tried to install them off of the CD, which of course it did the same in Win2k, so no big surprise there. Also with my WinTV card (from Hauppauge). That one WAS the winXP drivers that I had just downloaded FOR XP. that gave me a BSOD. But on the upside, after it rebooted, it works great.
As far as game compatibility, I couldn't get Grand Theft Auto 3 working. But then again that never worked in Win2k, either. I tried all the compatibility modes and it did the same thing. Tried the patch as well. No such luck.
Norton Utilities 2002 worked on it, but wouldn't install.... otherwise I had to run it off the CD itself.
The SBLive, still doesn't have the LiveWare stuff for XP yet either. But I can live without that for now. Should be out soon anyhow.
Other than those few things, I've been quite happy with XP. The default interface looks kind of Fisher Price - like, but if you go to http://www.tweakxp.com then you can download a program called StylesXP that comes with a better looking (IMHO) 'theme'. I wish the theming were as simple as most programs (like WinAmp and GTK+) Then we could all have GOOD looking desktops, instead of this crap that Microsoft thinks looks good. To be honest, that's one of the MAIN reasons I like Linux. I can change it to MY liking. If I get bored of one look on the desktop I can change it. Configurability is a GOOD thing. Laters.

Leech

[Werdna]

So to sum up your post, you don't have drivers for what you normally use and you crash because of it.

There's an editing tool being released soon for Themes.

[TIbrO]

PeTe!!! How??

PeTe... months ago you posted about how you got your Marvel G400TV to work in XP with OpenGL and everything... you never answered me in how did you do this...

http://forums.murc.ws/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28766&pagenumber=2

Check it out there.

[PeTe]

I was talking about G400

Sorry if i forgot to include my signature.

Pete
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Just a piece of crap computer.. =)

[Electric Amish]

What??

Greebe recommending Win2k?

I thought Win2k was the devil??

amish