Windows 95 Will Appeal to Many--but Not All--in the PC World

So you’ve heard the hype, read some previews and you’re intrigued--but now you really want to know whether Windows 95 is for you. You don’t want to invest in the software just because it’s the newest thing from a powerful company with a giant advertising and promotions budget. But neither do you want to miss out on something that might make your computing experience more rewarding.

As with all computer products, the decision on whether or not to move to Windows 95 will depend mostly on what you plan to do with the computer, and with what computer, if any, you already own. And after spending about three weeks with an advance copy of the production version of Windows 95, I can offer a few other general observations before we get into the details:

* Windows 95 has many advantages over the DOS and Windows 3.1 operating systems it replaces, including easier use and better performance. It is more reliable than Windows 3.1, but not so reliable that it can’t crash and create other problems.

* Windows 95 will end up costing far more than the typical selling price of $90 because of the other upgrades that become almost mandatory.

* Windows 95 won’t entice Macintosh users to switch. But Apple Computer will have a much harder time convincing buyers that the Macintosh is easier to use than computers equipped with Windows 95.

* Windows 95 is more compatible with existing DOS and Windows programs than alternatives such as Windows NT Workstation or OS/2 Warp.

* Windows 95 will turn out to be a solid choice for many PC users, but some people who already have Windows machines will want to wait.

In theory, the new operating system can be installed even on relatively low-powered personal computers equipped with 80386DX microprocessors and 4 megabytes of random access memory. In practice, though, using Windows 95 with this kind of hardware is a waste of money and effort.

The reason for buying the new program, after all, is to take advantage of features such as the ability to run new, more powerful 32-bit applications programs, view larger-image video segments, automatically run CD-ROM programs and automatically configure new hardware accessories. None of that is possible with an old 386 computer.

Microsoft actually considers a 486 with 8 megabytes of memory to be the minimal configuration, which is what is required to run the $50 set of Windows 95 add-on utilities, Microsoft Plus. An optimal system is the fastest Pentium you can afford, with 16 megabytes of memory and a large hard disk drive.

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In conducting my evaluation, I installed the production version on four computers, all with a hefty 12 megabytes to 16 megabytes: two Pentium desktops attached to a network, an Intel-based 486 laptop and a Cyrix-based 486 desktop. The initial installation was flawless in all four cases. ( But one machine was paralyzed by a memory conflict after I compressed its two hard drives, revealing that old DOS and Windows memory problems still exist. )

The more recently you bought your computer, the easier it will be to move to Windows 95. A newer computer will be more powerful, there are less likely to be hardware or software conflicts, and you will probably be less set in an old way of doing things.

Windows 95 has a much cleaner design than Windows 3.1 and I learned it well enough in just a few minutes. In fact, all an experienced Windows user needs to do is click the “Start” button at the lower corner of the screen and follow the cascading menus. You’ll find the names of all of your old program groups, and the programs within them, listed in alphabetical order.

Switching among multiple running programs is a snap because you merely click on the program’s label along the bottom of the screen. The program icons and labels appear on that “task bar” in the order in which they were opened, rather than in alphabetical order.

Another major improvement is called Windows Explorer, which replaces the old File Manager. The Explorer simultaneously shows all the disk drives attached to your computer, even if you are on a network with access to a dozen or more drives and sub-directories. Windows Explorer, in fact, provides an entirely new way of navigating, based on documents rather than the programs that create them.

Unlike Windows 3.1 and DOS, which limit file names to eight characters and a three-character extension, Windows 95 allows file names of up to 255 characters. Unless you’re using a new 32-bit program designed for Windows 95, the only way you can use long file names is by running your computer through the Explorer. Once you get the hang of it, though, you’ll probably find this to be your preferred method.

For game players, Windows 95 is a big improvement. It allows DOS-based games to access all the memory they need to run properly, eliminating the many hassles that now go with making games and Windows coexist. In addition, Windows 95 has much faster graphics processing built in, which should encourage game writers to create their wares as Win32 programs instead of DOS programs.

CD-ROMs have always been much more difficult on Windows machines than on a Macintosh. But that should change with Windows 95, which will run CD-ROM discs that conform to a new Windows 95-compatible design with the touch of a button.

And laptop owners will also enjoy many benefits from Windows 95, especially the “briefcase,” which keeps files synchronized between a laptop and a desktop computer.

A crucial goal of Windows 95 was to achieve maximum compatibility with existing DOS and Windows software, and the way that was done was essentially to keep the heart and soul of DOS and Windows 3.1 and wrap a new operating system around them.

That means that existing Windows programs share the same memory space and “contend” for the microprocessor just the way they do now, a process known as “cooperative” multi-tasking. The computer therefore is vulnerable to general failure when a single program dies, just as it is under Windows 3.1.

With the new Win32 programs, on the other hand, each runs in separate memory space with “preemptive” multi-tasking: Windows 95, and not the program itself, decides when a program gets access to the microprocessor. That means Windows 95 will be highly crash-proof if you run only Win32 applications programs--but it will remain vulnerable to crashes as long as you run any current Windows or DOS programs.

To achieve maximum hardware and software compatibility, Microsoft had to trade away some of the power and robustness found in other operating systems such as IBM’s OS/2 Warp and Microsoft’s Windows NT. If you want a nearly crash-proof system, you can get Windows NT Workstation software, but some DOS and Windows programs won’t run on it and it is much more complicated to install. OS/2 Warp is also more robust, but it has attracted little software development and seems destined to remain a niche product.

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A few other cautionary notes as you decide whether to jump on the bandwagon:

Small businesses running software that is custom-designed for their type of business should be cautious. In that situation, you should never make changes without a go-ahead from the publisher of their special-purpose program, or the consultant who installed it.

Employees of larger businesses may be in a similar situation, with company-supplied software on their machines at the office and at home. And some of the software may be proprietary to the company, or even written in-house. Wait for directions from the company before installing Windows 95.

In general, though, I think businesses will take warmly to Windows 95. Not only is it easier to use, it is also a network-friendly operating system. It will easily install itself as a client on networks run by Microsoft LAN Manager, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Novell Netware, Artisoft LANtastic, Banyan VINES and SunSoft PC-NFS.

It also supports TCP/IP for connection to the Internet, IBM mainframes, UNIX systems, Apple Macintosh and Open VMS systems.

The only manual you get with Windows 95 is a slender 95 pages, if you don’t count the 15 introductory pages. The manual is adequate for people who just want to know the basics. But many will find it worthwhile to shell out $50 for Microsoft’s Windows 95 Resource Kit, which has 1,348 pages and a three-disk set of utility programs. The utility that lets you change screen resolutions without restarting Windows is practically worth the price all by itself.

Microsoft’s telephone help policies make a distinction between network-related problems and other help calls. Most calls are free for the first 90 days, but network-related calls are billed to your telephone number at $1.95 a minute, up to $35 maximum, beginning once you actually reach a technician.

You are a good candidate for Windows 95 if:

--You are buying a PC for the first time.

--You have a 486 or Pentium PC that is attached to a network and/or often runs many programs at once.

--You have a 486 or Pentium PC and have bought little in the way of software, but plan to use the machine often in the future.

--You use your PC mainly for games and CD-ROM programs.

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You are not a good candidate for Windows 95 if:

--You are not prepared to spend at least several hundred dollars--possibly far more--upgrading your hardware and buying new applications software.

--You use customized applications software.

--You use your machine primarily for simple tasks such as word processing.

--You have an Apple Macintosh.

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“Indian Government Seizes Windows 95”

--Headline in Indian paper reporting on official protests that a map in early versions of the software incorrectly depicted the border in disputed region between Pakistan and India

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“We were using the United Nations’ standard map. It was five pixels off. We fixed it.”

--Microsoft’s response to the Indian government