Jo22 wrote on 2024-05-24, 08:38:

PS: Btw, is it just me or is the nostalgia for 98SE general ly a bit stronger than that of Win95?
I remember Windows 95 from when it was new, I've even used it on my father's PC early on.
But for some reason, to me, merely Hover and the Win95 Setup wallpaper (setup.bmp) are causing strong emotions. Hm. Weird. 🤷‍♂️

I always liked the pre-IE 4 shell much better. But for others, I think 98SE had a longer shelf life, and was the baseline system requirement OS for a much longer period. And in the 1990s, home computer ownership was growing exponentially, so there would have been many more 98SE users than 95 users.

Related: at this point, XP is older today than the 8086 was when XP was released

jakethompson1 wrote on 2024-05-25, 04:38:

I always liked the pre-IE 4 shell much better. But for others, I think 98SE had a longer shelf life, and was the baseline system requirement OS for a much longer period.

I can understand this, I think. Relate to it, I mean.
I more or less grew up with Windows 95 due to my father (I know I'm repeating myself here, but he simply was a computer dude/programmer at the time).
He ran it on his office PC in the mansard.

I remember, he used setup.bmp as a wallpaper (I had marmor.bmp on my 286 w/ Windows 3.10).
Back then, that blue wallpaper had looked so gorgeous and futuristic.

Windows 95 was much more lightweight (especially Windows Explorer) and responsive, at least when used in place of Windows 3.1x (same small programs, not so much multitasking).

In Windows 98SE, enhanced memory management and functionality were making things more comfortable, though.

I used to run it on a Pentium 75 with merely 24 MB of RAM (Compaq PC, I think).

Performance wasn't too bad, though, for what it was.
Experience was no worse than Windows 95 on an 386DX-40 with 16MB of RAM.

Maybe even better than Windows 95 w/ Active Desktop and IE4.

I mean, under workload there was no excessive swapping happening, not like it was with Windows 95 on older hardware, at least.

I remember, IE 5.5 worked without a hassle, as did Real Player.
I remember, I could visit the Peanuts website in early 2000s via 56k modem on that old Pentium 75 PC.

About same time, I've even played Need for Speed II SE on that PC, via Software-Rendering.
It wasn't great, but it wasn't a slide show, either. It was like playing Descent on a 486DX-40, maybe.

When I do compare them both side by side, Windows 95 looks more tidy, while Windows 98SE looks more feature-complete.

Using Windows 98SE is more like Windows NT/2000, maybe.
It has assistant programs and a large amount of supplied drivers and help files.

Like a complete software package, if you will.

A bit like Geoworks Ensemble 2 looked in comparison to Windows 3.0, maybe.
Feature wise, I mean. Not sure how to put into words.

That being said, I didn't mean to say Windows 95 was any less important.
It surely had a huge impact on pop culture. It also was around in the late 386/486 and pre-DirectX era,
when PC environments were somewhat diverse and experimental (BNC network cards and IPX/SPX were still in wide use).

jakethompson1 wrote on 2024-05-25, 04:38:

And in the 1990s, home computer ownership was growing exponentially, so there would have been many more 98SE users than 95 users.

I know, especially the powerful 486 processor did contribute a lot to the PC's success in the 90s, I believe.

Especially the 486DX-33 and its clock-doubled brother, the 486DX2-66.

They were compatible with both new and many existing motherboards and had sufficient performance.

They made multimedia a reality first time and brought Windows 3.1 to usable performance
(I was a humble 286 owner, but I acknowledge how important the 486 was to many people).

The Pentium (586) and PCI graphics then paved the way to 3D graphics and various CPU intensive internet technologies.

jakethompson1 wrote on 2024-05-25, 04:38:

Related: at this point, XP is older today than the 8086 was when XP was released

Boy, this is so weird! Things we know or had been grown up with are so long being with us already.

That XT compatible PC I'm repairing/upgrading right now is 40 years old. 40 years!
Looking back 40 years from when it was released, WW2 still wasn't over yet. Unbelievable.

I'm now imagining how the world would be in ~25 years from now on.
In 2050, Windows 3.0 will be a 60 years old piece of software.

And I'm sure kids on the internet will still do experiments with it, just like we used to do in the 2000s or 2020s.

Likewise, Windows 98SE will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2049, as well.

Then we'll see how well it integrates into the then-current internet technology. 😉

Maybe computer fans, geeks or nerds will still develop new software for it? 🙂

I mean certain things will likely never go away.
The NES, for example, is still considered being "cool" among both kids and their parents.
It's timeless, like, err, pan cakes are. 😉

People do still produce chip tunes for it or write new homebrew games and utilities for it.

jakethompson1 wrote on 2024-05-25, 04:38:

Jo22 wrote on 2024-05-24, 08:38:

PS: Btw, is it just me or is the nostalgia for 98SE general ly a bit stronger than that of Win95?
I remember Windows 95 from when it was new, I've even used it on my father's PC early on.
But for some reason, to me, merely Hover and the Win95 Setup wallpaper (setup.bmp) are causing strong emotions. Hm. Weird. 🤷‍♂️

Related: at this point, XP is older today than the 8086 was when XP was released

Jesus way to make a lot of us feel as old as dirt 😜

My first real computer was a Vic20 (Does an Atari2600 count?) which pre-dates the 8086 so Im already a fossil.

Nope the 8086 is two years older than the Vic20 but the 6502 the Vic20 uses is from 75 sooo... I guess either way a Fossil is a Fossil.

^In my home town, there's an art museum which features an installation of classic computers and game consoles.
Besides the various 8-Bit relics, the Super Nintendo, N64, Dreamcast and PlayStation are part of exhibition. Among other new systems.

Edit: What's missing though is an exhibition about the computer user in his/her/their natural habitat.
There should be pictures of computer fans from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Maybe even rooms with life sized models of computer fans, with the matching clothes.
Just like at Madame Tussauds wax museum.
Like for example, the stereotypical 80s C64 user with an ugly wool sweater and some jeans trousers.

Edit: I mean, in natural history museums, there are similar exhibitions for cave men already.
Why not for early computer users, too? 🤷‍♂️
It would help people of today and tomorrow to better connect to these pioneers.

Edit: I'm not kidding. I've learned there's a DDR museum, for example, that has East German (GDR) homes on display..
Ok, actually, there are several from what I've read.
Anyway, the point is: Such a museum has recreated the typical living room or bed room for each decade, complete with all the appliances.
Wouldn't something like this make sense for a computer museum, as well?

Edit: Sorry for being off-topic again, I got carried away a bit. 😅

Jo22 wrote on 2024-05-25, 23:29:

Edit: What's missing though is an exhibition about the computer user in his/her/their natural habitat. There should be pictures […]
Show full quote

Edit: What's missing though is an exhibition about the computer user in his/her/their natural habitat.
There should be pictures of computer fans from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Maybe even rooms with life sized models of computer fans, with the matching clothes.
Just like at Madame Tussauds wax museum.
Like for example, the stereotypical 80s C64 user with an ugly wool sweater and some jeans trousers.

Edit: I mean, in natural history museums, there are similar exhibitions for cave men already.
Why not for early computer users, too? 🤷‍♂️
It would help people of today and tomorrow to better connect to these pioneers.

Edit: I'm not kidding.

I'm getting pictures in my mind of a mock up of wax basement dwelling caveman in their wool sweater of their natural habitat in front of their matching computer learning how to communicate with emoticons over a modem. It probably wasn't safe then without a firewall, but somehow they managed.

^Thanks, I've just spilled my morning coffee. YMMD! 😂