Windows '95

The August 24 Release Date of Microsoft Corporations Operating System for PC Compatible computers, "Windows 95," marks a major change for the PC-compatible world. Windows 95 is a major revision of the widely used graphic interface and is widely touted to bring many enhancements to its users. Further, it is firmly supported by Microsoft and ultimately will be the desktop environment for many.

HOW WILL I GET WINDOWS 95?

Individuals and departmental users will find themselves in one of three categories:

• Windows 95 comes on the machine, or
• Windows 95 and another operating system are both loaded on the machine, or
• Window 95 is not loaded or I have an older machine and am considering the upgrade.

Several computer manufacturers intend to ship Windows 95 on all computers sold after August 24. Some manufacturers, such as Digital (DEC) intend to install both Windows 95 and Windows for Workgroups on their computers, giving the user/department the choice of which to use. Other companies, such as IBM, have not at the time of this article, elaborated their intentions. But, either a new copy of Windows 95 or an upgrade will be available from most software sales organizations. MCSC Software and Supplies will stock Windows 95 from Microsoft, which will give you 90 days of direct support from Microsoft for any problems.

WHY DO I WANT WINDOWS 95?

• Am I getting optimum performance from my hardware?
• Is my current operating system unstable?
• Do I have applications that require it?
• Do I plan to upgrade my Office suite of software at this time?
• Do I want to use specialty software or freeware that requires it?
• I want it because itŐs there and itŐs cool!

If things aren't broken, why do you want to upgrade?

1. In many ways, Windows 95 will provide a better operating system. It is true preemptive multitasking, which means that one crashed program probably will not crash the system and you can format, copy, up/download while doing other things.
2. It is plug-and-play and usually will automatically configure itself to hardware.
3. It also will make optimal use of memory, providing lots of available RAM for DOS programs and run older Windows programs well.
4. Additionally, new programs, such as Microsoft Office 95, will take advantage of 32-bit addressing, ultimately providing a more productive environment. New programs are currently being rewritten or newly made for the Windows 95 environment.
5. Finally, it is OK to admit that I want to be first on the block to click the "Start" button on Windows 95.

DO YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT HARDWARE?

Not all computers presenting running Windows are good candidates for upgrading to Windows 95. Windows 95 requires a certain hardware minimum, and we strongly recommend more than the published recommendations from Microsoft.

Specifically:

• You should have a minimum 8 MB of RAM and more if you are on a network
• You need a minimum of 20 - 40 MB of free hard disk space
• You should have 486 or Pentium microprocessor

If you are a heavy user of Windows today, you probably should consider 16 MB of RAM to start with. If you are installing Windows for the first time, a full, show-me-everything install takes up 65 MB, a typical install 40 MB, and a minimum install only 30. If you are installing over existing Windows, the requirements are much less, but you still need to reserve 24 MB for the basics. Although a 80386 33SX will in most cases run Windows 95, you really don't want to. You need at least a 486 for satisfactory performance, and new buyer should strongly consider a Pentium.

WHY MIGHT I NOT WANT WINDOWS 95?

Unless you want a different operating system, you probably WILL want Windows 95 - but you may not want it right now. Remember, Windows 95 is both 1) a 1.0 version and 2) it is a new member of our shared computing environment. As a new release, Windows 95 will have an assortment of problems. Microsoft intends a series of maintenance releases for at least the first year - you might be cautious about committing too many resources to such a new product. Even if it Windows 95 runs properly, many applications and protocols will need to be revised or rewritten to work properly with Windows 95.

In the Yale environment, you might expect difficulties if you:

• print from a Yale college to networked computers.
• use applications provided by C&IS Administrative Systems.
• use Novell Netware.

Other difficulties might arise if

• you have a heavily modified system where the upgrade software might have difficulties with unusual hardware or system configurations
• you have certain disk utilities or backup programs

Certainly, these incompatibilities will be corrected, and you will be able to choose to run Windows 95 with no major problems. However, it is suggested that you consider whether it is urgent to install Windows 95 immediately, or if you can wait until known difficulties and soon-to-be uncovered problems are solved.

C&IS support staff are committed to providing support for its users; however, with the introduction of this new operating system we suggest that you might not wish to be the individual or organization that first uncovers problems. C&IS will continue to monitor the status of Windows 95 problems and provide updates as compatibility issues are resolved.

Please consult the C&IS Web page for a link to the a new C&IS "Windows 95" Web page for local update information and pointers to interesting information from other sites. You might also check here for the address of a netnews newsgroup that will be set- up by C&IS with up-to-date information about problems encountered on campus. You will also be able to access this page from the MCSC Homepage.

Finally, for a look at Windows 95, come into the MCSC showroom at 175 Whitney Avenue or at the Yale Medical School (C-3, SHM). The MCSC will have Windows 95 running on some machines immediately after product announcement.

THE EDUCATED SERVER

The MCSC Education Department will be teaching a number of courses about the newest Microsoft operating system. If you are interested in learning more about Windows 95, call Linda Greer at 432-6642.