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Is Windows 2000 right for you?

By Ed Bott, ZD Net
Microsoft has launched a major new Windows zersion on 17 February, and the hype out of Redmond -- and tajon from the media -- barely reached a whtsper. What's going ji here’ Is this really the operating system that Bill Gates is «tng the company on? Absolutely.
Despite the name, Windows 2000 is not the successor to .ynlows 98. In fact, if you look closely enough at a PC running Vndows 2000, you'll find traces of the new operating system's ea name: Windows NT 5.0. With a slew of advanced security eatures and the new Active Directory, it's right at home on usness networks. But it also supports DirectX?, which makes it a ofcr platform for Quake and other decidedly un-businesslike cocations.
WhatjsZOPQ?
| Windows 2000 offers more options than might meet the eye. j Tee's a separate edition for different types of users: Yofessronal, Server, Advanced Server, DataCenter Server etc.
Professional Edition: This upgrade to NT Workstation is fierosoft's workhorse OS for business desktops and notebooks, has a huge appetite for hardware, but is more secure and reliable Inanany previous Windows version. $319 new; $149 upgrade km NT Workstation: $219 to upgrade from Windows 98 or 95.
I Server Edition: Basic file and print sharing, with an award-Irning Web server tossed in for good measure. Ideal for small ksinessesand departments. Can scale up to use as many as four bllsin a angle machine. $999; $499 upgrade from NT Server; jdudes 5 cSent access licenses (CALs); $899 upgrade includes 25 P. gauged Server: Server on steroids, for large networks and |ranmerce applications. By using multiple servers (up to 8 CPUs LM>), you can keep the network chugging along even when one br.er crashes. $3,999; $3,599 upgrade from NT Server or $1,999 Sgradefrom NT Server 4.0, Enterpnse Edition; inc. 25 CALs.
I DataCenter Server: Microsoft's ambitious attempt to build a anframe killer -- a massive OS designed to run mission-critical sress applications like airline reservation systems. Due mid-ar. You probably can't afford it
The upside to upgrading
| If you upgrade to Windows 2000, you'll have plenty to smile out The improvements are profound and immediately Mfceabte, especially if you're moving up from Windows 95 or 98 | For starters, Windows 2000 is practically crash-proof. Really. If «Ve grown accustomed to rebooting your PC every few hours, «tner you need to or not, you'll probably be shocked by smooth ration measured in weeks or months. Thanks to memory Section, iM-behaved programs can't lock up the rest of your item, and the dreaded Blue Screen of Death - a system crash Katy caused by a poorly written hardware driver -- is practically endangered species.
1 If yw PC is reasonably up to date, setting up Windows 2000 is loJously easy. A dean install takes an hour or less (upgrading V Windows 95 or 98 takes longer because of the extensive rpabb-r, checks the Setup program runs). If you're responsi-| for an office full of PCs, you'll find everyday administrative
tasks easier as well.
This operating system is also dramatically more hacker-proof than previous Windows versions.
Unlike Windows NT, Windows 2000 supports the fast-growing list of devices that connect to your PC via Universal Serial Bus (USB) or a FireWire port.
Have previous Windows versions led you straight to DLL Hell? A new feature called Windows File Protection watches, hawk-like, over crucial system files. If a Setup program replaces one of these files with an outdated or unauthorized version, Windows 2000 silently restores the correct file. The result - at least in theory - is a more stable system.
Cons
Despite its undeniable improvements, Windows 2000 is far from perfect. Microsoft won't warn you about its rough edges and gotchas, but we will. Here's what to watch out for:
Your hardware might not work: Do you have a Creative Labs DVD player’ Good luck getting it to play movies under Windows 2000. Have you backed up crucial data files using an OnStream tape backup drive from Windows 98 or NT4? Sorry, your data is not available under Windows 2000. After upgrading, you may discover that your high-end sound card is using generic drivers, effectively disabling the advanced features you paid a premium for. Of course, a steady stream of new and updated hardware drivers will trickle out over the next few months, but don't be surprised if older devices never work properly with Windows 2000.
Your software might not work: How many system utilities do you own? You'll need Updated versions of the Norton Utilities and Partition Magic to handle Windows 2000's new disk formats. You'll almost certainly need to update your antivirus software. Older versions of some programs, such as Adaptec's Easy CD Creator, will require patches before they work properly. And all bets are off when it comes to custom applications-the only way to tell whether your custom program will work is to test it yourself.
The bottom line
Despite some rough edges and unfinished pieces (most notably the Active Directory), Windows 2000 is for real. It's far from perfect, but its combination of usability and stability is a vast improvement over any previous Windows version. Its compatibility with the huge base of available Windows applications makes it a likely winner among corporations. That's the real target customer for Windows 2000.
For the vast consumer market, however, this year's choice is between two unsatisfying and frustrating alternatives. Windows 98 is cheap and popular but notoriously crash-prone. Windows 2000 is reliable and secure, but it's far too expensive and complex for all but the most technically astute consumers.
Windows 2000 represents the future of Windows, and it proves that Microsoft can produce an excellent operating system. The company's next challenge is to build on that foundation, stripping away the complexity and the cost to produce a consumer version. Mainstream users thinking about an upgrade should keep waiting.