The high price of getting something for nothing
Article Abstract:
Microsoft's Outlook 98 workgroup software demonstrates how free products frequently can produce subtle costs. Some Microsoft Office 97 owners may first have to install the Office 97 Service Release 1 Patch, or SR-1, to correct several mistakes. Owners may have difficulty verifying program installation, and reinstallation of Office 97 or one of its programs requires running SR-1 again. Other time constraints include the downloading of the 7MB SR-1 over a 28.8-Kbps modem, which takes much longer than Microsoft's projection of 35 minutes. Outlook operates only with a flawed Internet Explorer 4.01 that consumes a significant amount of hard drive and eliminates previous versions. Users need time to understand how Outlook 98 can perform a range of new capabilities. Outlook 98 is free until Jun 30, 1998, when an orderable CD-ROM will cost $9.95. The price then reaches $109 as of Jul 1, 1998, except for registered users of Office 97, Outlook 97 or Exchange Server.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1998
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Personal computers: what is using Windows 95 really like?
Article Abstract:
Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system is a mixture of good additions and inexplicable failures. In a long-awaited feature, Windows 95 claims to support long file names, but the system actually stores files in the old eight-character format since application software cannot support the longer file names. Sending files with long names across networks or to Windows 3.1 or DOS computers increases the difficulties. Multitasking, another vaulted feature, is not fully supported. The system handles sending communications in the background, but loading a CD-ROM or using DOS programs in the background can bring the system to a standstill. Tape backups may not be properly formatted if the computer is running multiple programs at the same time. Windows 95 has improved recognition of system resources, eliminating some installation hassles. Windows 95 makes sense for Windows 3.1 users experiencing memory and system limitations.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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Windows 98: $90 worth of duct tape: latest update patches some holes, but many other problems remain
Article Abstract:
Microsoft's Jun 25, 1998, Windows 98 product release is an unexciting event compared with the release of Windows 95 three years earlier. Even the Windows 98 product slogan seems bland: 'Works Better, Plays Better.' Windows 95 suffered from a multitude of problems, but even so, it represented a significant improvement over Version 3.1. By contrast, although Windows 98 fixes some bugs and adds some improvements, but unless it includes something specifically needed, upgrading might not be worth a user's trouble and expense. Microsoft Windows 98 represents the last gasp of the DOS-based product line. Henceforward, Microsoft intends to base its operating systems on Windows NT.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1998
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