sick of it, sick and tired ... rant

meh ... I am gettin kind of bored reading posts all over the place and meeting people in real life with computers and operating systems that are 7+ years old are complaining that they are running slow or having problems. You can't expect software developers to be able to add features and evolve their programs while still maintaining 100% compatibility with an OS (win 95/98/me) that has been abandoned even by Microsoft themselves.

Windows 98 didn't even work right back THEN. How can you expect it to work right now, 7 years later and after the development community has moved on LONG LONG AGO to more modern operating systems (2000/XP/2003). Even XP is starting to get long in the tooth as Longhorn looms on the horizon.

I fix computers for a living and lately I have seen so many cases of people wasting time asking me to get their old Compaq presario from 1997 working with the latest software, etc and it is kind of funny behavior. If my 94 year old grandmother walked into her doctor's office and complained that she's having trouble competing in the Triathalon what do you think he would say to her? I'm just ranting... but I am really tired of it, they should just make all computers self destruct after 4 years ..... it would solve so many problems

If one more stingy bastard asks me why his circa-1997 HP Pavillion with 64mb RAM and a 2gb hard drive running Win98 is crashing when he logs into AOL 9.0 and tries to surf I am gonna kill kill kill

HELLO PEOPLE -- sometimes you have to spend a couple of bucks and get a new computer. Yes, it's true. Go ahead and flame me if you want but that's what I think.

 

There is a lot of truth in your rant

 

I agree to a point. It does get frustrating working on old PC's. However this is all some people can afford. And lets face it, you have to have a PC today if you are in your working years or have children.

BTW When I purchased our PC 2 years ago, I bought a lower end Dell. My logic was that I wanted to use it for word documents, some pictures and the internet(no gaming). I figured I paid $1000 CAD, so for $250 a year it was a cheap investment and I would buy new again in the 4th year.

 

Yes, I agree as well. But, as already stated it does depend on a person's financial resources.

I also just recently purchased my PC from DELL about 7 months ago for about $1,200 and consider it to be a decent mid-line system.

HR

 

Here is a little tool to help get the upgrade ball rolling.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/NAMOR/ha54.jpg

 

What I find quite impressive is the number of developers that still do support Win98, especially on the security side (e.g. DiamondCS, Agnitum, Kaspersky). This OS still has some advantages (speed and compatibility with older games) over newer ones and, with the proper drivers, can handle most current hardware.

Microsoft's abandonment, it should be noted, comes down as much to their financial incentive in getting you to cough up US$200+ for a retail copy of WinXP as it does to any actual support burden. Despite the years that have passed since '98, for every advance WinXP offers (NTFS file security, kernel mode, user permissions) there seems to be a downside (product activation, bundled nagware, UI that wastes screen real-estate). Microsoft innovate? There's a contradiction!

Of course, one approach with an "old and slow" system is to sneak in a (cheap) motherboard upgrade - even a bottom-end model with integrated *spit* graphics should make a world of difference...

 

Sorry, I do run Windows 98 SE

 

Excellent opportunity to sell them a New PC..if they trust you... they will..in fact most of the repair shops around here do that also teamed with a group that builds them for a reasonable price that they trust..along with installing the software and the Security Applications.

Granted ,it is a money making operation..but as you point out..they have to bite the bullet sometime..and better for you to tell them how to do it..than you end up working on their new PC for the Home Shopping Network or even Dell nowdays..where a smart tech would clean the hard drive on those and start over before they give it to the customer.

All that said..besides the other PC's I have here..this win98SE laptop with 96Meg is my favorite ..I won't even let it see the light of day for anything above IE 5.00.2614..but then I control the content and the lockdown.

 

Hi Luckman,

I can't see the problem here..."They pays their Money, they calls the Tune"...If what they want ain't going to work then just tell them, if they still want it, give them it, (Charge and get Paid) they will realise you were right and they will be back and then you can sell them what they REALLY need, (And you can charge and get paid again) if they can see the logic of what you say, then either way you must be on a win/win situation........you should really be laughing all the way to the Bank.....don't knock it, Sell it........


Cochise,

 

At least my 98SE never crashed, my Dell XP isn't happy unless it does at least 2 times a month and I use security, don't troll bad neighborhood, don't auto-click, all the stuff that should keep that from happening................the 98SE - I did EVERYTHING you were not supposed to do, had tons of 'baddies' on it and it just kept running and runnng - it's still running!! LOL!

I agree, sell them new ones you have built or cleaned............it might be financial if it isn't - they have to see the 'light' sometime!! DON'T THEY!

Marja

 

I used to run WinMe in 2002-2003 and it ran quite noticeably better than Windows 98SE (maybe its just my luck).

Yes, I agree that PCs should be upgraded every now and then. I did upgrade my PC two times - and both times the market was moving to new standards - and this makes upgrading a bit difficult.

Standards change too often nowadays. The first time I upgraded, the processor had moved from Pentium 3 to Pentium 4, SDRAM had been replaced by DDR and RDRAM, and AGP8X was replacing 4X.

The second time, Processor market was alright, the Graphics card market was moving from AGP8X to PCI-E, and RDRAM had been replaced by DDR.

I personally dont look back at Win98SE much anymore, but WinMe - well, I will remember it, because it was the only Windows 9x based OS that ran almost as stable as Win2k on my PC.

Now I have WinXP Home - and I'm glad I made the move.

 

Greed, greed an more greed it's nothing but damn greed. Instead of developing a platform an then improving upon it, they throw away the baby with the bath water an start all over. It's like reinventing the wheel. No in my opinion it ain't nothing but damn greed. NOW THAT'S MY RANT!!

Thanks
Wildman

 

Hah!...I'm with you Wildman on this...the only trouble with people who try to invent the Wheel is that they tend to forget the 'Spokes and the 'Hub'....

As I say every morning when I look in a mirror..."Ya can't improve on perfection".......

Cochise,

 

In the words of two songs Cochise: (1) "An the wheel goes round". (2) "Oh Lord it's hard to be humble". I think that about sums it up.

Thanks
Wildman

 

I use windows 98 on my home PC and really haven't had ANY main issues at all! It still works fine, so why fix something that isn't broken It sounds like maybe you LuckMan212 should look for another job

 

Naaah..why should he?
On the contrary, I'd say! There's nothing wrong with a good old rant now and again!
Shows the man still has got spirit and fire to keep on improving (his service f.i.)

Show me a man who never rants about his job and I'd say you're telling fairytales...
It's a "healthy" necessity to keep on going if you ask me!

Feeling any better yet, LuckMan212?

regards,
slam

 

I can definitely sympathize, Luckman.

The issue isn't people running Windows 98, it's people running ancient systems and expecting the tech to make it work like a new system. I agree with Cochise, though.. don't fight it, sell it! Sometimes it will take a dent in the wallet before they listen.

 

Me personally reverting to Linux more and more. Only use Windows when it's really needed. Microsoft caught the world using big commerce but crap software. It's unstable, unsecure and not user friendly at all.
I noticed I spend more time securing and maintaining my system then actually using it. That had to stop. Now with a Debian GNU/Linux install with Gnome desktop I'm happy. I use Crossover Office to run Microsoft Office 2000 for compatibility.

The future of Windows is a big swamp for me. Eye-candy like Lonhorn are not needed and will us all have to buy a new computer again

Thanks America, for your big commercial boys.

 

StyleWarz?

Did I just hear you volunteer to educate the general public on the operation of Linux? LOL

Here is what I found in my computer life, which dates back to the 3 meg HD was da bomb & nothing was plug & Play.

Highschools were teaching students to run Apple, while collages were teaching Windows. Talk about a abrupt change from high school to collage?
Now days I think they teach both. Maybe you can tell me if now days they teach Linux or SUN also? Maybe some do.

I too have been down the path of fixing up old 486's for people. Most of them were on social services & I did it for free. It was the only way the kids would get a computer. I would usualy try adding RAM & a copy of 98. As far as speed goes, they ran better on 95 as a treat I gave them 98

You can still burn movies on a PIII 850 with 1 gig a RAM, using USB 1.0
Ya just need some patience LOL

controler

 

yes I am, thank you all for your comments and opinions! Sometimes you just need to rant a little ... I want to clarify my original post- I was not trying to criticize anyone who still uses Win98, if you are happy with your system the way it is, more power to you. I agree 100% that there's no reason to throw away a perfectly working system or spend $$ just for the heck of it.

What I was really harping on were the people who were NOT happy with their Win9x systems, who want their computers to do more; to run the latest software, and they come to us (us=the IT support industry) demanding that we "fix" the problem, and yet they do not want to spend any money on this process or listen to our advice that sometimes they just need to upgrade their hardware or software.

Believe me, I am all for "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
But sometimes it *IS* broke!

 

Yes LuckMan212 after re-reading your post and absorbing some other comments I realised I misunderstood your rant ! It must be frustrating to have people request the ridiculous. I for one do understand that running a seven year old system in a constantly progressing environment means you need to expect little assistance, and rightly so Happy ranting

 

Yup. I completely agree. Sometimes, you just have to upgrade; there is no other way.

Regards,
FC

 

The orginal poster claims to be in the computer repair business? Well maybe the poster needs to seek new employment instead of complaining.
If the poster does not like older computers let him go out any buy newer computers for everyone. Personally you could not give me XP.
As for not being able to upgrade win98 that sort of comment is just plain not very smart. There are several win98se sitting around my office that has better security than is provided for XP and costs next to nothing. An who said XP is secure? FAR FROM IT!
So to the complaining poster> find a new job and stop whinning. Because you don't appear to be very happy with what you are presently doing and don't appear to be very good at your work.

 

Once again I must say it is greed an planed obsolesce. If they would stick to one platform an improve upon it things would be much better in my opinion. Yes charge for the improved software an even expansion hardware, but having to purchase a new computer every five years or so is a little much don't you think? Oh well good ole "Billy Gates" is one of the richest men in the world now isn't he?

Thanks
Wildman