Application compatibility: A month with NT 5.0, A Windows 2000 technology showcase
Generally speaking, you need to
spend time with any operating before you fully understand its weaknesses
and strengths. While most people will probably accept default settings
and gear themselves toward changing the way they work to suit the
operating system, power users will change the OS--as well as they can--to
match their working style. Like many so-called power users, I have a set
routine I go through each time I install Windows (and reinstall, and
reinstall because of the numerous betas I'm on). For example, when I
install Windows 98, I delete Online Folders from the desktop, Start menu,
and Program Files. Then, I install TweakUI so it logs in automatically.
The list goes on. If I had the time, I suppose, I could just write a huge
WSH script file to handle this all automatically.
You know, some day.
In my month-long experience with Windows
NT 5.0, however, I've tried to retain the default settings (for the most
part; I've changed the font size of desktop icons and some other small
things) in an attempt to live with NT 5.0 the way Redmond intended. It's
taken some strength, believe me. At first, I wanted to throttle
Personalized Menus and never see them again, but now, a month later, I
miss them if I have to go down to Windows 98 to use my scanner or take
screenshots for a book. Windows NT 5.0 Beta 2 is like that: The sum of
its features--however small individually--really grows on you.
So here it is a month after I've
installed the beast. I've been focusing on the Workstation release for
now (indeed, I still haven't installed Server) in an attempt to really
get a feel for it. And as such, I've installed the programs I normally
use (and some I don't ever use; I think we all know how that goes) so I'd
like to share some observations about how Windows NT 5.0 works as a
replacement for current versions of Windows (95, 98, or NT 4.0).
Specifically, I'm going to take a look at the programs I've installed and
determine whether they work in NT 5.0 at all and, if so, how well.
But first, some hardware notes
If
you've read my review of Windows NT Workstation 5.0 Beta 2, you might be
familiar with my experiences installing this release. NT 5.0 found most
of my hardware, with a few exceptions, including a USB video camera (the
Connectix QuickCam VR). Since installing NT 5.0, I've added Microsoft's
SideWinder Pro Force Feedback joystick, which appears to work fine. And
while I don't use this keyboard usually, I did attach the USB version of
the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite briefly and this worked too. I
attempted to attach a parallel port scanner, a STORM ImageWave, but it
won't work. It does work great in 98, however, so I'm forced to boot into
98 now and then when I want to scan something.
The weirdest thing with my hardware,
however, has to be my Creative Labs 12 MB Voodoo 2 video card. This card
"piggy-backs" to a regular video card and provides stunning 3D
images in OpenGL/Glide and Direct 3D-supported games like Quake II and
Unreal.
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