Does the Windows ME is the drawback for Microsoft ?

Dear Mr. Yaseen Mohammed,

== When we discuss any topic around Windows ME, we go back to the story of Windows Millennium - which also known as Windows ME – is an operating system from Microsoft and released commercially September14,2000 to the general public as the upgrade for Windows95 and Windows98 users and is designed for end-users, i.e. it was developed specifically for the home user, while Windows2000 was developed specifically for the business user.

== Microsoft claims that ME was an update on Windows98 (which has a very similar look-and-feel), adding a more intuitive interface for a novice user while adding functionality for more experienced users. In fact, it was designed to be backwards compatible with Windows98, Windows ME works with the earlier version's applications and drivers. Overall, Windows ME has the look and feel of Windows98 with some additional fixes and features not available in previous operating systems.

== While Windows ME includes some of the latest fixes and updates and some enticing new features, it is recommended that this update only for users that may find or want some of the new features listed below or for users who are purchasing a new computer with this operating system included. Improvements over Windows98 include functions to enhance system stability and error correction (what Microsoft is calling "PC health"), as well as features designed for digital media, home networking, and online experience:

Some of the most noticeable new features include:

1-                 PC health features:

-                     Revert back to backup of computer - Windows ME allows the user to automatically restore an old backup or to return to a prior (functioning) configuration in case files are corrupted or deleted.

-                     Auto-update, which automatically downloads Microsoft updates.

-                     Protect important system files - Windows ME allows the user to protect important system files and will not allow these files to be modified by any other software.

2-                 Digital media features:

-                     Movie editor - Allows users to edit and combine Microsoft movie files. Importing movies requires additional hardware.

-                     Image acquisition - which facilitates transfer of images from digital equipment

-                     Windows Media Player - Includes Media Player7, which enables users a more advanced way of listening and organizing their media files.

-                     DirectPlay voice chat, which enables chat between users playing games over the Web

3-                 Home networking features:

-                     Home Networking Wizard, which walks the user through steps to connect multiple computers in a home

-                     Improved technology for Internet connection-sharing

-                     Simplified Universal Serial Bus (USB) networking

-                     Universal plug-and-play technology

4-                 Online experience features:

-                     Internet Explorer5.5

-                     NetMeeting3.0 for conference capability

-                     Enhanced interoperability of Outlook and MSN Messenger Service

-                     Easier Web publishing

== Windows Me was the last operating system based on the Windows95 kernel. Windows ME was made obsolete by Windows XP, which will in turn be followed by Windows Vista, formerly code-named "Longhorn." Microsoft officially ended support for Windows ME on July11,2006.

== The real reasons behind Microsoft's decision to stop its support for Windows ME officially can be seen in specific limitations at Windows ME efficacy. However, some of those limitations have its appropriate corresponding solutions to resolve a little bit of the restrictions:

1-                 Despite the combination for the previously mentioned features into a package, it's worthwhile to note that many – including Media Player7.0, Internet Explorer5.5, DirectX7.0a and NetMeeting3.0 - were already available for free download from Microsoft's Web site.

2-                 When we think of Windows ME as "Windows98 Third Edition", it's a simple minor release of the old Windows9x line with no major new features. The user interface makes it look like Windows2000, but it's all98 under the covers. Windows ME looks similar to Windows2000 Professional on the surface, but it is virtually identical to Windows98 otherwise.

3-                 Windows Millennium Edition, like Windows95 and Windows98 before it, is based on DOS and is therefore a16/32-bit operating system. Microsoft is doing what it can to hide the MS-DOS prompt in Windows ME in an effort to simplify the OS, but DOS is as fully entrenched in Windows ME as it was in earlier versions of Windows9x. What's missing in Windows ME is support for16-bit Real Mode DOS, which is rarely, if ever, used anymore anyway.

4-                 By default Windows ME is more restrictive than Windows98. When opening a hard drive from "My Computer" it will basically tell you to "move along, nothing to see here". It also does this with some other folders and hides the advanced options in the control panel.

5-                 Windows ME does not support multiple microprocessors (CPUs), because Windows ME is simply the next version of Windows98, it is based on the Windows9x kernel, which does not support multiple processors. To use two or more processors in the same machine, you'd need to run Windows2000.

6-                 When you want to get Windows ME, you have to get it at retail or with a new machine purchase. Microsoft never offered any beta version of Windows ME to the public.

7-                 In case of minimum hardware requirements for Windows ME, Microsoft says that a Pentium150 or better with at least32 MB of RAM is the minimum system required to run Millennium. However, I recommend at least a300 MHz Pentium II processor with at least64 MB of RAM.

8-                 You can upgrade Windows95, Windows98, or Windows98 Second Edition (Windows98 SE) to Windows Millennium Edition (Windows ME). You cannot upgrade Windows ME to Windows2000, but you can upgrade Windows ME to the next version of Windows2000, Windows.NET1.0 (code-named "Whistler"), when it's released in late2001.

9-                 You cannot upgrade to Windows ME from Windows3.x. MS-DOS, Windows1.x-3.x, or any version of Windows NT/2000 will not work.

10-            Windows ME ships with the final versions of Internet Explorer5.5 or Windows Media Player7, but you can easily update Windows ME to the final versions of both WMP7 and IE5.5 via the Windows Update Web site.

11-            Windows ME does away with Real Mode DOS and therefore doesn't process CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT at startup. Instead, these files are maintained internally by Windows ME for backwards compatibility with applications that expect to find them there. But any changes you make to either file will be overwritten each time the system boots.

12-            You cannot dual boot Windows ME with Windows95/98, because Windows ME is designed to replace Windows95 and98. You can, however dual boot Windows ME with Windows2000, or use a third party utility, such as System Commander or Boot It Direct, if you wish to dual boot Windows ME with Win9x.

13-            It is impossible to boot Windows ME to a DOS mode or reboot the system into DOS mode, because Windows ME doesn't include Real Mode DOS, however, you can use a Windows ME boot disk to boot into a command prompt.

14-            Windows ME supports Hibernate:

-                     This which allows you to save the contents of RAM to the hard drive and then recover it all when the system comes out of hibernation.

-                     Also, this allows you to leave programs running and then have them return to normal when the system comes back up.

-                     But Hibernation in Windows ME is very restrictive and it won't work on all systems. First, you need an ACPI-compliant BIOS, as you do in Windows2000. But then the complications set it: If any of the drivers on your system are not hibernation compatible, the feature will not work, or even appear in the UI. At this point in time, most installs of Windows ME do not include hibernation.

-                     PC makers will include the necessary drivers for hibernation in their Windows ME systems.

-                     If you had hibernation working and it suddenly disappeared, it's probably because of a new driver installation. Many hardware drivers aren't compatible with hibernation. Check nohiber.txt in c:\windows for details.

15-            Windows ME has its own Hardware Compatibility List (HCL), which you should definitely check out before you install the product. There are two versions of the HCL, a simple text file and a Web-based version that's searchable.

16-            You will get problems with your IntelliMouse in Windows ME and the current version of IntelliType (the software for the IntelliMouse series) doesn't support Windows ME. But Microsoft has released new IntelliType software that is compatible with Windows ME.

Faithfully yours,

Lubna Al-Sharif

Yes, Windows ME was heavily criticized by some users, mainly for stability issues. A PC World article dubbed Windows ME the "Mistake Edition" and placed it4th in their "Worst Tech Products of All Time" feature. "Shortly after ME appeared in late2000," the article states, "users reported problems installing it, getting it to run, getting it to work with other hardware or software, and getting it to stop running."

The System Restore feature sometimes ended up restoring malware which the user had previously removed, since its method of keeping track of changes is fairly simplistic. By disabling System Restore, the malware could be removed, but the user lost all saved restore points.

System Restore also suffered from a bug in the date-stamping functionality that may cause System Restore to date-stamp snapshots that are taken after8 September2001 incorrectly. This can prevent System Restore from locating these snapshots and can cause the system restore process to fail. Microsoft released an update to fix this problem.

I don't think so coz Windows98 encountered many bugs and errors, Windows ME is considered relateively stable comparing to Win98

I used windows ME for long time and that was better as compared to Windows98 . Its normal for them to use those statements thats how they do business and bring new releases in market.