Is Windows Me for you?

Microsoft Windows is, quite simply, the biggest software program on the planet. It's what's called an operating system (OS). That means every time you use a computer running it, Windows is busily beavering away under the surface. It lets all the different components of the PC work together to run the programs that allow you to do what you want, whether it's write a letter or mash up your friends in a Quake death match.

In short, the operating system is an absolutely essential part of any computer - without it, the machine is just a useless hunk of silicon and steel with some pretty blinking lights. So, a brand spanking new version of the world's most popular OS is bound to turn a few heads.

And guess what? Later this month, heads all over the world will turn as Microsoft unveils the latest version of Windows - the Millennium Edition, or Windows Me for short.

But do you really need to go to the bother and expense of getting the new version up and running on your PC? And if you're just about to buy a PC, should you wait for the latest edition of the software you'll rely on most? Read on for everything you need to know about Microsoft's biggest product in years - and find out if Windows Me is for you.

What Windows?
For some years now, there have been different versions of Windows around. Smallest and cutest is Windows CE, which you'll see masquerading as Pocket PC on the latest wave of handheld computers. But Microsoft wants to use it in a range of other gadgets. Look out for smart fridges and even petrol pumps with a Windows powered logo over the next few years - they'll use Windows CE, or a variant.

Biggest and baddest of the Windows pack is Windows NT, which has just mutated into Windows 2000. It was originally called NT (for New Technology) because it was developed to run best on a new Intel processor called the Pentium Pro. It was, and still is, targeted firmly at business users. Windows NT/2000 is meant to be a super-reliable OS that will let you run your computers day in, day out, without any problems.

Slap in the middle, and by far the most successful, is the Windows you'll probably be most familiar with. Windows 98 is aimed at home and business users. It's meant to be reliable enough to let you run word processing and spreadsheet programs all day, but then to have enough fun built in to let you play games all night. It's been very successful, and is installed on virtually every PC that's sold for the home or small business.

The new millennium
It is Windows 98 that is being replaced. Windows Millennium Edition launches on 14 September, and will be supplied with virtually every new PC sold after that date. But what's new in it? After all, Windows 98 has been so successful that you might think there's no need to change - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

But in the computer industry there always needs to be a constant stream of 'improvements' and 'enhancements' otherwise people might be content with what they've got. And it's only discontented users who buy upgrades and new versions.

Secondly, there are a number of flaws in Windows 98. For example, if you install lots of different software packages, many of them make changes to the Registry, which stores all the vital system information Windows needs to run properly, and some of them alter important system files.

This becomes a problem when two different programs make changes to the same file. When they both try to use it, each program finds a file that's different to what it expected, and this can cause serious headaches for your PC, often resulting in a crash.

As well as fixing this sort of problem, Windows Me has some more general improvements. It should run faster, start up quicker, and your PC should be a more pleasant and reliable machine to use.

Opening Windows
That seems like just the ticket, and although Microsoft always promises that new versions of Windows will be better than those that came before, this one really seems to live up to the hype. The improvements are first evident when you install the software. We tried it on a number of machines, including a heavily-used desktop PC connected to an office computer network, a notebook PC (these were probably the most difficult tests) and a couple of freshly-unpacked PCs. In each case, installation was much less of a problem than we've found with Windows 98.

With Windows Me you just pop the disc in and wait for a couple of minutes until some files have been copied. You are then asked for your serial number: type this in, and you can go away and have several cups of tea. You don't need to do anything else, whereas Windows 98 repeatedly asks you to type in more details or hit a key to continue.

When you restart your computer, you'll most likely find very few changes. Sure, there's a new loading screen and a video starts up telling you about all the wonderful new features, but that seems about it.

Then, you'll start noticing some cosmetic changes. Your Network Neighbourhood has now been renamed My Network Places. There are new icons for My Computer and the Recycle Bin. But apart from that, your Desktop should be just the same as it was before and you can keep on working in the same way you're used to.

No dossing
Pah, you'll think. Not worth upgrading for this sort of prettification. But if you start to look a little more closely, you'll realise that Microsoft has actually made some more far-reaching alterations. The ones you can't see easily are probably the most important. Microsoft's army of programmers has been busy trying to make Windows more stable and less likely to crash. In particular, Protected System Files mean files that are vital to Windows are tagged as such and can't be changed accidentally, whether by the user or by a rogue program.

What's more, Microsoft has taken account of the fact that many programs may need to change the same file, but in different ways. Accordingly, it's now possible for different programs to save and access their own versions of the same system file. This means programs that might have caused earlier versions of Windows to crash when used together can now co-exist.

Microsoft has also got rid of DOS Real Mode. Windows 95 and 98 have never hidden their dependence on DOS. Standing for Disk Operating System, this was Microsoft's first OS and provided the foundation for much that has come later. Although it's still reliant on DOS, Windows Me keeps it out of sight.

Essentially, older versions used to go through a series of DOS checks before booting into Windows - the crude and indecipherable type on plain black or blue backgrounds. Windows Me doesn't, which makes it faster to start - if you've ever waited ages for your PC to start up, you'll know what a boon this is. However, the trade-off for this is that you can't restart your PC in DOS mode. If you want to use DOS commands or play an old DOS game, you'll have to open a DOS window in Windows Me itself and do it from there.

And even access to MS-DOS has been hidden away. Now it's on the Accessories sub-menu, so you don't see it as soon as you go to Start/Programs. This is all in keeping with Microsoft's desire to draw attention away from DOS, probably in preparation for getting rid of it completely in the next version of Windows.

This isn't the only change that's been made to the Start Menu. Previously, the Games group was tucked away under Accessories: now it's right in Programs. There are new games as well as the old favourites like Freecell and Minesweeper, though frankly we don't see the kids going wild over stunners like Internet Reversi (Othello) and, even more strange, Internet Solitaire. Again, this is a trivial point but it symbolises Microsoft's determination to make Windows more fun.

Media makeover
The new Windows Media Player combines the video-playing functions of the old Media Player with the CD Player. This version is a huge improvement over the last version we saw, which was cranky and really quite unusable at times. There are still some flaws in it, but it performs its core functions - playing music and videos - just fine.

Load up a CD and, as long as you're connected to the internet, the Media Player will trot off and obediently download a full play list. It'll play back other music files as well, both MP3s (the current favourite) and Microsoft's own WMA compressed audio format which sounds at least as good as MP3 and uses smaller files. Videos can be played as well, and if you want to customise the appearance of the player there's a number of ways to do it.

First is the option of a light show. Frankly, this isn't worth bothering with: it makes a token attempt to keep time with the music but wouldn't keep Jean-Michel Jarre interested for more than five minutes. Better is the concept of 'skinning'. Familiar to users of WinAmp, this is simply a way of downloading more attractive designs for the Media Player interface.

Windows Movie Maker is a basic video editing package that lets you pull together video from a number of sources. If you have a webcam, you can use that to record footage, while a video capture card enables you to record from a normal camcorder. If you've got a TV tuner card, you can even include footage from the small screen.

Just remember that although it's flexible, the functions in Windows Movie Maker don't compare with those in a proper video editing program. You can certainly have fun with it, and simple edits are easy enough, but more sophisticated tasks are beyond its reach.

Help!
Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time, and not just new users, but it's always been tricky to find your way round the online help in Windows. Me's new Help and Support Center is a huge improvement. It brings together all the information you are likely to need, and couples it with a friendly interface.

This links straight to the solutions to typical problems. Thankfully, these are categorised into sensible groupings, and the answers are easy to understand. It may have taken a long time to get here, but it's good to see online help offering the kind of support we can all do with.

If you want to get techie and really delve into the inner workings of your PC, then you'll be pleased to see the revised System Information tool. It's actually very similar to the one that's been used in Windows NT and is now part of Windows 2000. It's incredibly informative, just as long as you know how to interpret the information when you receive it.

Windows welfare
Keeping your PC in tip-top running order has never been easier due to improvements in Windows Update. If you let it, it'll seek out new updates and suggest that you should download them, rather than leaving it up to you to visit the site and check for improvements.

Office workers with permanent internet connections won't find this at all intrusive, but even on a dial-up connection it beavers away quietly in the background without any fuss or bother. Allowing Windows to download updates in the background is handy, if only because it means that it's ready to install them as soon as you give it permission.

As for ease of use, Me has taken a tip from Office 2000. If you don't use a menu command often, it'll hide itself, so all Windows menus only show the commands you really use. Even though you can always get the commands back with just one click, this can be a little frustrating sometimes, but it does help to genuinely reduce clutter.

What's more, it's interesting to see just how few commands you use on a day-to-day basis - our menus are practically bare.

If you've got more than one PC at home, you'll also be pleased to know that Windows Networking has been updated, while Internet Connection Sharing (where two or more people are able to use the same internet connection at the same time) is also easier to set up. If your internet service provider allows it, it can be a really useful way of maximising your internet time.

Is Me for you?
The question, as ever, is whether or not it's worth upgrading to Windows Me. If you plan to buy a new PC after 14 September then there is no real doubt: you should go for the latest version. If you've got a PC already, it's a different story. Windows 95 users should probably go for it, especially if they want to use USB devices - Me's support for these is streets ahead - but such users have probably already upgraded to Windows 98.

From here it's trickier, even though Windows Me is better than Windows 98. Some of the new features, like the updated Windows Media Player, can be downloaded from the internet or installed from a magazine cover disc, and the same is true of Internet Explorer 5.5, which is also part of Windows Me. If you can be bothered to find these updates, then there isn't any one compelling reason why you should upgrade from Windows 98, especially as you're likely to have to pay around £85 for the privilege.