Windows 98 polished

Microsoft has finally released Windows 98 Second Edition, the long-awaited update of its popular graphical operating system. As reported in What PC? (June 1999), the new release includes a number of bug fixes and introduces Internet Explorer 5 as standard.

Among the other improvements are enhanced support for the Firewire (IEEE 1394) high-speed serial interface (which can be used with some digital camcorders for video editing), USB devices and WebTV. More interesting is the fact that Second Edition allows several PCs to link together and share a single Internet connection simultaneously. It also supports the ACPI, developed by Intel, Microsoft and Toshiba, for more intelligent power management in notebooks.

The update includes the fixes contained in Windows 98 Service Pack 1, such as patches for Y2K issues, and version 6.1 of the Windows Media Player.

We should see the new version appearing on PCs this summer. An upgrade from Windows 3.11 or 95 costs £86, and the full version comes in at £161.15.

Users of Windows 98, however, can order an upgrade disc for free from Microsoft's website at www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/win98_2nd.htm.

Microsoft: 0345 002000.

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