what is your favourite operating system

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the What HiFi community: the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products.

Jasonovich

Well-known member
I’ve used every version of Windows, from 3.11 for Workgroups to W10, missing only 8 &8.1. Stability has not been a problem since W XP and, even ME was more stable than it’s reputation suggests.
I was just being mischievous 😂
Since MS switched to NT kernel, I believe the launch of Windows 2000, it's been rock solid.
Also 64 bit instructions set has made it more so, i.e wider instructions less work load.
From personal experience, Windows Millennium and versions preceding that was a bit wobbly on multi tasking and yes the big BSOD.
What was that IBM OS which was supposed to complete with Windows? Oh the name escapes me, I flirted with that for short time, it was quick and lean but got the impression it was still in beta. It had showed some promise but like Lotus 123, Word Perfect or any software competing with MS it was sure to fail.
 

Timbot

Well-known member
Jun 7, 2010
102
40
18,620
Visit site
I’ve used every version of Windows, from 3.11 for Workgroups to W10, missing only 8 &8.1. Stability has not been a problem since W XP and, even ME was more stable than it’s reputation suggests.
I too have ridden the wave from 3.11 to 95 to98 then to XP, Vista, Windows 7, Window 10 and now Windows 11.

Our first PC, after BBC Micro system, Amstrad (not sure of the model but it had a 5 1/4 inch floppy disc drive) and Amiga 500 was a Viglen with a Pentium 90. It was one of the first pentiums as most other people had 486s back then. We started with DOS and Windows 3.11 but then upgraded to Windows95. What a palaver that was! Windows 95 and Windows 98 were a nightmare to network as everything had to be set up manually and if there was the slightest mis match somewhere then nothing worked (who didn't love a LAN party, right?)

Once the NT type operating systems came out (I think that's Vista onwards but possibly XP onwards?) the networking became a bit more "plug it in and Windows will sort it".

The other thing that has been amazing is the change in processing power. We went pentium 90 then 233 then 866 etc. The increase in power then was huge. Nowadays I doubt most people would notice much difference between a processer from the current gen and something 5-8 years old. Every year back then you could triple your processor power which was transformative. Now you can save power and get some marginal gains but I feel that it only really benefits those who game or have processor hungry requirements.

So my "favourite OS"? Not sure I'd ever call an OS a favourite as it's just an OS but I'd probably plump for Windows XP if I had to pick one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jasonovich

Jasonovich

Well-known member
I too have ridden the wave from 3.11 to 95 to98 then to XP, Vista, Windows 7, Window 10 and now Windows 11.

Our first PC, after BBC Micro system, Amstrad (not sure of the model but it had a 5 1/4 inch floppy disc drive) and Amiga 500 was a Viglen with a Pentium 90. It was one of the first pentiums as most other people had 486s back then. We started with DOS and Windows 3.11 but then upgraded to Windows95. What a palaver that was! Windows 95 and Windows 98 were a nightmare to network as everything had to be set up manually and if there was the slightest mis match somewhere then nothing worked (who didn't love a LAN party, right?)

Once the NT type operating systems came out (I think that's Vista onwards but possibly XP onwards?) the networking became a bit more "plug it in and Windows will sort it".

The other thing that has been amazing is the change in processing power. We went pentium 90 then 233 then 866 etc. The increase in power then was huge. Nowadays I doubt most people would notice much difference between a processer from the current gen and something 5-8 years old. Every year back then you could triple your processor power which was transformative. Now you can save power and get some marginal gains but I feel that it only really benefits those who game or have processor hungry requirements.

So my "favourite OS"? Not sure I'd ever call an OS a favourite as it's just an OS but I'd probably plump for Windows XP if I had to pick one.
I admire how you captured the PC revolution in the sequential time frame, I experienced kind of the same thing, from Amstrad to Amstrad PC clone. Those ghastly beige desktops.
Viglen, Mesh, Dan, blast from the past!
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts