Well the beauty of XP is "compatibility mode" You can run any EXE/com/BAT, ect as if it were on 98, NT4 sp5, windows 2k. No fear that they will stop supporting 98 when microsoft does and stick you yet again with upgrading. Explain that to the bean counters and you might at least get by with approval on Win2k Professional. good luck
-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Cozine [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tue 7/15/2003 10:16 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc:
Subject: RE: [IMail Forum] OT: Windows ME opinions
Some background info...
We are the unloved step-child of two large corporations that split up some
years ago. We are owned by both and must abide by both IT guidelines. One
has decided it's no longer going to support Windows 95 - keeping in step
with Microsoft. To force the issue, they released a new dialer program to
connect to their network which doesn't work on 95 and disconnected the older
95 version. If we can't connect to them, we can't bill them.
Additionally, several other programs we use are no longer running on 95.
My bosses side:
We have some older software written just for us that won't run on anything
but 95 and to upgrade them would cost money.
New equipment costs money.
Why upgrade everyone when only 1/2 the company needs to connect to the
parent company requiring the upgrade.
Windows 2000 is too hard to configure remotely. (I swear, those were his
words exactly.) He's concerned about the security settings that need to be
put in place.
My side:
Our equipment is old and already paid for via monthly accruals. Continue
the monthly accruals to build a reserve to replace older equipment. The
units are failing faster and we have resorted to piece mealing them back
together. The cost of fixing one at a time is greater than the cost of
buying in bulk and rolling out new units.
Windows 95 is going by the wayside. This is not prophecy, it's reality.
The few programs that require 95 are accounting based and could be
maintained as stand alone units available for the sole purpose of running
one or two old programs as needed. This would require the employees to move
to another terminal to complete their tasks for a few hours every other
week. A temporary fix to a problem that still needs addressed.
New software is designed for high level equipment, there is a lot available
to us that we can't use because we have outdated hardware.
Employees of every level complain about the speed/problems they face daily.
We make about 70 M a year. We are not broke. We can afford to do the right
thing. We have the support from the "money" people to make the changes.
The thing about managing that he has failed to remember is that it is his
job to put policy in place to spread costs out over a spectrum so that the
company can afford to keep up with technology, and to keep pace with
technologies improvements so that we do not fall this far behind and have to
play catch up all at once. I have already talked to him about the prices of
Dells (thanks Len!) and laid out the plan to create a master disk from which
I (not we!) would clone all others. In short...I would then create 4 or 5
other "masters" based on the requirements of the person using them (i.e.:
accounting, admin support, mechanic, dispatcher, etc.) with their
specialized software installed. All of the hard drives could be configured
before we even began rolling out new systems. One of our parent companies
has a reclamation service for old computers. Pull your hard drive (we at
least have mechanically inclined employees as a trucking company!), send
that to me with your backup tape. Send your old unit to the reclamation
service. I'll copy your data from the backup to the new system and you'll
get a new computer by the next day. We have 120 computers in 40 locations.
At a minimum of two locations a week I could have this done in 3 1/2 months
and still have gone home early on Fridays. And that's if I do this alone.
Which I will have to as it's only he and I in our dept.
Umm...by the way...he's already mailed out the ME disks with NO
instructions. His note (of which I was not copied on) apparently tells them
to call me and I will walk them through it on the phone. I learned this
just this morning.
If this company didn't have such damned good benefits, I'd be signing off
for good.
Thanks for your input. I'm headed up the chain of command to plea my case.
~Amy
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Nathan Fouarge
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 9:27 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [IMail Forum] OT: Windows ME opinions
The only problem I see with running Win2k or WinXP is the current
machines/workstations that are in place. Win2k/WinXP, 64meg of Ram, and
2gig hdds do NOT mix, otherwise that is what I would suggest too.
Just out of curiosity why do you want to upgrade in the first place? Maybe
that will be a clue as to what path you need to take.
Nathan Fouarge
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bridges, Samantha
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 8:04 AM
To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'
Stop! Don't do it! Windows ME is "mostly" a home networking OS. It does
not come with alot of the networking components you would need for a
business level network. If you are going to go through the pains of an
upgrade, I would recommend going straight up to Windows XP or at the very
least Windows 2000 Professional. Both the Windows 2000 Pro and Windows XP
have better compatibility with business networks. Windows ME geared towards
the "Home Users".
My .02
Samantha
-----Original Message-----
From: Troy Hilton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 8:53 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [IMail Forum] OT: Windows ME opinions
I've never worked with it but all I've ever heard was that it sucked. We use
Windows 2000 on all our workstations. Works just fine.
Troy
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Amy Cozine
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 8:40 AM
To: IMail Forum (E-mail)
Subject: [IMail Forum] OT: Windows ME opinions
My boss is considering upgrading some of the employees workstations to
Windows ME and I was wondering if anyone had any opinions about the product
that they would like to share.
The computers are Compaq Deskpros (or similar Compaqs), 64 MB RAM, Pent III,
2GB HD, 56K Modem, MS Office Standard Edition. Basic stuff. Some have been
upgraded to 128 MB and/or 6 GB HD, but only as service depended on it. They
will be upgrading from W95.
The computers are not networked within the offices, they connect to our
corporate office via dial-up but will need to have stronger connections in
the very near future. He is looking at either cable modems, DSL or
Satellite, depending on what is available in each area. Our terminals are
in very remote locations across the US.
Any thoughts on the upgrade process, product reliability, security issues,
etc. would be appreciated. Feel free to contact me off-list as this is very
OT!
Thank you,
Amy Cozine
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