By Wayland "Buddy" Hancock
AA&B November 1996
After months of hype, Microsoft released Windows 95 in late August. Some users are pleased with the new software; others are so unhappy with it that they're switching back to their old version. Should you upgrade to Windows 95? Upgrades can be frustrating and costly, so you should do so only after examining the costs and benefits of making a switch.
Of course, Windows 95 offers several enhancements over version 3.1, so let's briefly examine them.
The "desktop" feature on Windows 95 reduces system crashes and makes recovering from them easier, but the performance of this 32-bit program is only marginally better than its 16-bit predecessor. This enhancement also provides better "memory management." In other words, a single program won't bring down the whole system, as it could with Windows 3.1. Users can now stay in Windows to run DOS programs with large memory blocks.
Windows 95 makes in easier to configure networks and resolve conflicts between network management tools. The new "plug-and-play" feature automatically identifies and configures peripherals to the software. For example, if you add a new modem, a message appears on your screen when you boot your system that says, "I've found new hardware, do you want to install the driver automatically?" However, the peripheral software must be written to understand the plug-and-play technology, otherwise Windows 95 won't notice the new hardware.
Windows 95 has an open-platform design that allows it to access any file server over any network. Such hardware independence is great for users with multiple workstations and varying network configurations.
The new program also makes transferring files from remote locations easier and faster. And its "MS Exchange" feature allows a single message to be transported via the Internet, Microsoft Network, MS-Mail or any other program that meets Microsoft's E-mail specifications.
Can agencies benefit from these new features? Although some people have said Windows 95 has boosted their productivity, the program's enhancements are of relatively little use to a typical agency.
Remember that the retail price of a new software package is only a small part of the total cost to upgrade. Microsoft recommends using Windows 95 on machines with at least 8mb of RAM and 35mb to 55mb of free disk space. That means that people with 386DX computers and 4mb of RAM will need to upgrade their hardware, a process that could get expensive with multiple workstations. And if you do upgrade, you'll want Windows 95 on all computers in the system.
Training might also add costs. Experienced Windows users probably can get up to speed on Windows 95 in about an hour. But testing and installing the software takes time, too. If you don't install Windows 95 over version 3.1 in the same directory, you'll need to reinstall all your applications, which is time-consuming.
Microsoft has released a list of about 200 programs that have compatibility problems with Windows 95. Although many aren't mainstream applications, you'll want to be careful if one of yours is listed.
Another problem is that many older disk utilities and antivirus programs aren't compatible with Windows 95, but you can expect to see some new ones on the market soon.
Three agency automation vendors (AMS, AGENA and Applied Systems) have announced plans to ship applications for Windows 95, but don't expect big changes in the short term. Some tools needed to make the vendors' custom applications work on Windows 95 are not yet available. I suggest you check with your vendor before upgrading to be sure it has tested and approved use of the program with its systems.
For those of you with Windows 3.11, it has plenty of life. Some Windows 95 beta-testers who love the new program even say there's no compelling need to immediately switch. But if you want to find out what the hype is all about, call Microsoft, which has 1,600 representatives answering about 20,000 inquiries a day. If you subscribe to CompuServe, you can find answers to your questions in the MSWIN95 or SETUP 95 forums.
