First Look - Windows Millennium Edition

Minimum hardware Requirements

• Pentium 150Mhz or better (Recommended PII-300Mhz)

• RAM 32Mb (Recommended 64 or 128MB)

• SVGA Card and Monitor

• CD ROM

• Sound Card

• Mouse

• Headphones or Speakers

• 28.8 Kbs modem or faster with current Internet connection

Shortly

• Successor Windows 98 (steadier and safer are Windows 2000 based on technology Windows NT)

• Improvement drivers and support for new devices

• DirectX 7.1 - Support new games and multimedia applications

• Internet Explorer 5.5 - Preview before printing - good thing, Help - For user Netscape is here fast instruction how cross from Netscape on Internet Explorer 5.5 (I want Netscape I don't want support Microsoft, but in Netscape me some pages not function - and so I must stay at IE 5.5 - I had like him.)

• Strands from Windows 2000 - e.g . Starting menu, toolbar, control panels, lot of wizards.....

• Windows Media Player 7.0 - Big quantity (around 40x) visual effect at music playing, Various possibilities changes design player (skins -know from program Winamp) - classical and next 12x (in next version maybe more and other are for download on internet), creation playlists, Radio tuner for access to radio station on Internet.

• Compressed Folder - Integrated support for compressed files *.zip there's not necessary install winzip for unpacking files - just clicks and already you see all files. For packing - choose files and by the help of right buttons select - Send it - Compressed Folder

• Image preview - For browsing pictures is integrated simple browser "Image preview" (very simple) but is quicker beyond Internet Explorer. For fault-finders advise AcdSee. In directory "My Pictures" immediately you see brief preview on pictures (something like in AcdSee)

• Incorporate Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices - New standard and support latest high-tech technology in the first place for home networking (e.g . wireless connection computer). Universal Plug and Play Forum - www.upnp.org or Microsoft source www.microsoft.com/hwdev/UPnP

• Hidden DVD player  - run by the help of file dvdplay.exe placed in directory Windows (to trial I didn't have software or hardware decoder and mainly mechanic dvd,

• Retail package will available at September 14, 2000

New Applications

• Windows Movie Maker - Capture and edit Audio, Video Sequence

• System Restore - Recovery system after wrong installed programs and drivers 

• New games - Classic Hearts, FreeCell, Internet Backgammon, Internet Hearts, Internet Checkers, Internet Reversi, Internet Spades, Pinball, Spider Solitaire

Already only small part DOS

• It is impossible reboot into DOS - from Windows nor yet by the help of F8

• Limited Autoexec.bat a Config sys 

• Stay possibility command prompt under windows and Dos kernel for compatibility

• Creation system diskette is impossible realize by the help of floppy disk a: - properties and won't help to you form a: /with or sys a: as it was earlier. Is necessary go to the control panel - add/remove programs and there create diskette by the help of "Startup disk".

• Scandisk till under Windows - After wrong cutoff - Not start DOS Scandisk but scandisk under Windows (trifle, but I am pleased)

Changes in configuration

• Movements - Dial Up Networking and scheduled tasks (This computer) into control panels.

• To control panel added - Folder options, Taskbar and start menu, Automatic update

Summary

• Improvement Windows 98 SECOND EDITION - support some new devices and technology, but in principle quite expensive updating. 

Official Links

• Home page Windows ME - www.microsoft.com/windowsme

• Hardware Compatibility List - www.microsoft.com/hcl , ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/whql/hcl/winmehcl.txt