Windows 98, 2000, Me.

Windows 98 is a graphical operating system that was released in 1998. It was the most popular user-oriented operating system with a friendly interface and multitasking capabilities. Windows 98 is an updated version of popular operating system Windows 95 and like that earlier version it was a hybrid 16-bit or 32-bit product and DOS compatible. So all programmes written for DOS could work under the new operating system.

Among features of a new operating system were better AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port or Advanced Graphics Port) support, functional USB (Universal Serial Bus) drivers, support for multiple monitors and Web TV. Internet Explorer continued to be integrated into the Windows Explorer interface like in later releases of Windows 95.

This Windows version was substantially larger and slower than Windows 95 although the upgrade sold well from the outset. So in 1999 an enhanced version of Windows 98 under the brand name Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) was released. It included fixes for many minor issues such as the replacement of Internet Explorer 4 with the significantly faster and lighter Internet Explorer 5.

Internet Connection Sharing as a new feature appeared in Windows 98 SE which allowed multiple computers on a LAN (Local Area Network) to share a single Internet connection through Network Address Translation. Among other added features were Netmeeting 3 and support for DVD Playback.

The system requirements of Windows 98 SE are: a 66 MHz processor, 24 MB RAM and at least 210 MB of free hard disk space.

Windows 98 was succeeded by Windows Millennium (Me) when a ”consumer” version of Windows 2000 was abandoned. Windows Me was in turn succeeded by Windows XP. Windows 2000 is a graphical, business-oriented operating system. It was released in 2000. Windows 2000 is still very popular especially in big corporations where the operating systems’ upgrades on a great number of computers face serious technical problems.

Windows Millennium Edition (also known as Windows Me) was an operating system released in 2000 by Microsoft. A successor to Windows 95 and Windows 98, Windows Me mainly comprised relatively small upgrades such as Internet Explorer 5,5. It also provided Windows Media Player 7, which was meant to rival the then dominant media player Real Player and included the new Movie Maker software, which provided basic video editing and was designed to be for home users.

One of the most publicized changes in Windows Me was that it no longer included real mode MS DOS. That means that unlike Windows 95 and 98 Windows Me did not load DOS before loading a Windows graphic shell. However, it should be noted that all those changes to Windows Me were minor and that operating system consequently was succeeded by Windows XP.

Ex. 3. General understanding. Look through the text again and answer the

following questions:

1. Why was Windows 98 the most popular user-oriented operating system?

2. What features did Windows 98 share with Windows 95?

3. What were its new features?

4. Why was an enhanced version of Windows 98 released in 1999?

5. What fixes did it include?

6. What new features appeared in Windows 98 Second Edition?

7. Can you specify the system requirements of Windows 98 Second Edition?

8. What new operating system was Windows 98 succeeded by?

9. Where is Windows 2000 used?

10. What upgrades did Windows 98 comprise?

11. What was one of the most publicized changes in Windows Millennium?

Ex. 4. Which of the listed below terms have Russian equivalents:

address, business, dominant, functional, graphical, hybrid, integrate, interface,

local, monitor, oriented, popular, product, serious, universal.

Ex.5. Give the Russian equivalents to the following English word combinations from the text:

added features, be integrated into the Windows Explorer interface, comprise

relatively small upgrades, consumer version, face problems, graphic shell,

include real mode MS DOS, later releases, many minor issues, most

publicized changes, multiple monitors, multitasking capabilities, provide

basic video editing, replacement of Internet Explorer 4, share a single

Internet connection, support for DVD Playback, updated version, user-

oriented operating system.

Ex. 6. Which of the listed below statements are true/false. Specify your answer

using the text.

Example: That’s right/It’s true ...

That’s wrong/It’s false ...

1. Windows 98 is a graphical operating system that was released in 1999.

2. Windows 98 is the same version of popular operating system

Windows 95.

3. There were no new features added to Windows 98 compared with

Windows 95.

4. In 1999 an enhanced version of Windows 98 under the brand name

Windows Millennium was released.

5. Only Internet Connection Sharing as a new feature appeared in

Windows 98 Second Edition.

6. Windows 98 was succeeded by Windows 2000.

7. Windows 2000 is a graphical user-oriented operating system.

8. Windows Millennium mainly comprised relatively small upgrades such

as Internet Explorer 5.

9. Windows Millennium no longer included real mode MS DOS as one of

it’s most publicized changes.

Ex.7. Match the following.

1. ... is a high-speed point-to-point channel for attaching a graphics card to a

computer's motherboard.

2. ... is a serial bus standard to interface devices, in other words an outlet

you stick wires into. It was originally designed for computers, but its

popularity has prompted it to also become commonplace on video game

consoles, portable DVD and media players, cell phones, etc.

3. ... is the name of both a thin client which uses a television for display

(rather than a monitor), and the online service that supports it.

4. ... is an application that is part of modern versions of the Microsoft

Windows operating system that provides a graphical user interface for

accessing the file systems. It is the component of the operating system

that presents the user interface on the monitor and enables the user to

control the computer.

5. ... is the name given by Microsoft to a feature in newer versions of its

Windows operating system (as of Windows 98 Second Edition) for

sharing a single Internet connection on one computer between other

computers on the same local area network.

6. ... is a computer network covering a small geographic area, like a home,

office, or group of buildings.

7. ... is a chain of interconnected computers, machines or operations.

8. ... involves re-writing the source and/or destination addresses of Internet

Protocol packets.

9. ... is a digital media player and media library application developed by

Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and images on personal

computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as

on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices.

10. ... is a free video editing software that is included in recent versions of

the Microsoft Windows operating system. It contains features such as

effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, timeline narration, and

Auto Movie.

a. USB (Universal Serial Bus)

b. Windows Explorer

c. LAN (Local Area Network)

d. NAT (Network Address Translation)

e. Windows Movie Maker

f. AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)

g. WebTV

h. ICS (Internet Connection Sharing)

i. Network

j. WMP (Windows Media Player)

Ex.8. Retell the text using the questions of ex.3.

Ex.9. Questions for group discussions:

1. What were strong and poor features of Windows 98, Windows 98 Second

Edition, Windows 2000 and Windows Millennium?

2. Do you agree that Windows Millennium is better than Windows 98

Second Edition? Why and why not?

3. Why is Windows 2000 still used?

Unit 5. Text. . Windows XP, Vista.

Grammar.

Ex. 1. Study the following words, read and translate the text.

1. arguably – возможно, вероятно

2. combat – битва, бороться

3. discard – отвергать, не учитывать

4. DSL (digital subscriber line) – цифровая абонентская линия

5. experience – опыт

6. framework – оболочка, основа, база, структура

7. goal – цель

8. hibernation – режим ожидания (режим пониженного энергопотребления)

рабочего стола

9. improve – улучшать

10. log on – вход в сеть (путем ввода имени и пароля пользователя)

11. noteworthy – заслуживающий внимания

12. overall – всеобщий, абсолютный

13. presently – в настоящее время

14. previous – предыдущий

15. promote – выдвигать, рекламировать

16. redesigned – доработанный

17. restriction – ограничение

18. sit well – устраивать

19. susceptibility – восприимчивость, чувствительность

20. target – цель, являться целью

21. Vista – перспектива

22. vulnerability – уязвимость

23. wireless – беспроволочный

Ex.2. Read and translate the text.