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Lacking the huge fanfare of publicity given to Windows 95, Microsoft's latest Windows Operating system, NT version 4.0, sneaks in the back door, claiming to offer PC users a new level of performance and robustness.
Following the somewhat problematic Windows 95, cynical observers in the computing industry hint that NT may stand for Not Tested. In fact, NT stands for New Technology - a name which is also tinged in irony, since you'll probably need new technology to run it!
It's certainly very demanding on hardware, requiring 16 megabytes of RAM. It runs OK on a 486, appearing slightly slower than good old Windows 3.11.
Give NT a mid-to-upper market Pentium, and 32 MB RAM, and watch it really motor! "Thirty two meg?" I hear you gasp.
Some experts are suggesting that 32 MB will soon become the standard memory configuration for workstations, and a staggering 64 MB for file servers. Fortunately for Microsoft, memory prices have fallen dramatically over the last few months.
Memory hungry as NT is, the increased hardware specification will be more than matched by falling hardware prices.
Our first installation of NT took us over two hours. Part of the problem was that the journalist review CD ROM's ship without any documentation - except for a piece of paper warning that the CD's are labelled incorrectly!
The version we tested, requires the user to provide three blank formatted floppy disks - necessitating an undignified crawl around the office as we played hunt the blank floppy!
Then NT's weird set-up program transfers a seemingly endless stream of further set-up files to these disks. Then you have to reboot your PC from these disks. Then it runs a DOS type set-up, taking nearly an hour to copy files from CD ROM. Then it does the Windows part...
Several stiff brandies and a round of cheese an pickle sandwiches later, you have a fully working operating system installed on your PC.
Windows NT looks like Windows 95, and both will run 32 bit Windows applications, but they are technically very different in other respects. For a start, it doesn't sit on DOS, like earlier versions of Windows. NT uses all 32 bit software drivers to control the various parts of your computer, whereas 95 would make do with old 16 bit drivers.
NT tackles the problem of backward compatibility by incorporating a very neat multi-boot feature which automatically keeps your old Windows 3.11 and DOS installation. This allows you to use your PC in 16 bit-only-mode, drivers and all, if you need to.
Most major 16 bit Windows 3.11 applications, such as word run perfectly well on NT. Some fax management systems, won't play ball, and peripherals such as scanners will almost certainly require updated software drivers.
Although NT and Windows 95 look and operate in the same way, NT is a much smoother, and more robust operating system. Its control panel makes more sense, and installing new hardware is much easier because it allows the user a great deal more manual control. This is essential if you want to install any tricky peripherals such as bar code readers, tape drives etc.
NT ships in two basic versions. Aimed at the individual and small business user, NT Workstation, will also run small work group type networks. NT Server, almost identical to NT Workstation, boasts sophisticated, large-scale networking capabilities.
NT Server is likely to make inroads into the highly lucrative network market, dominated until recently by networking giant, Novell.
Windows NT caters for a second generation of 32 bit applications - such as the forthcoming Office 97 - with most of the early programs' bugs and glitches weeded out.
Whilst it won't wake you up with a cup of tea with a splash of brandy, NT handles all the usual office work with ease and its extended Internet capabilities, and great graphics are very endearing.
As long as your hardware is up to the job, computing might start becoming fun! But then, ask any Apple Macintosh user, and he'll tell you his trusty Mac did all this and more, five years ago!
Thanks to Wessex Postgraduate Dental Dean, Ray Reed for allowing us to use his new IT training and development suite in Winchester to check out NT.
