by Arie Slob

Dear Windows-Help.NET Subscriber, Microsoft earlier this week delivered a Developers' Release of the next version of Consumer Windows, code-named Millennium, to a group of some 5,000 of Microsoft's hardware, software and equipment partners. Millennium is Microsoft's latest effort at making the PC easier for first-time users and enhancing the experience of existing users by enabling new and exciting computing scenarios, such as digital media and entertainment and creating a connected home. Millennium will be the first operating system released under the Easy PC initiative - which we reported about in our Newsletter of 10 April 1999 - a joint project between Microsoft, Intel and other PC makers, aimed at simplifying the computing experience, in part by dropping support for older technologies. "The Consumer Windows Division is focused on truly making computing easy for consumers," said David Cole, vice president of the Consumer Windows Division at Microsoft. "We are excited to reach this first milestone on the path toward delivering a version of Windows specifically designed to enable consumers to take full advantage of their PCs in the 21st century." As a result of extensive consumer research, Microsoft decided that the core areas of focus for the Consumer Windows Division over the next several years would be digital media and entertainment, the online experience, enabling a connected home and making the PC 'just work.' Millennium will make significant progress in each of those four key areas: Digital Media and Entertainment: Digital media are becoming increasingly popular, as illustrated by the exponential growth in areas like music on the Web and digital photography. The Consumer Windows Division will focus on enabling users to take advantage of all this new content, making it easy to access, play/view and store as well as providing an enhanced PC gaming experience. Online Experience: Providing consumers a premier home online experience is a primary goal for the Consumer Windows Division. This means ensuring consumers can easily connect to the Web, locate desired content and determine which content is right for their family. Home Networking: Networking at home is becoming a reality for more and more people. The cost of new PCs continues to fall, and statistics show that more than 15 million households now own two or more computers. Those factors, along with the many intelligent hardware devices that are being created, are contributing to the boom of virtual employment. The Consumer Windows Division will work to simplify the process of connecting multiple computers in the home, enabling them to share information and an Internet connection, and provide the infrastructure for connecting different intelligent devices to the PC. It Just Works: The Consumer Windows Division is committed to providing consumers with a solution that 'just works,' from the moment a user starts their PC and throughout their daily computing experience. This promise will be fulfilled by the advancement of the PC's self-healing functionality, in addition to providing a simpler set-up and a great out-of-the-box experience for new computer users. Expected for release in 2000, Millennium will be Microsoft's third consumer operating system in as many years, something which could cause confusion among potential customers. "They've got to rotate it fast because we are going through one of the most significant hardware changes we've had in a long time," according to Rob Enderle of Giga Information Group. Popular Software from the InfiniSource Software Store HalfLife Named "Best PC Game" in the Best of E3 Show Awards from Unified Gamers Online! $39.99

600MHz processors to be unveiled
In the next two weeks, both AMD and Intel will unveil their new high-performance processors, hitting new speed levels for the mass market.

On Monday Intel will release a 600MHz Pentium III, and a Celeron running at 500MHz. According to reports the following week should see the first systems built around the AMD Athlon processor, running at competitive speeds.

QuickPoll
Last week I asked you about your shutdown experience when enabling fast shutdown on a Windows 98 Second Edition machine. Here are the results:

• 25% reported no problems
• 46% reported that Windows reboots instead
• 28% had other problems that prevented a Windows shutdown

This weeks QuickPoll: How many computers are there in your household, and are they connected through a network? Participate in the QuickPoll, you'll find it on the Windows 98 Tips home page.

Windows 95 Tip
I installed Internet Explorer 5, but where's my Active Desktop?
Internet Explorer 5 does not contain the Active Desktop. In order to have Active Desktop in Internet Explorer 5, you need to install Internet Explorer 4 with Active Desktop first.

More...

Windows 98 Tip
"Hard Disk Is Low on Disk Space" Message
When free space on your computers hard disk falls below a specific level, you may receive this message. Check this page for more information about this feature, and how to stop the warning.

He who laughs last found another meaning to the joke