1237a580a09c
tech



Hello Wayne - 

CA>> It's occurred to me more than once that buying a W98SE
CA>> full Microsoft version would have the advantage of no OEM
CA>> demo junk software that installs with it. Should be a much
CA>> 'cleaner' install I would think? 

WC> Think? I KNOW. You can't believe the subdirectories there
WC> are in just Windows 98, must be on the order of 6 thousand
WC> :-( 

I noticed some of that on my brother's HP factory install. I
was going to count them once but there is no way I would use
the machine that way and decided it was information that was of
no use in MY world. (G) 

WC> Most if not all the apps install as subdirectories of
WC> Windows like program0~1, ect. ad infinitum :-( 

This is a potential collision of short filenames within the
registry too which is not a good thing. :-\ 

WC> Encarta alone is a huge subdirectory of Windows\system as
WC> are too many to mention. I was looking for a minimalist
WC> install and obviously that isn't going to happen with the
WC> OEM CD. Comes in over 700 Meg. 

I've read numbers as high as 900 meg. 

WC> If I delete all the crap I'll get all sorts of error
WC> messages. 

You definitely do _not_ want to just delete apps. My brother
did that without asking me first and disabled his computer. (BG) 

Even old W31 won't allow a simple deletion of Internet Explorer
v5.x without creating a disaster. :-\ 

You have to locate an 'uninstall' program for the app or use
Windows uninstall. I personally think even using Windows
uninstall would eventually create a huge mess but those are the
two recommended methods. I'm thinking that when I move to W9x
or newer I will need to buy the full install CDs or live with
the garbage until such time that I can wipe the drive and
install from full CDs. 

WC> Gotta ask in Win9x echo what the file is to modify
WC> bootgui=0 so it boots to DOS. 

You have to change attributes on C:\MSDOS.SYS, edit, then
change them back again. 

WC> Can you believe the packaged Explorer _and_ Netscape with
WC> this OEM software _only_ lets you setup, so far as I've
WC> found so far, through an automated tool with preprovided
WC> ISP's? GTE is listed but the number doesn't work. 

My brother's machine uses a proprietary dialer (DUN) for
PeoplePC. He cannot login to PPC without it and he can't shut
it down while online either (it pops advertisements up now and
then while you are online). I was very annoyed, he doesn't care. 

WC> Setup the existing dialer and that logs on OK giving me
WC> some 50K connects but not having setup my identity in the
WC> default browser, like how, I lost the connection before
WC> downloading NS 7.0 with all the bells and whistles at some
WC> 32Meg compressed. How to tell it my e-mail address or
WC> anything else for FTP transfer? Might try it with the tape
WC> drive on the other machine than download the .exe file
WC> instead of the copy that installs on the fly online than
WC> transfer the file by way of the parallel port from tape :-( 

That is one way. Using BasicLinux is also available. 

WC> One thing's for sure the latest and greatest Linux should
WC> run on this machine and I'm looking forward to getting
WC> Netscape installed so I can snag the Dillo browser, mail,
WC> word processor, ect. 

If you have StarOffice or OpenOffice in mind I think they both
require 128 meg of memory to use them. :-\ 

The latest and greatest is not one Linux but several depending
which person you talk to. Multiple 'distros' from multiple
sources that are not compatible with one another. Much like
Windows versions the installed size grows along with that to as
much as 900meg for everything. :-) 

It has been mentioned recently that a Linux that was uptodate
at the time the machine was new is probably the proper size and
configuration for that generation of equipment. Even the much
vaunted Linux will begin to creep on legacy hardware to an
extent when using newer versions of the GUI etc. 

One reason Steven Darnolds decided to use SlackWare v7.1 for
the new BasicLinux version 2 is that after v7.1 apps and
libraries began to bloat in size and execute slowler on lesser
hardware. 

Keep in mind recent Linux, Windows, and others are being
written for 2ghz machines now with installed memory on video
cards that can be 32 meg just for the video. Sizes of updates,
patch files, and applications that are 'free' are also
increasing in size because close to half the population seem to
have DSL connects and 80meg hard drives now and won't complain. 

Many apps are in the 30-60 meg range and would take from 2-4
hours to download on a dialup. Not that it can't be done
unattended, it can, but you need an _uninterrupted_ 2-4 hours
of connection or the ability to 'resume' where you were
disconnected. Resume has to be available from your side and the
sender. 

Yes, I know Linux users will jump in and say it's all "easy"
and "works for me" but it's not easy if you read their threads
asking for assistance and notice they dump the whole thing and
begin installing a new 'distro' before ever getting the first
one to work properly. Constantly installing OS is not my idea
of a 'good time'. :-\ 

If all of this is obvious to you, just ignore what I have said
cry "Cheeble" and loose the hamsters of war! :-)

>
>        ,                                        ,
>      o/      Charles_Angelich  - DOS Ghost       \o       ,
>       __o/
>     / >  www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/faf/  < \   __\__
 

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