ITinfo: Check Your Apps Carefully Before Upgrading to Windows Me

Windows Me Crashes Apps

Common programs require patches & upgrades

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Check Your Apps Carefully Before Upgrading to Windows Me

by Dave Murphy
ISSN 1535-3613

Windows Millennium Edition has been available just a week and a few significant problems have already arisen for users of common software applications.

Windows Me (WinMe) is built on the Windows 9x kernel; however, it incorporates the Win2000 TCP/IP stack and it handles DOS commands differently than Win98. Subtle changes such as these pose hurdles for software vendors who are try to keep up with Microsoft's last-minute code changes.

Among the Win98 programs that have had problems with WinMe are personal security tools such as Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2000, Norton Personal Firewall 2000, Network ICE's BlackICE Defender, and Network Associates McAfee PGP Personal Privacy. The good news is that while these applications are popular, they aren't in the widespread use such as word processing and spreadsheet applications. The bad news is that these programs are installed by businesses seeking to maintain security while connected to the Internet.

You'll have to upgrade many major antivirus and personal security applications to ensure they'll run on WinMe. Unfortunately, not all the upgrades are free and most aren't even available yet.

The bottom line: don't assume that your critical business applications will work with WinMe. Check with your IT guru, Microsoft's website, and your application vendor's site. And even when the coast looks clear, follow our policy. Setup a test system and make sure all apps work well before rolling out the new OS to your clients.

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updated September 21, 2000
http://dgl.com/itinfo/2000/it000921.html