What Is the Difference Between Microsoft Windows 98 & Microsoft Windows XP?
- Windows 98 was one of a number of operating system releases from Microsoft that was built on top of MS-DOS, the 16-bit operating system that the industry had used as the standard operating system for businesses since the 1980s. Windows 3.1, 95, 98, 98SE and Me were all based on MS-DOS. MS-DOS was finally put out to pasture after Windows Me was released.
- Windows NT was a complete rewrite of Windows that appeared similar to Windows but was a 32-bit operating system at its core. Windows XP was based on Windows NT--indeed the operating system designation is Windows NT 5.1. Microsoft has based its operating systems since Windows 2000 on Windows NT: in fact, Windows 2000 is designated NT 5.0, Windows Vista is NT 6.0 and Windows 7 is NT 6.1.
- Windows NT is a better product than MS-DOS-based Windows versions. Aside from the fact that NT is 32-bit and MS-DOS is 16-bit, which alone is nearly sufficient reasoning to move to NT, Windows NT has better networking capabilities, permission structures and other important technologies that MS-DOS just couldn't handle.
