Problems with Windows XP

Problems with Windows XP

Background:

My main desktop PC has two equally important uses, one is to be able to produce the text and diagrams that make up my books and programmes, the other is to be able to control hardware via the COM2 port and the printer port. I never put this computer online because I am not prepared to put my data at risk of being stolen or corrupted. When I need to access the web I use another PC whose sole purpose is to operate online.

My Choice of Windows

My main desktop PC is now a few years old. It started life running Windows 98 then later I added Windows XP. When I installed Windows XP I selected the option to make Windows XP a new system so that I keep the ability to use Windows 98. When my computer starts I am given the choice of starting Windows 98 or Windows XP. 99% of the time it is Windows 98 that I choose.

5th May 2005 - Why I use Windows 98

If you wish to experiment with the hardware of your computer then Windows 98 has several significant advantages over Windows XP. The problem with Windows XP is that it tries to protect the system from misuse which is great until you actually need to use the hardware in an unexpected way.

The parallel port is a very easy way to get simple input and output connections from your PC. If you set one of the lines high you can connect a voltmeter and show that the related pin of the 25 way D type connector at the back of your computer has 5 volts on it. At least you can do this if you are using Windows 98 but not with Windows XP.

The serial port cannot be used in such a simple way but it can be used to input and output data within any operating system including Windows XP. But here again Windows 98 has advantages for those of us who wish to experiment. When a COM port is initialised by a programme Windows XP prevents any other programme from initialising that same COM port. This is what is needed for normal use to help prevent programmes crashing from external interference. But sometimes when we are experimenting we want to swap hardware between two different uses and so Windows XP forces us to close the current programme before running another which wants to use the same COM port. Windows 98 does not have this restriction.