—T. S. Eliot

Here we go again. It seems like only yesterday that we were desperately trying to escape the onslaught of hype and puffery that accompanied the launch of Windows 95. Now here we are with Microsoft's latest bouncing baby operating system: Windows 98. Is this just "Windows 95 plus 3"? On the surface, it would seem so. If all you want from Windows is the ability to launch your word processor and spreadsheet programs, then you probably won't notice much difference between the old Windows and the new one.

However, if your operating system needs aren't so superficial (and your purchase of this book would indicate just that), then Windows 98 has no shortage of new trinkets and baubles for you to discover. Whether it's Web integration, a boatload of new and improved Internet utilities, support for the latest three-letter hardware gadgets—MMX, AGP, USB, and DVD, to name just a few—or the massive collection of system tools, Windows 98 is no mere name change. (I run through the complete list of new Windows 98 features in Chapter 4, "What's New and Noteworthy in Windows 98.")

On the other hand, Windows 98 still carries some Windows 95 baggage. It still takes forever to load (although not quite as long as Windows 95), it's still hobbled by some 16-bit code, and general protection faults still rear their annoying heads from time to time. Not only that, but some useful Windows 95 tools—such as Microsoft Fax—have been dropped inexplicably from the lineup.

My goal in writing Windows 98 Unleashed is to cover the good, the bad, and the ugly of Windows 98. In particular, I give you complete coverage of the intermediate-to-advanced features of Windows 98. This means that I bypass basic topics, such as wielding the mouse, in favor of more complex operations, such as working with the Registry, setting up hardware profiles, networking, and getting connected to the Internet.

I’ve tried to keep the chapters focused on the topic at hand and unburdened with long-winded theoretical discussions. However, there are plenty of situations in which you won’t be able to unleash the full power of Windows 98 and truly understand what’s going on unless you have a solid base on which to stand. In these cases, I’ll give you whatever theory and background you need to get up to speed. From there, I’ll get right down to brass tacks without any further fuss and bother. To keep the chapters uncluttered, I’ve made a few assumptions about what you know and what you don’t know:

• I assume that you have knowledge of rudimentary computer concepts such as files and folders.

• I assume that you’re familiar with the basic Windows skills: mouse maneuvering, dialog box negotiation, pull-down menu jockeying, and so on.

• I assume that you can operate peripherals attached to your computer, such as the keyboard and printer.

• I assume that you’ve used Windows for a while and are comfortable with concepts such as toolbars, scroll bars, and, of course, windows.

• I assume that you have a brain that you’re willing to use and a good supply of innate curiosity.

To help you find the information you need, this book is divided into nine parts that group related tasks. The next few sections offer a summary of each part.

Part I: Unleashing Windows 98 Installation and Startup

The chapters in Part I get your advanced Windows 98 education off to a flying start by covering the ins and outs of the installation process. From there, you’ll learn a myriad of ways to get Windows 98 off the ground and,. once you do, I’ll give you a tour of the landscape, including an in-depth look at what's new in the Windows 98 package.

Part II: Unleashing Windows 98 Customization and Optimization

With this introduction out of the way, in Part II you’ll dive into the deep end of advanced Windows work: customizing, performance tuning, optimization, and hardware considerations. I’ve also included a couple of chapters that show you how to work with that most important of Windows 98 features: the Registry.

Part III: Unleashing Files, Folders, and Disks

Part III takes a hard look at how to use Windows 98 to work with files, folders, and disks. You’ll also learn how to back up your data as well as some invaluable techniques for protecting that data.

Part IV: Unleashing Day-to-Day Windows 98

Part IV takes your basic, workaday Windows chores and reveals their inner mysteries, allowing you to become more productive. Topics include installing and uninstalling applications, sharing data, fonts, printing, notebook computers, and the Windows 98 DOS prompt.

Part V: Unleashing Multimedia The Sights and Sounds of Windows 98

Windows 98 is rich in multimedia goodies, and Part V shows you how to work with them to your best advantage. You get a frame-by-frame look at Windows 98 video, including the new Broadcast Architecture, and also the nitty-gritty of audio in Windows 98.

Part VI: Unleashing Windows 98 Communications and Networking

Compared to Windows 3.x, the communications tools that come with Windows 98 are first-rate. I’ll show you how to take full advantage of all they have to offer in Part VI. You get the full scoop on modem communications and how to configure your modem in Windows 98. Once that’s done, I'll show you how to work with two communications applets: Phone Dialer and HyperTerminal.

The rest of the chapters in Part VI give you all the background and know-how you need to get your Windows 98 machine on the network and to work with network resources once you're there.

Part VII: Unleashing Windows 98 for the Internet and Intranet

To close out the main part of this book, Part VII shows you how to set up and work with Windows 98's Internet and intranet features. You get the details behind TCP/IP and the specifics of how to get an Internet connection up and running in Windows 98. Finally, the last few chapters show you how to wield a number of Internet programs, including Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, NetMeeting, and FrontPage Express.

This Book’s Special Features

To make your life easier, this book includes various features and conventions that help you get the most out of this book and Windows 98 itself.

Steps: Throughout the book, I’ve broken many Windows 98 tasks into easy-to-follow step-by-step procedures.

Things you type: Whenever I suggest that you type something, what you type appears in a monospace font.

Filenames, folder names, and dialog box controls: These things also appear in monospace.

DOS commands: DOS commands and their syntax use the monospace font as well. Command placeholders (which stand for what you actually type) appear in an italic monospace font.

Pull-down menu commands: I use the following style for all application menu commands: Menu | Command, where Menu is the name of the menu that you pull down and Command is the name of the command you select. Here's an example: File | Open. This means that you pull down the File menu and select the Open command.

New Windows 98 features icon: Programs and files that are new in Windows 98 are marked with the New to 98 icon.

Code continuation character: When a line of code is too long to fit on only one line of this book, it is broken at a convenient place and continued to the next line. The continuation of the line is preceded by a code continuation character. You should type a line of code that has this character as one long line without breaking it.

This book also uses the following boxes to draw your attention to important (or merely interesting) information:

NOTE

The Note box presents asides that give you more information about the current topic. These tidbits provide extra insights that give you a better understanding of the task at hand. In many cases, they refer you to other sections of the book for more information.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Troubleshooting boxes point out common Windows 98 problems and tell you how to solve them.

TIP

The Tip box tells you about Windows 98 methods that are easier, faster, or more efficient than the standard methods.

CAUTION

The all-important Caution box tells you about potential accidents waiting to happen. There are always ways to mess things up when you’re working with computers. These boxes help you avoid at least some of the pitfalls.

How to Contact Me

If you have any comments about this book, or if you wish to register a complaint or a compliment (I prefer the latter), please don’t hesitate to send a missive my way. If you’re still into the snail mail thing, just address your note to Sams Publishing, and I’ll be sure to get it. If you’re online, however, please drop me a line at the following e-mail address:

paul@mcfedries.com

Better yet, feel free to drop by my Web site, have a look around, and sign the Guest Book:

http://www.mcfedries.com/

Acknowledgments Kudos, Plaudits, and Assorted Pats on the Back

Being an author is the most wonderful vocation (I don’t think of it as a job) I can imagine. I get to play with words, I get to talk about things I’m intensely interested in, and I get some big-time warm, fuzzy feelings when people write to me to tell me that, in some small way, something I’ve written has helped them.

However, just because my name is the only one that appears on the cover, don’t think that this book is solely my creation. Any book, but especially a project as massive as this one, is the result of the efforts of many hard-working people. The Sams editorial staff, in particular, never fail to impress me with their dedication, work ethic, and commitment to quality. You’ll find a list of all the people who worked on this book near the front, but there are a few I’d like to thank personally:

Jeff Koch: Jeff is the Executive Editor, which makes him the unofficial "CEO" of the book. With his laid back style and ever-present sense of humor, Jeff was always a pleasure to work with. Jeff, I look forward to collaborating on many more projects in the future.

Kim Spilker: Kim was the Acquisitions Editor for this book, which means that she "acquired" me to write it. I’m honored that she would choose me for such an important project, and I thank her for the confidence she has shown in my abilities.

Brian-Kent Proffitt: As the original Development Editor for this book, it was Brian’s job to work with me in determining the overall structure of the book and to make sure that all the relevant topics were covered in an order that made sense. If we succeeded in this (and I think we did), it’s due in no small part to Brian’s experience, knowledge, and unmatched judgment. Thanks, Brian, for your hard work and dedication. I wish you all the best in your new career.

Sandy Doell: Sandy had the unenviable task of taking over as Development Editor in midstream. That's no easy feat on a huge project such as this, but Sandy's experience and keen eye for detail enabled her to pull it off with style, grace, and good humor. Sandy, it was both an honor and a joy to work with you.

Tom Dinse: As the book’s Production Editor, Tom's daunting task was to gather everything together and make it presentable for the production process. Some last minute outline changes forced Tom to work even harder than usual, but he handled the extra workload without a hitch or a complaint. Tom, thanks for an outstanding effort.

Nancy Albright: As Copy Editor, Nancy has the often thankless task of turning an author's ugly prose into a thing of grammatical beauty. Well, her job is thankless no more because I truly appreciate the efforts to which she went to beautify this book.

Peter Kuo: Peter is a NetWare guru who wrote all the NetWare material Part VI, "Unleashing Windows 98 Communications and Networking." Once again, Peter, thank you for a job well done.

Greg Guntle: Greg was the book’s Technical Editor. This means that he verified all my facts and tried out all my techniques to make sure I didn’t steer you in the wrong direction. That's a tough and tedious job, but Greg was more than up to the challenge.

About the Author

Paul McFedries is a computer consultant, programmer, and freelance writer. He has worked with computers in one form or another since 1975, he has a degree in mathematics, and he can swap out a hard drive in seconds flat, yet still, inexplicably, he has a life. He is the author or coauthor of more than two dozen computer books that have sold over one million copies worldwide. His titles include the Sams Publishing books Paul McFedries' Microsoft Office 97 Unleashed and Visual Basic for Applications Unleashed and the Que book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Windows 98.

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