Features:

• Enjoy the added functionality of Windows Media Player 7 and Windows Movie Maker
• System Restore quickly restores your computer to a previous state
• Operating system updates itself by downloading the latest enhancements from the Web
• Rich Internet experience from Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and Outlook Express
• Full support of home networking, including step-by-step directions

With the cutely named Windows Me (for Millennium Edition), Microsoft raises the bar a bit with a new operating system that you'll certainly want to consider for your next new PC. While this version will probably not be a compelling upgrade for most Windows 95/98 users, the newest member of the Windows operating-system family bundles a number of minor improvements aimed at making computing life easier for home users.

There are several noteworthy features in Windows Me, even if no one feature really stands out. First, we liked that Windows Me boots noticeably faster. The reason is that the underpinnings of DOS have been removed from this new release. One result of this absence is that you can no longer boot to a command window as in Windows 95/98 without special diskettes. (Also, don't expect Windows Me to support older hardware that uses virtual device drivers written in the days of yore.) Of course, you can still run DOS command sessions within Windows Me.

Besides removing legacy support for DOS, Windows Me adds several other improvements to reliability. The most important is that every 10 hours or so, the operating system automatically backs up its system files (just like Windows 2000), thus reducing the chance of your system being corrupted. Windows Me also borrows the TCP/IP stack (the low-level code that connects to the Internet) from Windows 2000, meaning you should have slightly more reliable networking connections. For laptop users, you can also hibernate a session and restore it quickly, another feature borrowed from Windows 2000.

The personality of Windows Me also changed a bit for the better. Principally, you can take advantage of personalized menus, which show the most frequently accessed menu choices on the Start bar and hide the others. (This feature is also based on Windows 2000, but don't worry, you can turn it off.) Internet Explorer 5.5 is bundled here; so is support for working with compressed Zip files, which no longer require an add-on.

Microsoft has been touting the multimedia capabilities of the new Windows Me. There's a built-in video editor for video files, and the operating system makes it easy to connect to today's video cameras, scanners, and digital cameras. But without built-in support for Real Media files, these features probably won't please everybody.

So what's the verdict on Windows Me? Provided you have recent hardware, there are some good reasons to upgrade, but most users will want to stick with their current OS. If you are buying a new system, by all means choose Windows Me instead of Windows 98. Even though it isn't a major release for most users, Windows Me shows that Microsoft has done its homework when it comes to improving the computing experience for consumers.

System requirements:

• 150 MHz Pentium or faster processor (300 MHz or faster needed for using Windows Media Player, 400 MHz if using a digital video camera)
• 32 MB RAM (64 MB needed for using Windows Media Player)
• 270 MB hard disk space for typical installation (includes 100 MB average for backup files during installation; total may range from 220 to 410 MB depending on system configuration and options selected; additional 4 MB required for each stored song if using Windows Media Player)
• CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
• DVD-ROM drive and a compatible DVD decoder card or DVD decoder software (if using DVD-ROM functions)
• Monitor with VGA or higher resolution
• Sound card with speakers or headphones (compatible audio and video capture devices also needed if using Windows Media Player, which also supports portable audio player)
• Mouse
• 28.8 Kbps or faster modem (or fax modem) and an Internet service provider (for Internet functions; Internet access may require a separate fee)
• NOTE: Many products from Symantec released prior to the 2001 line (i.e. those without 2001 in the title) are incompatible with Windows Me, and must be removed or upgraded to the 2001 version prior to attempting to install Windows Me. Please see Symantec's web site for futher product compatibility information.