Microsoft Windows 95 represents a major milestone in personal computing. As the successor to the MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, and Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95 includes a more intuitive way to work, new capabilities, better support for current hardware and software, plus new features and capabilities for a new generation of hardware and software. So how is Windows 95 a great platform for scientific computing? Read on to find out.
1. Windows 95 works better with the hardware you already have. Our experience indicates that an overwhelming majority of scientists are currently using a PC with a 486 or a Pentium processor with at least 8 MB of RAM. The bottom line: you won't need to invest in additional hardware to take advantage of the benefits that Windows 95 has to offer. Windows 95 has built-in support for more than 1,900 existing hardware devices. The built-in support includes new 32-bit device drivers for much of the hardware you already have, which means that it will run faster and more efficiently under Windows 95. The 32-bit architecture in Windows 95 also provides better system performance for printing, CD-ROM access, and I/O.
2. Windows 95 is compatible with many existing 16-bit applications. Windows 95 has been tested for compatibility with thousands of existing applications. The bottom line: you do NOT need to upgrade every 16-bit application to benefit from migrating to Windows 95. You can selectively upgrade key 16-bit applications to 32-bit applications but continue using other existing 16-bit applications until you decide the incremental benefits of using a 32-bit application outweigh the cost of the upgrade.
3. Windows 95 allows you to unlock the power of your PC. The need to solve large, complex problems is the driving force behind scientific computing. Until recently PCs couldn't provide the power required for the numeric and compute-intensive problems that scientific users typically solve. The availability of powerful PCs based on the Intel 486 and Pentium processor addressed the hardware issue. However, until now, most scientists installed 16-bit operating systems like MS-DOS and Windows on them. While this works fine for business and productivity applications, the memory restrictions inherent in the 16-bit architecture limits the use of programs with large data sets. With Windows 95, these restrictions are gone. Since Windows 95's 32-bit flat memory model allows for 4GB of addressable memory, scientists can now use an operating system that allows them to take advantage of rapid improvements in chip technology, including the Pentium Pro, and future generations of microprocessor technology.
4. Windows 95 makes you more productive. Scientific users typically use their computers as the means to an end. 32-bit multitasking in Windows 95 allows scientists to optimize their time while the computer is performing multiple tasks. For example, a scientist could be downloading email or writing a memo while a Fortran program is being compiled and executed in the background. The desktop in Windows 95 has several elements that have been designed to improve productivity. Files are easier to find in Windows 95 because of the support for long file names (up to 250 characters). While this may seem trivial at first, it will prove a godsend to scientists dealing with several projects with hundreds of files. Network Neighborhood will make it simple to see and use what's on the organization's network. Recycle Bin provides a place to temporarily place files that can be deleted later or retrieved if needed.
5. Windows 95 gives you thousands of choices. Several hundred software developers, including Microsoft, Borland, Symantec, Lotus, Novell, Waterloo Maple Software, Macsyma, Autodesk, etc., have already shipped native, 32-bit applications for Windows 95. Many of these products have powerful, exciting new features that are designed to take full advantage of Windows 95 as well as other technological breakthroughs in the computing paradigm.
6. It's inexpensive. For less than $100, you can dramatically improve the quality of your operating system. For a few hundred dollars more, you could add an additional 8MB of RAM to your system. In total, by spending less than $500, you can significantly improve the speed and capabilities of your desktop system. Try figuring out how many hours you'll spend using your PC this year. At 2 hours a day, not an unreasonable amount of time, you'll spend more than 500 hours in front of your PC this year. Can you afford not to upgrade to Windows 95?
For more information on Windows 95 and the availability of your favorite applications for Windows 95, please call SciTech and talk to any one of our trained, knowledgeable technical sales representatives. We will be happy to assist you in your migration efforts. Better yet, take the first step into the world of 21st century computing and order your copy of Windows 95!
--Contributed by Sam Baker, Product Specialist at SciTech International, Inc.
© 1996 Scitech International, Inc. All rights reserved
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