Windows 98 and ME share the same GUI (Graphic User Interface) that Microsoft has used since Windows 95. The task bar and desktop remain as they were, as does the start menu. Commands used in 98 are also used for ME such as Ctrl + Alt + Del to bring up the task manager. An inexperienced user could easily go from 98 to ME without even realizing the operating system had changed. An important feature for any new operating system is its compatibility with prior systems' software. Windows ME is no exception to this, programs whether they are games or office software work as

Plug and Play hardware has become popular, and Microsoft realized that as they incorporated support for PnP in Windows ME. Many peripherals now use a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port to plug into a computer. This eliminates the need to have parallel ports for printers and scanners, and serial ports for game pads and cameras. Users can simply plug in any device to any USB port rather then trying to figure out what size plug fits which port. If a user has a bunch of wires jumbled together and has USB ports, he can simply plug in the USB plug into any of the USB ports and the computer will recognize the device. A strong point for USB ports is that Windows ME reads them actively, meaning when a web cam is plugged in, it is immediately installed. Through Windows 98 the user had to turn the computer off, plug the peripheral in and then turn the computer back on for it to be installed. Upon waiting for the computer to restart several times a user could get a cup of coffee and possibly make some toast. Imagine being able to get the cup of coffee and toast whenever you wanted it because you did not have to wait on your computer to restart again. After a camera is plugged into the system, the computer remembers it so a user can unplug it, plug in a different device and then plug the camera back in and the computer will not need to re-install it. Windows ME was built with "on the fly" technology where it will remember any device plugged in unless the user uninstalls it.

Windows 98 has a "My Documents" folder, and has a shortcut to it on the desktop. Files that a user commonly accesses should be placed here for quick access. The problem with the Windows 98 folder is that anything from pictures to reports are included in there. Windows ME has introduced a "My Pictures" folder where a user can put all their pictures into it and access them quickly and easily without having to shuffle through many different type of files that would have been in "My Documents" in Windows 98. In Windows ME folders have a more options to view its contents. The most obvious of these is the thumbnail view. This view allows a small picture of whatever the file is to appear in the folder. If the file is a picture, a small view of the picture is shown, if the file is a report, a small p

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Approximate Word count = 1538
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)