Alternatives to Windows 98. If you are still running windows 98, and you have all the drivers for your current hardware, and you do not play the latest games that require XP, why search for an alternative. Especially when there is a forum like msfn with some of the best talents on the net? If you really want to feel safe in the idea that your machine is being protected by updates then Windows 2000 is a good choice, but you might as well run XP and just turn all the stuff you don't want off, or even consider getting to grips with nlite. There have been a few posts saying that people have tried to run linux and just cant get video to play and its too slow, or windows games/apps don't run. Well to be totally honest most people have a look at the official ubuntu releases, find that lots of things don't work and give up. For those people who like the idea of running linux but really can't be arsed to add codecs, find linux programs, install and configure this and that, there is a version of ubuntu a bit like some of the "FAT" custom windows XP DVDs that are around. What i'm talking is ubuntu ultimate (xmas edition as it was previously called), made by a guy that wanted to include just about everything possible on one DVD images (1.6gb) The version runs as a live cd that you can install to hard disk if you want. If has almost everything working straight away, DVD's play, AVI's (DIVX or whatnot) play fine, etc etc. If you are interested take a look here http://ubuntusoftware.info/xmas.html This edition is based on GNOME, as another user here said its not ideal for a slow machine. If you have a slower machine and want something that performs well, looks nice, has codecs and most programs and fits on a cd-rom give dream linux a try, another VERY good setup http://www.dreamlinux.com.br/english/index.html. But i hear you say, what about my windows apps/games etc? Well for those of you who dont know about it Crossover office http://www.codeweavers.com/ is a commercial application for linux which allows you to run office 2003, half life 2 and a huge selection of windows programs under linux. Its not perfect but is a lot easier to use and get things working than wine. For those mac people out there, there is a mac version of crossover for x86 versions of mac os, which allows you to run windows apps/games too, office 2003, half life 2 just like the linux version (finally able to use outlook instead of entourage, YAY!) Sorry about the long post i was bored. Tom