Windows 2000: A Special Report

If your nonprofit is considering the purchase of a new PC (and you are going with the Windows platform), get Windows 2000 pre-installed. If you are thinking about upgrading your older computers, it's probably best to stay with the OS you have installed -- unless you're very dissatisfied with the stability/security of Windows 95/98 and have the hardware, expertise, and time to make the upgrade to Windows 2000. Windows Me is designed for home users, and it isn't suited for the demands of most nonprofit organizations.

The new millennium has brought the release of two new operating systems from Microsoft. With this set of releases, Microsoft is making a clear distinction between its business operating system (Windows 2000) and its home operating system (Windows Me). Because it is designed for an office environment, Windows 2000 will be the new Windows operating system of choice for most nonprofits. The following article answers some crucial questions many nonprofits may have about Windows 2000 and how it may be incorporated into their organizations' technology.

• Hardware Requirements: What Do You Need in the Cream-Colored Box?

  Windows 2000 is built for today's faster, heavy-duty PCs. It won't run well on older computers with insufficient processing speed, hard disk space, and memory. Here is a break down of Microsoft's minimum configurations:

  • Windows 2000 Professional:

    Pentium-133 MHz, 64MB RAM (more memory generally improves responsiveness), 2GB hard disk with a minimum of 650MB of free space.

  • Windows 2000 Server:

    Pentium-133 MHz, 256MB RAM, 1GB disk space

  • Windows 2000 Advanced Server:

    Pentium-133 MHz, 256MB RAM, 1GB disk space

• What's It Going to Cost?

  If you are eligible for donated software throughTechSoup Stock , the direct cost associated with Windows 2000 isn't extremely high. However, the Total Cost of Ownership ( TCO) - the cost of making the upgrade (staff time and down time), updating hardware (if necessary), and training -- should be taken into account when thinking about upgrading to Windows 2000. Buying new computers pre-installed with Windows 2000 eliminates the costs associated with making an upgrade. Therefore, the best strategy for your nonprofit may be to phase out Windows 95/98 and phase into Windows 2000 over time as you replace your old computers.

• Compatibility: Will it Work with My Old Operating System?

  If you are one of those organizations with more operating system flavors than Baskin Robbins , you're probably concerned about compatibility. Let's take them one at a time:

  • Windows 95/98/NT:

    Microsoft has been relatively good about making Windows 2000 backwards compatible -- which means that it will network with Windows 95/98/NT machines without too many problems (at least not many more than usual).

  • Macintosh:

    Windows 2000 server has added some new network administration functionality that, once configured properly, actually makes it a little easier to network with other machines, including Macs. For more information, see the Mactopia article: "Windows 2000 Services for the Mac".

  • Linux:

    Windows 2000 compatibility with Linux is a little more up in the air. While Microsoft is pretty silent on the subject, Linux.com has a pretty helpful article on the subject: Sharing Files with Windows

• Support: Is there Help Available?

  Windows 2000 is here to stay. So, support is available for Windows 2000 users -- and it will be in the future, as well. If your nonprofit has a systems administrator who is familiar with Windows NT, then he or she shouldn't have a great deal of trouble adjusting to the newer operating system. One word of caution: installing Windows 2000 on a computer that was pre-installed with another operating system (i.e. Windows 95/98/NT) will probably void your support warranty with the computer manufacturer. While it still may be useful to make the upgrade, tread cautiously. If you purchase a new computer with Windows 2000 installed, you shouldn't have any trouble getting support from the manufacturer.

• Simplicity: Is it Easy to Use?

  The predecessor to Windows 2000, Windows NT, has been accused of being complicated and difficult to use. Recognizing this, Microsoft has designed Windows 2000 to be much more user-friendly. The following are a few features that make Windows 2000 easier to use:

• Plug and Play:

  Plug and Play (the ability to add printers, network cards, modems, etc. without needing to add drivers manually) is a familiar feature for Windows 95/98 users, but not for Windows NT users. Windows 2000 has taken this Windows 95/98 functionality and made it stable and efficient.

• Installation/Upgrade:

  The installation/upgrade has been made much easier than Windows NT's. Hardware is automatically detected, and most compatible installations should occur without much user intervention.

• Look and Feel:

  All in all, for most Windows 95/98 users, Windows 2000 will "look and feel" very familiar. More advanced functions are hidden, and most users will never know that they are using a different operating system.

• Security: How Much Safety Does It Provide?

  Often overlooked, but certainly important with the increasing use of the Internet, an operating system's security features can help reduce the threat of viruses and prevent crucial information from getting into the wrong hands. Please excuse the following jargon, but systems administrators will be happy to hear that Windows 2000 provides:

• Kerberos Authentication:

  With full support for Keberos 5, Windows 2000 users can save time by gaining the ability to securely sign-in to multiple resources (servers, printers, etc.) at once.

• Security Configuration Toolset (SCTS):

  The SCTS allows network administrators to set group policies and update security configurations for a wide number of users at once.

• Encrypting File System:

  The Encrypting file system allows users to password protect files -- even after they have backed up or archived. No longer do you need to worry about someone accessing a confidential file just by logging on to your computer.

Reliability: Will the Dreaded Microsoft Blue Screen Rear Its Ugly Head?

The Ctrl-Alt-Delete button sequence is far too familiar a keystroke for many Windows 95/98 users. "General protection faults", "illegal operations", and frozen screens are all part of the day-to-day operations for nonprofits on those platforms. The main reason for most of the problems is that Windows 3.1/95/98 (and now Me) are all based on DOS - that old command line operating system that made Microsoft rich twenty years ago. The problem is that DOS was never intended to carry the heavy load that today's GUI-driven OS's demand. Windows NT (for New Technology) is the successor to DOS. It was designed to be a much more stable and secure operating system - and by many accounts it has succeeded. Building on the NT foundation, Windows 2000 is even more stable than its predecessor. It has been running uninterrupted (not a single restart or power down) for a month on my PC -- something never possible with Windows 98. And the Task Manager makes it very easy to end programs or save files before a small problem takes down the whole machine. For more detailed information on Windows reliability, see theZD Labs Reliability StudyandNSTL Reliability Study

Conclusion

Windows 2000 is arguably the best operating system that Microsoft has put on the market. Its stability, security, and ease-of-use make it the ideal choice for many nonprofit desktops. If your organization is buying new Windows machines, go with Windows 2000. And, while it is probably best to avoid the trouble of upgrading, many newer, heavy-duty machines will make the transition from Windows 95/98/NT rather easily. The following links should help: