[awergh]

Actually, Windows 98 (FE = First Edition), 98 SE (Second Edition) + ME (Millennium Edition) are *still* alive and well.
Please keep in mind that Windows 9x [95/98/ME] based OSes are installed on over 70 million computers, out of which 50 million are running Windows 98, 98 SE or ME.

Most small companies, charities, schools and a lot of individuals cannot afford to upgrade to Windows XP or any other OS, even Linux, because they don't have the necessary resources and/or knowledge.
True, Linux distros are free, but someone needs to install, service, repair and maintain [in many cases] a large number of [eventually networked] computers, no matter what OS they may run, and those IT technicians must get paid.
Sure, the KDE/Gnome interface may look familiar to most Windows users, but there will be a learning curve to make use of it.
Do you think people are willing to go through such pain just to upgrade their good-working 98/ME computers? Ask them yourself.
Besides, those good ol' 9x based OSes are fairly easy and cheap to maintain and troubleshoot, even if Microsoft won't help anymore.

The point is that...
Enthusiast power users, programmers and IT specialists provide *free* support in their spare time at various web sites, forums, blogs etc.
MSFN.org is the best known support forum for Windows 98, 98 SE + ME, and all updates, service packs, fixes, patches, enhancement packs etc... are free:
Unofficial 98 SE Service Pack forum:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showforum=91
95/98/98 SE/ME forum:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showforum=8
Your questions + comments are usually answered in a timely fashion by knowledgeable forum members.

This way Windows 98/98 SE/ME OSes can be safely used even on modern, fast computers for every conceivable purpose, including playing hardware demanding games [if you have the necessary hardware that is ], desktop publishing, 3D graphics rendering, high-end A/V editing, CD/DVD burning, programming, internet browsing etc.

* System Updates:
98 SE SP2:
http://exuberant.ms11.net/98sesp.html
98 FE SP1:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=44732
ME SP1:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=61407
Native USB Drivers for 98 SE:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=43605
MS IE 6.0 SP1 Updates Pack:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=77706
98/98 SE Upgrade Pack:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=72297
98 SE Cumulative Update:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=50611
98, 98 SE + ME updates + (hot)fixes:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=46581

* Enhancement + Transformation Packs:
98SE2ME:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=46349
98SEMP10:
http://www.mdgx.com/wmp.htm#98MP10
Revolutions Pack:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=58357
Kernel XP:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=71476

* Individual OS Updates:
98:
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#W98
98 SP1:
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#SP1
98 SE:
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#98SE
ME:
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#WME
95 FE (First Edition) + OSR1:
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#WIN
95 OSR2:
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#OSR2

* Essential System Add-Ons + Tools:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm
DirectX Fixes, Updates + Tools:
http://www.mdgx.com/dx.htm
Internet Explorer Fixes + Updates:
http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm
Windows Media Player Fixes + Updates:
http://www.mdgx.com/wmp.htm
Drivers + Tools:
http://www.mdgx.com/drv.htm

* Security, Firewalls, Anti-Spyware + Anti-Virus tools [free(ware)]:
Security:
http://www.mdgx.com/modem.htm#TS
Firewalls:
http://www.mdgx.com/fw.htm#FWL
Anti-Spyware:
http://www.mdgx.com/fw.htm#ASP
Anti-Virus:
http://www.mdgx.com/vir.htm

* Tips, secrets, guides + troubleshooting:
All Windows OSes:
http://www.mdgx.com/newtip.htm
98, 98 SP1 + 98 SE:
http://www.mdgx.com/newtip98.htm
ME:
http://www.mdgx.com/wme.htm
Registry:
http://www.mdgx.com/reg.htm
W95-11D.EXE:
http://www.mdgx.com/95.htm
MSDOS.SYS:
http://www.mdgx.com/msdos.htm
SYSTEM.INI:
http://www.mdgx.com/lastweek.htm#SYSINI
DOS:
http://www.mdgx.com/secrets.htm
Easter Eggs:
http://www.mdgx.com/egg.htm

* Free(ware) software:
95/98/ME + NT4/2000/XP/2003:
http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm
Diagnostic, Testing + Benchmarking:
http://www.mdgx.com/speed.htm
Backup, Recovery + Hard Disk:
http://www.mdgx.com/secrets.htm#FDPT
CD + DVD:
http://www.mdgx.com/drv.htm#CDR
Video + Audio:
http://www.mdgx.com/drv.htm#DRV
http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#MED
Internet:
http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#WEB
DOS:
http://www.mdgx.com/dos.htm

* Other related web sites + forums:
98/ME web sites:
http://www.mdgx.com/newtip98.htm#98L
95/98/ME forums:
http://www.mdgx.com/newtip98.htm#98F

Enjoy.

[Blink182]

I agree there. Although the UI is garbage, and they rely on poxy DOS, they are still good . As a matter of fact on my second computer i have:

Windows 98 SE
512MB Ram
Intel M 1.8GHz
ATI Video Card (256MB)
And some good AV software.

It runs quicker than XP.

[johnni]

I am not a computer collector but in the last six weeks I have been given three PCs - two running XP Pro SP2 and a new laptop running XP Home SP2. I find a lot to irritate me with XP so I mainly stick to my original PC running Win ME, which never causes me any any problems, and I have never sought assistance from MS anyway.

I guess I will go on using it and just keep the XP laptop for size convenience.

johnni

[Blink182]

(o.0)
__|__
ok.

[awergh]

oh i should mention i didnt actually write this, i soft of posted it because someone asked me to.

[waywyrd]

Hi,

Even though I'm running XP I'm still very much in two minds as to whether to stay with it or go back to my 98Lite/unofficiallSP1a Win98 setup.

Why?

because I'm finding more annoyances in WinXP which yoo can't tweak in the same way you can Win98.

[Fredledingue]

This thread is still alive.