Lpc2000

>       You'd be better off switching to Win2K now.  You'll get better
performance
> and far more reliably that you will with the toy OS called Win98SE.

When WIN95 came out we all had to bear the bloody "Start me up" bleating.
So we did, and ... it didn't start up too well .. :-)
All peers I know here in Oz that are extremely proficient PC programmers,
down to
optimising in every ASM register and all the way up, swear by WIN98SE.

My machine on WIN98SE (AS LONG AS you _DON'T_ install Internet Shit )
runs Rock solid, it never - never crashes. (and I run many, many tools)
Any demos I try to put on my other machines, the registry's already screwed
up enough as it is.
Sure there's the DLLs with a few bugs (ie. COMM32 etc) but I just upgraded
those DLLs.

If there's any issue I might run into it's most likely documented.
When WIN2K/ME etc came out WIN98 suddenly was crap.
When XP came out everything else now was crap.
When will XP be crap ?????

I've seen _way too many_ cries for help on forums with people endlessly
arguing
that this-is-better-than-that, or simply that WIN2K needs you to license
so-and-so thru the Net (?)
or XP screws up LPT and on and on.......
I tend to wait a few years until those expected 5,000+ bugs are found.
But it's mostly taste (and certainly an acquired one), if you're happy with
your WIN2K then that's good for you,
I'm happy with my WIN98SE.


>       java, eh?  And you've found that to be portable?  This seems to be
contrary
> to the opinions of friends of mine that do Java development, and
constantly
> bitch about cross-platform incompatibilities.  Between Sun, BlackDown, and
> MS, few things seem to run on all platforms.

Dunno, that's what I was told, and that's why I disclaimed by stating that I
*presumed*.
I tend to give everything the benefit of the doubt.
I'm not a PC programmer, I don't profess to be, and don't WANT to be one.

And I readily volunteer that OS/language etc is not my forte, but at least I
don't rationalize it.

Have you fully read a "run of the mill" license agreement before you open
the package
(ie. it is binding and indicates you accept it)
If you don't then simply do either :
- Return it for full refund (you have that option !)
- Don't buy it (which you indicate you sometimes wisely opt for)

Acceptng a license and then cracking it "to work around HDD bla bla" is a
bunch of bullshit.

Reverse engineering your SW constitutes a breach of your license.
I respect your own reasons for it (although they seem more like a rationale
to me)
but if you are publicly volunteering this, your advice can't be too valued.

-- Kris