Editing Windows 98 (section)

{{Short description|Microsoft personal computer operating system released in 1998}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox OS
| name = Windows 98
| version of = [[Windows 9x]]
| logo = File:Microsoft Windows 98 logo with wordmark.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| screenshot = Windows98.png
| caption = A screenshot of Windows 98, displaying its [[desktop metaphor|desktop]], [[taskbar]], [[Active Desktop]], and Welcome To Windows 98 Window
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| source_model = [[Closed source]]
| license = [[Commercial software]]
| supported_platforms = [[IA-32]]
| discontinued = yes
| first_release_date = {{start date and age|1998|5|15}}
| first_release_url = http://windowsitpro.com/windows-server/windows-98-release-date-set-june-25
| GA_date = {{start date and age|1998|6|25}}
| GA_url = 
| kernel_type = [[Monolithic kernel]] ([[MS-DOS]])
| preceded_by = [[Windows 95]] (1995)
| succeeded_by = [[Windows Me]] (2000)
| release_version = Second Edition (4.10.2222 A)
| release_date = {{Start date and age|1999|6|10}}<ref name="release">{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/1999/06/10/microsoft-announces-immediate-availability-of-windows-98-second-edition/ |title=Microsoft Announces Immediate Availability of Windows 98 Second Edition |date=June 10, 1999 |access-date=March 7, 2024 |archive-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308042441/https://news.microsoft.com/1999/06/10/microsoft-announces-immediate-availability-of-windows-98-second-edition/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| support_status = Mainstream support ended on June 30, 2002<ref name="Support">{{cite web |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle?sort=ES&alpha=Windows%2098 |title=Microsoft Support Lifecycle |author=Microsoft |author-link=Microsoft |work=Support |access-date=May 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106223642/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle?sort=ES&alpha=Windows%2098 |archive-date=January 6, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />Extended support ended on July 11, 2006<ref name="Support"/>
| other_articles = 
| date = January 2011 <!-- approximate date of template insertion for dating hidden maintenance categories -->
| website = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991012111537/http://microsoft.com/windows98/ |date=October 12, 1999 |title=Windows 98 }}
}}
<!-- Brief introduction -->'''Windows 98''' is a consumer-oriented [[operating system]] developed by [[Microsoft]] as part of its [[Windows 9x]] family of [[Microsoft Windows]] operating systems. It was the second operating system in the 9x line, as the successor to [[Windows 95]]. It was [[Software release life cycle#Release to manufacturing (RTM)|released to manufacturing]] on May 15, 1998, and generally to retail on June 25, 1998. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid [[16-bit computing|16-bit]] and [[32-bit application|32-bit]]<ref name="Multitask">{{cite web |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/117567/en-us |title=How 16-Bit and 32-Bit Programs Multitask in Windows 95 |author=Microsoft |author-link=Microsoft |date=November 15, 2006 |work=Support |access-date=May 25, 2015}}</ref> monolithic product with the [[booting|boot stage]] based on [[MS-DOS]].<ref name="Architecture">{{cite web |url=https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc751120.aspx |title=Windows 95 Architecture Components |author=Microsoft |author-link=Microsoft |work=[[Microsoft TechNet|TechNet]] |date=February 20, 2014 |access-date=May 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017053409/http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc751120.aspx |archive-date=October 17, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- END Brief introduction -->

<!-- Features -->Windows 98 is [[World Wide Web|web]]-integrated and bears numerous similarities to its predecessor. Most of its improvements were cosmetic or designed to improve the user experience, but there were also a handful of features introduced to enhance system functionality and capabilities, including improved [[USB]] support and accessibility, and support for hardware advancements such as [[DVD]] players. Windows 98 was the first edition of Windows to adopt the [[Windows Driver Model]], and introduced features that would become standard in future generations of Windows, such as [[Disk Cleanup]], [[Windows Update]], [[multi-monitor]] support, and [[Internet Connection Sharing]].<!-- END Features -->

<!-- Reception & legacy -->Microsoft had marketed Windows 98 as a "tune-up" to Windows 95, rather than an entirely improved next generation of Windows.<ref name="wsj-may982">{{cite web |last=Mossberg |first=Walter S. |date=May 14, 1998 |title=Windows 98 Offers Users Useful, Not Vital, Features |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB895095011249520500 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014142701/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB895095011249520500 |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |access-date=October 14, 2019 |work=[[Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref> Upon release, Windows 98 was generally well-received for its web-integrated interface and ease of use, as well as its addressing of issues present in Windows 95, although some pointed out that it was not significantly more stable than Windows 95. In 2003 Windows 98 had approximately 58 million users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vaughan-Nichols |first=Steven J. |date=2003-12-12 |title=No More Microsoft Support For You |url=https://www.eweek.com/servers/no-more-microsoft-support-for-you/ |url-status=live |website=eWeek}}</ref> It saw one major update, known as [[#Windows 98 Second Edition|Windows 98 Second Edition]] (SE), released on June 10, 1999. After the release of its successor, [[Windows Me]] in 2000, mainstream support for Windows 98 and 98 SE ended on June 30, 2002, followed by extended support on July 11, 2006 along with Windows Me's end of extended support.<!-- END Reception & legacy --><!-- Do not add extra paragraphs per [[WP:LEAD]]! -->