The information in this article applies to:
SUMMARY
Both Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 3.51 are designed to deliver a
common set of capabilities - great application support, ease of use,
connectivity, and manageability. Both products provide a platform for a new
generation of Win32-based applications that provide new features and
greater performance and reliability than today's Win16-based applications.
You can plan for the future by making all new hardware purchases compatible with Windows NT Workstation. MORE INFORMATIONMobile UsersMobile computer users need integrated features, such as electronic mail, fax, and remote networking, which ease information access from whatever location. They need a high level of compatibility with their current devices and applications, and an operating system which places moderate demands on the system (RAM, disk space, battery power) and provides Plug and Play device configuration capabilities. These users should use Windows 95.Developers and Technical UsersDevelopers, engineers, scientific researchers, statisticians, and other technical users often run processing-intensive applications, while also using business productivity applications. Today, many of these users must have both a UNIX-based workstation and a PC on their desk to get their job done. Windows NT Workstation can save costs by meeting their demands for greater processing power while also running Windows-based personal and business productivity applications on the same system. Windows NT Workstation provides the performance of a leading-edge workstation or mini- computer at a fraction of the cost, with its support for symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) and its portability to different high-performance platforms like those based on Alpha AXP, PowerPC, or MIPS-based CPUs.Business DesktopFor the business desktop, examine the business problem you're trying to solve. To determine if Windows NT Workstation is compatible with your existing hardware and software, answer the following three questions:
Do you need the additional application and system protection features offered by Windows NT Workstation? In some situations, the business cost from a disruption in service caused by an application bringing down another application or the system can be very high. Windows NT Workstation can help minimize these costs by running Win16 applications in separate address space (often referred to as separate virtual machines) so that if one Win16 application fails, all of the other applications will continue to run. Win32-based applications running on both platforms provide greater reliability through use of separate memory address areas, multiple asynchronous message queues, and structured exception handling. Windows NT provides an additional level of protection for the system by completely separating operating system and application code. Windows NT Workstation can also be configured to automatically restart if the system goes down. If the value of these additional protection features offered by Windows NT Workstation is greater than the value of the higher level of compatibility offered by Windows 95, choose Windows NT Workstation. Do you require the data security features offered by Windows NT Workstation? Both Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation can help prevent naive users from damaging their system configuration. Beyond this, the Windows NT File System (NTFS) can be configured to restrict access to systems and data. This prevents malicious users from deleting system files or damaging line- of-business applications. With these features, a Windows NT desktop system can even be shared by multiple users and still maintain security for all files on the system. In addition, Windows NT Workstation is currently in the evaluation phase for the government C2 level security specification. If the value of these additional security features offered by Windows NT Workstation is greater than the value of the higher level of compatibility offered by Windows 95, choose Windows NT Workstation. Overall, Windows 95 is the best choice where you need to leverage your investment in your existing infrastructure by using your existing applications and devices as you make a steady transition to Win32-based applications and more capable hardware. In other cases where the highest levels of protection for applications, system and data are required to meet your business needs, Windows NT Workstation is the best choice. Similarities of Windows NT Workstation and Windows 95The following table summarizes features that the products share. Feature differences that exist today, but will be resolved in the future, are noted as "Future Release".
Differences between Windows NT Workstation and Windows 95
NOTE: Windows NT Workstation requires 12 MB RAM 486 or greater, or
compatible RISC-based system. Also, certain categories of applications that
try to directly access hardware will not work on Windows NT Workstation
because they compromise security or system robustness (for example,
applications that try to directly access hardware, some MS-DOS games
requiring specialized hardware access, and old MS-DOS and Windows device
drivers [including VxDs]).
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