Nobody remembers the veteran anymore Windows 98 one of the first editions of the computer operating system launched by Microsoft, which contained various changes in its operation, but without greatly affecting the user interface and access tools.
At that time there was not as robust an application market as there is now, but various applications were developed. programs for Windows 98 that were known by users and are now part of popular culture.
The 7 Best Softwares for Windows 98
Maybe the younger ones don't know them. –nor will they be able to do so–, But at least they will be able to take a look at this list and know which ones were the most outstanding, along with their functions and features that kept users glued to the PC screen.
Several of them can still be used in the most recent editions and with thousands of substantial changes, so let's analyze what they are. programs we remember from Windows 98.
1.Microsoft Office 98
Believe it or not, Office has been around for almost as long as Windows, so it was present in version 98 with its most iconic programs. We are talking about PowerPoint, Become, Excel and Outlook Express, which worked perfectly on these computers.
When installing them, you could choose between several preferences in case you only wanted to select some of those apps or just one, depending on your tastes and These took up little space in the storage.
But in the functions, Microsoft Office 98 It was a long way from offering us what we have at our fingertips today. In the case of Word, the word processor was super basic. and lacked spell checking systems or the possibility of using templates for various formats.
PowerPoint rather helped you make simple slides without animations, but of good quality. Excel has not changed much, except that There weren't so many formulas and Outlook was a straight-to-the-point client.
2. Microsoft Encarta
The encyclopedia microsoft encarta It was a marvel for all of us who had the good fortune to use it, and it was available from 1993 (before Windows 98) until 2009 when it was finally withdrawn from the system.
In it you could access hundreds of informative content, images, videos, animations and programs of all kinds. It was similar to Wikipedia and with information adapted to dozens of languages, along with the possibility of connecting to the Internet to receive more content.
In that sense, Microsoft Encarta offered topics such as science, technology, history, geography, mathematics, language, geology, arts and many other topics to keep up to date on the latest discoveries.
The interface design was very colorful and eye-catching in everyone's eyes and was the first choice when it came to researching, doing schoolwork or simply enriching your knowledge, becoming one of the most remembered apps for Windows 98.
3. Winamp
Windows 98 already came with a Media player built-in, but due to low RAM resources, it often hung and playback performance was virtually non-existent.
Instead, Winamp came to make a complete change that would benefit users. This tool was compatible with formats such as MIDI, RAW, MP1, MP1, MP3, MP4, OGG, WAV, AAC, FLAC, PLS, KAR and CD Audio, the latter two for Karaoke and sound discs, respectively.
In fact, Winamp could play any cd connected to a compatible unit to listen to music, which was quite a novelty at the time. It even pioneered the interface change function, since you had the option to apply themes that modified the design and colors.
Its optimized use allowed to take advantage of the equipment's performance, without having to affect the natural use of other applications. It is no longer available, since It was discontinued in 2013.
Download a recent version on their forums |
4. DeepBurner
At that time we could already burn discs and DVDs through the hardware integrated into your PC and Deepburner was one of its best exponents. If we compare it with more recent applications, we can say that it is super basic, but for its time it was totally impressive.
From there you just had to insert a blank or clean disk, which was recognized by the program and had the possibility of Convert multiple files to an ISO image reproducible and recognizable.
DeepBurner was generally used for burning music CDs and with songs, because back then audiovisual formats were not as widespread as they are now, with minor exceptions such as family recordings.
El windows 98 software It has become one of the allies for those who work with backups and the distribution of apps through them. Nowadays, you can download old versions for free, as well as newer ones.
Download it on their Website |
5. Mozilla Firefox
We all know that Internet Explorer was always a failure, and the 5.0 edition was even worse. But thanks to Mozilla Firefox, many users were able to navigate better, although its launch came several years later and from the year 2.000.
This integrated innovative features such as the option of save your bookmarks and favorite pages in a bar at a glance, as well as the possibility of deleting browsing data with some seemingly simple changes.
Mozilla Firefox was also well developed in the field of optimization, allowing visits to the different pages on the World Wide Web to be as fluid and fast as possible, at least in the area of performance.
An incredible advantage for all those who still retain a Old PC with Windows 98 We can still download this browser and use it without any problem, but only the limited version 2.0.0.20 which has been outdated for a long time.
Download it on their Website |
6. IZARc
Among the most recommended utilities for Windows 98 was IZARc, which is nothing more than a file compressor and decompressor with a lot of compatible formats, including ZIP, 7ZIP, RAR, TAR, RPM, TGZ, UUE, XXE, ACE, ADJ, CAB, DEV, GZ, IMG, XY1, LIB, ZOO, BIN, etc.
In addition, it has a simple interface, with the classic gray theme that used to come in this operating system and without so many tools or more advanced functions, but rather straight to the point and necessary.
In fact, IZARc is known for being very light and allowing convert a file to a file to send it by different means or transport it through your connected hard drives.
Since then it already offered the possibility of integrating the functions into the second-click settings window, to apply the changes from there without having to open the application. The last edition compatible with Windows 98 was the 3.84 Build 1550.
Download it on their Website |
7. Skype
La VoIP tool Preferred by many, it has been one of Microsoft's greatest achievements and in its beginnings it was not left out of Windows 98, with many of the functions that we know today.
In it you can make calls and video calls with medium or low quality, as it is not compatible with current resolutions and that must be taken into account. In addition, you can log in with your Outlook account and add your connected users with their email address.
Skype for Windows 98 is not currently available, at least not officially. Support for calls or file sharing has long since been removed, leaving only messaging enabled.
If you needed it to communicate or send messages, it could be a good alternative, although taking into account all those points. Its design is very basic, but the optimization is good, far from the slowness of the most modern program.
Download it on their Website |
Conclusions
Get to know the veteran applications, travel to the past of computer software and download the Programs for Windows 98 that still work. There are still nostalgic users who refuse to abandon this operating system, even though it has not been supported for more than a decade.
The latest softwares are not even compatible, except for a few exceptions that give us the possibility of using them in this environment, with the limitations that come with using outdated hardware.
▷You should read: 6 Best Programs for Windows 8 ▷
We would recommend knowing how each application works or use them for an educational or learning purpose, but not for everyday use. Installing Windows 98 at this time is rather a dangerous act.
Security and privacy breaches are out in the open and you can now be subject to a cyber attack just by turning on your computer, so consider all of these options before downloading each application.
My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
I am also an expert in online marketing and communication and have knowledge in WordPress development.