Talk:Windows NT 4.0

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article is part of WikiProject Microsoft Windows, a WikiProject devoted to maintaining and improving the informative value and quality of Wikipedia's many Microsoft Windows articles.
Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the assessment scale.
Top This article has been rated as top-importance on WikiProject Microsoft Windows's importance scale.

Contents

[edit] Version 4.5?

As the Windows 3.x page omitted mention of version 3.11 (NOT the For Workgroups one!) This page doesn't mention Windows NT 4.5.

FYI, if you're a die-hard fan of Program Manager and File Manager and lament their non-existence in Windows 2000 and Windows XP, the PROGMAN.EXE and FILEMAN.EXE from NT 4.5 run perfectly in 2000 and XP. You get long filename support but no right mouse button support. All you need are those two EXE files, drop them into any directory in your Path and enter progman or fileman in Start> Run. :)

There's no such thing called "Windows NT 4.5"; see Talk:Windows NT#Missing version? for details. --tyomitch 20:09, 10 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 32-bit operating system

Windows NT was a "32-bit operating system" for the Intel 386 and derivatives, earlier PowerPCs, and early MIPS; but it was a 64-bit operating system for the DEC Alphas, which were 64-bit processors from the start.—Kbolino 09:16, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

No. Windows NT was not 64-bit on Alpha in any meaningful way, so in a moment I'll "Be Bold" and fix that. In some places NT applications on Alpha needed to use a 64 bit register to store an address, but Microsoft's own documentation is clear that only the bottom 32 bits may be used. I understand it's important to cite references, but obviously I'm just going to delete the incorrect part of the page leaving nothing to reference, so I'll just say that the July 1998 editon of the Microsoft Systems Journal http://www.microsoft.com/msj/0798/hood0798.aspx is one of many places which mentions this. — 82.68.41.196 17:03, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

Come on, silly-buns! There is currently no information in the article stating what architectures Windows NT 4.0 supports! dreddnott 06:50, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

It supported 4: PowerPC (yes, really.), x86, Mips, and Alpha (except for a certain class). If you can get your hands on the NT 4 disc it's printed ON the disc - all four architecutres shipped on the same CD...

[edit] Windows NT and its lessening of its microkernel architecture

In version 4.0, Windows NT incorporated the GDI into the kernel in order to speed up the interface. Largely, this was to appease graphic designers. Colin Keigher 03:22, 17 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] "the fourth major release"

Not sure how to re-word the first line (if an explanation of the ambiguity is needed in the article text or not, etc.), but it's the fourth significant release. Literally and technically speaking, it's the second major release (NT 3x, NT 4x, because there was no 1x/2x). I believe 'significant' was the intent of the original author.

I would say it's the fourth release, period. Service Packs don't count. As you say, "major" software releases usually imply an increment of the major (first) version number. Letdorf 13:48, 28 June 2006 (UTC).

[edit] Security section

It looks like the section titled "Security" is out of place. Its not very encyclopedic. It mentions one vulnerability only, and does not discuss NT4's security as a whole. I think that it should be re-written to cover more of NT 4.0's security, or removed. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.22.231.208 (talk) 22:52, 29 December 2006 (UTC).

  • I marked this as being confusing. I think it should also be rewritten, I don't understand the context in which this section is written. I agree the section should be re-written to discuss security issues within the platform as a whole. Lasdlt 18:55, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
    • Please don't shoot me for being anonymous. I'll rewrite it, if you think it's better you can keep it, if not just revert it. I won't give any hassle if you do. -amp_man 26 June 2007

[edit] Hardware support

It is stated that NT 4.0 does not support USB, however, some drivers for USB devices were made available, such as for USB Mass Storage and USB HID. Maybe this should be mentioned? see http://www.everythingusb.com/windows_nt.html . Mallardtheduck 01:50, 1 February 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Too many gaming references

Windows NT was never designed for gaming, said references in the opening of this article should be removed or redelegated elsewhere.Scott 110 05:38, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Desktop Update

The article should mention the "desktop update" for Windows NT, which came with internet explorer 4.0. This update provided a very nice update to the Windows NT shell, making it as user-friendly as the Windows 98 shell. It allowed for context menus when you right-click the start menu, added the "QuickLaunch" toolbar to Windows NT, allowed for Active Desktop, and updated the windows file manager.

IE4 is not available on the Microsoft website, but you can find it in various places, like the Windows NT Option Pack CD, Windows 95 C OSR2.5 CD, the Outlook 98 CD, or the Visual Basic 6.0 CD.

[edit] NT 4 Screenshot.

Maybe it would be better if the NT 4 screenshot was of the Workstation version and ot of server. Just a thought.

CodenameCueball 10:22, 19 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] workstation -> server

I seem to remember some stuff that went on around the release about how by doing some registry mods, you could basically convert NT4 WS to Server. In fact I seem to remember O'Rielly being pretty involved in "exposing" this. Anyone think this is noteworthy and know the details? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sabalon (talk • contribs)

[edit] Discontinued categories

This page belongs in Category:Discontinued versions of Microsoft Windows, not directly in Category:Discontinued Microsoft software. This version's lack of popularity does not justify otherwise. - Josh (talk | contribs) 20:15, 26 February 2008 (UTC)

Just FYI, this has been fixed. — Wenli (reply here) 02:12, 1 June 2008 (UTC)