Many (or most) of the new "visible features" of Windows 98 can be gained for free by just downloading the latest version of Internet Explorer (IE4) from http://www.microsoft.com/ie/download/windows.htm. I wasn’t in favor of the "active-desktop" approach to things when it was introduced because I thought I had to make Internet Explorer my primary browser. Although I had IE4, and used it from time to time, Netscape was my choice of browsers because I use the integrated Netscape-mail. Well, if I had read the book, instead of just the cover, I would have known earlier that IE4 doesn’t have to be set-up as your primary browser to get the benefits of the new look and feel of Windows 98.

I, of course, upgraded within a few days of the new release of Windows 98 because that’s the way I am. But the company I work for is a bit more frugal, considering they have so many more PCs to update. I was enjoying the new approach to things on my computer at home so I went looking for a solution for my computer at work. That’s when I discovered that all I needed was the latest version of Internet Explorer. Funny thing though, although I am not forced to use IE4, I find myself using it more and more because of one of the new features. (You think Mr. Gates planned that?)

There is now something called a Quick Launch toolbar, which probably should be called the quick-launch tray because it attaches itself automatically on top of the left side of the lower main toolbar, although it is not indented like the tray is on the right side of the toolbar. The Quick Launch toolbar provides shortcuts to often-used features like the desktop (one click and all active windows are minimized), Internet Explorer, Outlook Express (Email program), and channels (which can deliver content from your favorite Web sites directly to your computer automatically). Any of these items can be replaced with a choice of your own by just dragging and dropping its icon to the Quick Launch area.

There are three other new toolbars: The Address toolbar enables you to type a Web page address (URL) without first opening the browser. The Links toolbar provides shortcuts to important Web sites so that you can open them without first opening the browser. The Desktop toolbar contains all of the shortcuts on your desktop and organizes them into one convenient place. In addition to the ready-made toolbars, you can create a toolbar from the contents of any folder. For example, you could create a Control Panel toolbar, or a toolbar that displays icons for each of your monthly sales reports.

One of the new features in Windows Explorer is choosing to view your folders as web pages. If you do this, a middle pane, between your folders on the left and your files on the right, opens to provide additional info about the file you have highlighted, i.e. the file name and type, last date modified and by whom and the size of the file. If it is a graphics file it will also show you a thumbnail view of the file.

If you right click on your desktop a new choice is Active Desktop, which makes it possible for you to customize your desktop, launch programs, switch between files, and keep up with the latest from the Internet by integrating the Web with your desktop. With Active Desktop, you can turn Web elements into desktop elements and update them at any time. You can add any "active content" you want from the Web to your desktop. Active content is content that changes on your screen, such as a stock ticker or a weather map. You can add an item from either the Active Desktop Gallery, a page you've seen on the Web as you surfed, or a channel by right-clicking the desktop, click Properties, click the Web tab, and then click New. If you want to browse the Active Desktop Gallery for a component to add, click Yes. If you want to select some other Web site, click No, and then type the address of the Web site you want, or click Browse to locate it. You can also right-click any link on a Web page, drag it to the desktop, and then click Create Active Desktop Item(s) Here.