Setting up a PC in the 90’s?
IT is moving on and back in the 90’s we had to set up PCs using floppy disks from scratch. We would have to literally build the PC from circuit boards and wires then put the operating system on with floppy disks. Each floppy disk would only contain 1.44mb and you could be using 30+ disks one by one just to put on Windows.
Microsoft Office
Installing Office was quite a task and would require firstly a lot of money as the package could be £300+ and around 46 floppy disks to install. At the time I think it was Office Pro 4.3.
A lot of people had the misconception that Word came with Windows and there were a lot of people pirating the software when it moved to CD. Towards the end of 1996 Office 97 was released on CD and this was the basis of what Office is like today. Only we don’t have the paperclip in the corner prompting us!
Internet Activation
As the internet was growing, Microsoft decided to activate their products by the internet and this helped prevent people copying their software. If memory serves Office 2000 was the most pirated bit of software at the time due to not having to be activated by the internet. Also I remember that the internet was dialup for the majority of people accessing it and this made it a bit unreliable.
Computers Today
IT is moving on and when we buy a PC today it usually comes with the operating system already on it (e.g. Windows 11) and it will connect you to the internet to get its updates before it has even been set up.
Office is now a subscription-based product which means that all the updates are automatic and is much less prone to piracy.
Microsoft 365 is the best tool for business and we are experts in setting it up. It isn’t just Word and Excel anymore it is an entire cloud-based solution for you and all your employees with email and file storage.
If you need any help then please contact us, as we can assist you with the purchase of equipment. Call us first so you get the correct spec of PC for your business and of course we can assist in setting it up for you.
Martin Mayes – by-line and other articles
Photo by: Martin
Featured image by S J: https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-floppy-disks-12093423/
