Newer Operating Systems and Browsers Require More RAM

By Hervey Allen (hervey@oregon.uoregon.edu)

"Is my machine broken?" We often hear this question from people who try to run Netscape 4.0.6+ or Internet Explorer 4.x on their desktops and find that pages either load very slowly or not at all.

"But all I want to do is browse the web! Why do I need to upgrade my machine just for that?"

These days, "just browsing the web" takes a lot more memory and TCPU than it used to--and the same is true of the newer operating systems. Unfortunately, you can't avoid upgrading simply by sticking with an older browser, because older browsers can't cope with the increasingly complex web environment.

Consider the following examples:

Windows 98 Second Edition. This needs a LOT of memory and TCPU! Many people with 32MB and 48MB machines actually thought their machines were broken because they either performed very poorly or became unreliable. It really looks like you need 64MB or more to run this OS with any reliability on many machines.

Netscape versions 3.04 and below get Javascript errors left and right. For example, almost every page on CNN will give you a Javascript error. On Mac OS 8.6, we were able to replicate type 3 errors and crashes. On Mac System 7.1, we got type 1 errors and crashes while browsing such web sites.

Netscape 4.0.5 and earlier and IE 3.0.2 and earlier have expired certificate issues. The older the browser, the worse this is. In some cases you cannot proceed to view the page or finish a transaction. Because web sites are becoming more complex and are increasingly used for interactive transactions, upgrading your equipment is ultimately unavoidable. Even to use DuckWeb--an essential information resource for UO students--4.x series browsers are recommended for best performance.

Yes, you can get older PCs, Macs, and browsers to work in some cases, but the support overhead is high and the user's experience will be frustrating at best. Furthermore, the minimim requirements can only continue to rise.

Summary

To reiterate, you'll need Netscape 4.0.6 or IE 4.x or higher to browse web sites like CNN and DuckWeb, or for some online transactions. Office 98 on the Mac and Office 97 or 2000 on the PC also require more RAM and processing power.

In short, the bar has been raised. Microcomputer Services now recommends the minimum configurations outlined in the table below: