by Scott Spanbauer and Harry McCracken
(IDG) After months of waiting, an endless cycle of beta versions and release candidates, ongoing legal wrangling, and inescapable hype, it all boils down to a simple question: Does upgrading to Windows 98 make sense?
The question may be simple, but it s not easy to answer. If Windows 95 was a great leap forward, Win 98 is a series of baby steps. No single feature of this $90 (street price) upgrade screams buy me, and many improvements are available as free downloads or in recent Win 95 versions.
Ultimately, the new operating system s fate will be decided in court. Moreover, industrial-strength Windows NT 5.0 waits in the wings. It will incorporate most of Win 98 s new features and should be more secure, stable, and manageable. With NT 5.0 due early next year, many users (especially corporate types) may wait before upgrad