From Windows 98 SE and Thoroughbred (PCGH Retro, June 10)

… 1999: Although a modern 32-bit operating system has long been available in the form of Windows NT, the consumer version of the Microsoft system still relies on a long outdated 16-bit DOS kernel. That was supposed to change after Windows 98, this version being the last DOS-based Windows. But it doesn’t happen that way, because on the 10th In June 1999, Microsoft launched a new edition called Windows 98 Second Edition. In addition to extended network functions, it primarily brings increased stability and better USB support and is a great success – in any case successful enough not to remain the last DOS-based operating system: Windows Me follows in the year 2000.

… 2002: With the first Palomino-based Athlon XP, AMD introduced the so-called Quantispeed rating: a key figure that is supposed to express the “true” performance of the processor instead of the clock frequency – officially this number allowed a performance comparison with an old Thunderbird Athlon, but unofficially they are based on the Pentium 4. AMD is also sticking to this system with the new Thoroughbred core, which will be presented on June 10, 2002: It is based on the modern 130-nanometer process and thus allows the clock frequency to be increased cautiously 1,800 MHz in the top model 2200+. And that’s not the end of the K7 architecture, the Thoroughbred is followed by various other generations – the Athlon family is growing and thriving.