Editing Windows 98 (section)

==Reception==
Windows 98 was released to positive reviews, with praise directed to its improved graphical user interface and customizability, ease of use,<ref name=SCrev>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/smartcomputing-magazine-v9i8|title=Smart Computing|publisher=[[Sandhills Publishing]]|date=August 1998|volume=9|issue=8}}</ref>{{rp|30–31}}<ref name=PCCrev/> and the degree to which it addressed complaints that users and critics had with Windows 95.<ref name=PCCrev>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/PC_Computing_1998_07|title=Windows 98: Worth the Wait?|last=Bott|first=Ed|magazine=[[PC Computing]]|date=July 1998|pages=80–81}}</ref> Michael Sweet of ''[[Smart Computing]]'' characterized it as heavily integrating features of the web browser, and found file and folder navigation easier.<ref name=SCrev/>{{rp|30–31}} [[Ed Bott]] of ''[[PC Computing]]'' lauded the bug fixes, easier troubleshooting, and support for hardware advances such as DVD players and USB. However, he also found that the operating system crashed only slightly less frequently, and criticized the high upgrade price and system requirements. He rated it four stars out of five.<ref name=PCCrev/>

===Sales===
Windows 98 sold 530,000 licenses in its first four days of availability, overtaking Windows 95's 510,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/01/business/microsoft-s-windows-98-sells-much-better-than-expected.html|title=Microsoft's Windows 98 Sells Much Better Than Expected|last=Lohr|first=Steve|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 1, 1998|access-date=October 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527073059/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/01/business/microsoft-s-windows-98-sells-much-better-than-expected.html|archive-date=May 27, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> It later sold a total of 580,000 and 350,000 licenses in the first and second months of availability, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/windows-xp-sales-lag/|title=Windows XP sales lag|work=[[CNET]]|date=January 31, 2002|access-date=October 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007224832/https://www.cnet.com/news/windows-xp-sales-lag/|archive-date=October 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the first year of its release, Windows 98 sold a total of 15 million licenses – 2 million more than its predecessor. However, [[International Data Corporation]] estimated that of the roughly 89 million shipped computers in the desktop market, the operating system had a market share of 17.2 percent, compared to Windows 95's 57.4 percent. Meanwhile, the two operating systems continued to observe a trend whereby Windows 98 improved in sales performance, whereas Windows 95 dwindled.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/windows-95-remains-most-popular-operating-system/|title=Windows 95 remains most popular operating system|website=[[CNET]]|date=July 20, 1999|access-date=October 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723024325/https://www.cnet.com/news/windows-95-remains-most-popular-operating-system/|archive-date=July 23, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> After a [[Sun Microsystems v. Microsoft|legal dispute]] and subsequent settlement with [[Sun Microsystems]] over the former's [[Microsoft Java Virtual Machine|Java Virtual Machine]], Microsoft ceased distributing the operating system on December 15, 2003,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/113807/article.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803230427/https://www.pcworld.com/article/113807/article.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 3, 2020|title=Microsoft Yanks Older Products|last=Evers|first=Joris|work=[[PCWorld]]|date=December 8, 2003|access-date=October 27, 2019}}</ref> and IDC estimated that a total of 58 million copies were installed worldwide by then.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/114280/article.html|title=Microsoft Extends Win 98 Support|last=Evers|first=Joris|work=[[PCWorld]]|date=January 12, 2004|access-date=October 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506234740/https://www.pcworld.com/article/114280/article.html|archive-date=May 6, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>