Avoid ME like you avoid the plague.
If 98 SE works for you, there is no point in changing it. It takes MS a couple of years to get
most of the bugs out, and that\'s where 98 is now.
XP is good, but it has some really bad points, too. Security is a big issue in XP. Windows XP\'s new support of the full raw socket application programming Interface (API) which gives any user full access to the computer. Problem is, the home version of XP runs all programs as "administrator" level programs (like root in unix), so there is no security if you download a trojan or virus.
If you are worried about XP security, spyware, your network security, or even your HDD\'s physical status, goto the
Gibson Research Corporation, and read up on the stuff, and try his network security tests. He writes everything in assembler, and spends his time learing about direct i/o with modern systems and networks.