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by Scott Hanselman.
Original Post: Support for Windows 98 finally comes to a middle...
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This
may be slightly old news, but it's so [insert profound adjective here] that I wanted
to comment on it.
Remember how excited we were to here things like "Windows 2000 marks the end of crufty
16-bit code" and "Windows XP isn't saddled with the crufty architecture of Windows
9x." Microsoft blinked, possibly with reason, but blinking none the less and
Windows 98, 98SE and the red-headed stepchild of the Windows Platform, Windows ME,
will be supported through Summer of 2006 with online self-help till the solstice of
2007. Alas, support for Windows 98 is coming to a middle.
Although I'd like to see these Operating Systems go away, I figure the primary reason
behind the decision is one of security, and I suspect when 2007 comes, we may STILL
see security patches for 9x. It's really about mindshare vs. marketshare.
With the obvious global shift in more aggressive viruses, spam, spyware and malware,
a conneted Windows 9x box is a lamb amongst wolves. Considering the there's
an how-to manual called Windows
XP: Surviving the First Day, I wonder how long a fresh Windows 9x Gold
box would last on the open sea. Probably about 15 minutes. It would make
sense for Microsoft to include a free firewall for Windows 98.
If Microsoft pulled the plug now with the likes of MyDoom, Klez and Melissa, the average
Joe running 9x would feel screwed and revolt which would add even more fuel to Michael
Robertson and Lindows. So, I understand the basic premise behind extending
support, but like Iraq, I see no exit strategy.
What happens in 2006? Do we all hope that folks will have a more compelling
reason to get a newer faster machine? Probably not. I'm guessing I know
the secret exit strategy, and it's an acronym. MTBF.
Most cheap IDE harddrives last 5 years, with a MAX of 10, IMHO. Drop support
for the OS when every hard drive running it has crashed!
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This
may be slightly old news, but it's so [insert profound adjective here] that I wanted
to comment on it.