"Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) will stop offering support services next month for computer users whose machines are still running Windows 98, though the company said it might still release security patches if threats appear serious enough."

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20031213/D7VDFPMO0.html



This is all a normal part of the Windows Product Life Cycle --

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/desktop/consumer/default.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/desktop/business/default.mspx



Now, this doesn't mean that on January 16th, all Windows 98 computers will suddenly stop working. What it means is that after January 16th, using a Windows 98 machine will become more and more risky. Hackers and security researchers are continually finding problems/liabilities with Windows (whichever version), and that's why Microsoft is continually coming up with patches & updates for their operating systems; like those available at the Windows Update site. But with Microsoft pulling the plug on updates for Win 98, that OS will become riskier and riskier to use online, the farther it gets out of date. Microsoft says they *might* put out a patch for Win 98 if a particularly nasty liability arises; but I wouldn't count on that too much. They're in the business of selling software after all, and want to push people to upgrade to Windows XP.

For many people this will mean buying a new computer. Most older machines (pre-2000 or so) just don't have the hardware horsepower necessary to run Windows XP.

Here's a site you can visit that'll scan your computer, and tell you if you can run XP on your current machine --

http://www.pcpitstop.com/xpready/default.asp

(It only works with the Internet Explorer web browser.)

Good Post John

Great news for the Win98 crowd -- at the last minute Microsoft has bowed to consumer pressure, and has decided to extend support for Windows 98/98SE (and Windows ME too) through June 30, 2006. An extra 2½ years -- amazing.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1434318,00.asp

Quick question.. Would you or anyone who is using Win98 continue to use it if Microsoft dropped it's 'support'?
God Bless,
Will

I wouldn't. But I'm a hard case when it comes to security et al. If it ain't supported w/r/t ongoing security patches, I'll drop it/upgrade/use something else right quick.

Some would continue though...I've heard people complain that they have an older computer that won't run XP, and can't afford a new computer right now. So for those types of people this is great news.

A friend of mine still uses Windows 95; he's still on dial-up, and doesn't do a whole lot of sensitive stuff on his PC. (Broadband users are more at risk, since crackers/hackers target them more, for obvious reasons -- the connection's always on, it's much faster, the user's IP address changes much less often if at all). He hasn't had any major mishaps due to security liabilities, of which I'm aware; but I keep telling him that he's living on borrowed time. :-)

I'm more of a "try-to-make-sure-it-won't-happen" kind of guy when it comes to 'puters. Instead of a "take-your-chances-and-hope-it-doesn't" type.

Of course if everyone was like that I'd have a lot less work to do!

What about the annoying lack of useability in Win98? I had it on my computer for 2 years and can say that it was the most unstable operating system I ever tried. Only Win98 would have me reboot the computer once or twise, at best, times a day.

/Thomas