Microsoft Retires Windows 98 697
prostoalex writes "Complying with the court requirement related to Sun-Microsoft lawsuit over Java, Microsoft is retiring Windows 98, SQL Server 7, Office XP Developer Edition and some other products."
Memory fault - where am I?
Re:So? (Score:5, Interesting)
Still quite a few WIn 98 boxes out there (Score:5, Interesting)
I walked him through the process and told him that Win 98 support was going out the window at year's end. This isn't the first time this story has graced /.. He didn't seem to care and has no plans to upgrade until the hardware gives out and the harddrive fails or something like that.
Then he's buying a mac...
Available vs. Supported... (Score:5, Interesting)
Note that this says nothing about support for these products. Microsoft is going to stop distributing these products to comply with the court order, not support them. It really is two different issues.
Now, since some of these products aren't even sold anymore, the only reason this was noticed was because of the notice on MSDN, which is a place you could get these products if you had a subscription.
And what will MS do? (Score:4, Interesting)
They'll use retiring all those products to move people to a newer version of Windows, which will arguably be EVEN HARDER for users to migrate away from!
Every time Microsoft is sentenced to a "penalty" they find some way of using it to their advantage.
No reason why this will be any different.
Re:Harsh assessment? (Score:3, Interesting)
CNET is owned by Paul Allen's Vulcan Northwest [cjr.org]. Paul Allen has a 5% stake in Microsoft.
Tin foil, get your tin foil!
Why Copyright Laws Need Changing (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:for better? or for worse? (Score:4, Interesting)
The "activation thing" is a cripping feature. I can't accept that EULA in good faith, so I can't use XP at all (imo pirating XP would be sinking to MS's level). This just pushes me one step closer to a mac. I'm currently running win98 and win2k. The security issue is the major concern; now I can't use win98 on an important machine anymore.
Jason
ProfQuotes [profquotes.com]
Re:Does this include Windows 98 Second Edition? (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Upgrade (Score:5, Interesting)
The point is that it's there for those inclined to see, to do, to touch, and to modify. And it makes all the difference.
-Sara
Alas poor 98, (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Upgrade (Score:5, Interesting)
What if MS released the windows 98 source code under the GPL or a BSD or Apache style license? Probably that 0.000000000001% of developers who care enough will take it, fix some of the annoying bugs and features in it and create a windows 99 release that can be used by anyone to patch windows98 and create a useable free version (think dr-dos being released and now used as a minimul dos environment by various companies, ie: apple's virtual pc uses it as a base dos install).
Maybe that wouldn't happen, maybe it would. Without he code being available, it *can't*.
That make me wonder about Windows TCO (Score:4, Interesting)
I wonder if any of those TCO papers discuss what it costs to upgrade in the next ten years because MS decides to put something in their software to make you upgrade.
Should I miss it? (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm not sure how I should react to this.
But personally, my vote is for Windows 95b. The b is very important. That was a distribution that actually worked. If they kept the USB add-ons available I might still have on of my machines running it.
I wonder how Windows 95b would run on a 3GHz CPU with 1GB RAM?
Re:Retired? still working :) (Score:2, Interesting)
There are 3rd party apps that added the CPU idle feature win9x/Me, such as CPUCool [onlinehome.de].
Re:So? (Score:3, Interesting)
Win98, on the other hand, I've never had success in keeping relatively stable.
Re:for better? or for worse? (Score:3, Interesting)
Love my Win98 why get rid of it? (Score:2, Interesting)
I find my win98 installation to be fairly secure. Unless I try and screw it up (ie run an unknown email attachement I was sent by someone I don't trust) it's fine. No services to worry about, no random open ports to be exploited, really unless I try to have the machine hacked it seems perfectly safe.
Plus, it's paid for. I have yet to be given a compelling reason to upgrade to a new version of windows. MS not supporting it any more? So what. It's ran reasonably fine the past 5 years. I'm not surprised MS wants to get rid of it, there's no icentive for there customers to replace it.
--
Michael Feuell
Re:Truly Sad..... (Score:4, Interesting)
Furthermore, it would be easy to use XP or Windows 2000 with the firewall enabled. That would be as safe (or safer) than using the Windows 98 operating system. IE and Outlook are just disasters waiting to happen (on your system, on the internet they are already happening) so using third party browser and email client is to be recommended in all circumstances.
The only thing worse than using Windows 98 may be Windows ME, but they fixed some serious dial up issues in that operating system, blurring the choice a bit.
Disastrous (Score:3, Interesting)
This is utterly disastrous. Companies that say there are risks of working with Linux should see what it means to work with Sun.
--Dan
one advantage to Win98 you missed (Score:3, Interesting)
The funny thing is, I'm also running Zonealarm and a private FW, but it's nice to know the next time some mega XP worm launches it won't affect me too badly...
RB
Re:So? (Score:5, Interesting)
WINXP: stable for gaming? You're the one who's delusional.
I will probably goto Mandrake. I like Linux (been using PCs since 1982) I have a copy of the Windows eXtortion Program (pro edition). I might install it but I have it at work so there's no real point.
I did all my years of networks & servers in the 80s and early 90s. All i want out of my home computer is entertainment (surf the 'net and GAMES GAMES GAMES).
The biggest headache I have about XP is that there isn't an Expert Mode. I absolutely HATE having to waste my time going the baby steps that are there to help inexperienced users (i understand some people need this) but hinder those of us that know what they're doing.
As for stablility: Win2000. I haven't used it much but out of 30-40 techs & net admins that I've talked to, they all seem to agree on this...
Yah I still use 98 (Score:1, Interesting)
I code on Linux, and port to windows.
I was just worried today that the industry keeps trying to make technology more confusing.
Linux raw c++ coding is WORLDS easier and powerful than Visual Basic NET COM or whatever they're using in IT.
A lot of upgrades Microsoft does is that they want:
#1 Cheat out the competition, like win98 did to Java.
#2 Make coding more difficult and obfuscated.
#3 Mix up the screen and add a paper clip so they can sell version 7.0
Microsoft plays a game of laziness. They sit around and collect money, until they see some young company with a good idea. When they see the idea, they steal it, and fund development on a similar product, and make sure the company never gets off the ground.
Re:No, it does not include Win98 SE (Score:1, Interesting)
Of the list, this is the one that is the most current version being sold. Are they just going to discontinue it?
Re:So? (Score:2, Interesting)
I'm not saying that it's the right choice for everyone or for all situations, but for my multitracking/simcity box I wouldn't have it any other way. 98SE is VASTLY faster than XP. And, BTW, VASTLY more secure.
Re:So? (Score:4, Interesting)
Comparison: My record uptime on an XP box is 3 weeks (similar usage). NT/2000 servers at my work stay up for months at a time.
Sure it doesn't beat my Linux boxes which have stayed up for years at a time, but it's no where near the "crashing all the time" reports that I've read.
Windows Me on the other hand....
Re:Others Should be able to legally support it the (Score:3, Interesting)
Let me put this as politely as I can: bullshit!
I don't own the copyright to Windows, but I damned well own my copy of it and the CD it came on. The software industry pretends otherwise, but the reality says differently. The only reason why they've gotten away with it is because the courts have ignored the situation.
When you walk into a store, pick up a box that says "Windows XP", see a price tag that says "$199", walk to the sales counter, hand over $199 plus tax, and receive a receipt that says "Windows XP",
It's like buying a fork. You may not have the copyright to the design on the fork, but you still the owner of the fork. You can use it, throw it away, give it to a friend, or sell it at a garage sale.
I have stopped buying commercial software for this reason. They are engaging in illegal bait and switch. I've got no problems if they tell me up front at the time of purchase that I'm not really buying the software. At least that's honesty. But I'm sick and tired of the outside of the box saying "product" and the inside saying "fooled you, it's really a license".