Windows 98 is already a bit crippled when it comes to protective
applications -- the ones that keep you safe while surfing the internet. That
situation is going to get worse as time goes by, and I expect that by
sometime next year very few modern protective applications will support
Win9x systems at all. This is important because the internet and the
associated applications (functional or protective) are where the major
advancements in technology are occurring on a daily or weekly basis, and as
they outgrow Win9x, you will get less functionality and almost *no* decent
safety for that platform.

The only real effect the June date has is that any further security issues
that are subsequently discovered, whether in Windows Media Player, Internet
Explorer, or in the core operating files, will not be fixed. But the
obsolescence of Win9x is already a fact, one that is only going to get worse
as the months pass. I strongly recommend that 9x users cease to spend *any*
more money on their systems and instead buy a new one. And, no, I would not
recommend waiting until Windows Vista is ready for market. I don't think
that's going to be soon enough. Get a good machine now and then upgrade to
Vista if and when it becomes attractive.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"Elizabeth" wrote in message
...
I'm sorry if this has been brought up before, which I'm sure it has.

After June, when Microsoft stops supporting Win98 with security
updates, will I need to stop using Win98 with the Internet? Will I
need a new operating system? Is there any recourse?

Beth