If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#41
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
Ivan Bútora wrote:
Wow, we got 11 extra days according to this: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/sup...ofsupport.mspx Microsoft should be commended for extending support for Windows 9x back in January 2004. They did not have to do it, but they did it, and thus extended the practical life of those operating systems, seeing as otherwise some applications developed in the meantime might not have included support for Windows 9x. MS MVP's in particular should be commended for their efforts in this regard. Customers should consider moving to the most recent version of Windows, such as Windows XP, for the following reasons * Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows ME are products that are no longer suitable for the security demands of today's internet environments. * Customers will benefit and stay secure on Windows XP with many of its improved security and protection features. Microsoft wants people to buy new products. This is OK. It's not OK to make misleading claims in their advertising. Using security as a seeling point for Windows XP vs. Windows 98 is dubious. There are many aspects to security, and on some of those Windows XP has done worse than Windows 98. (Example: vulnerable services running in the background, two critical holes which allowed infection via the Internet without any user action, etc.) I believe CQuirke would have things to say on this topic. Does Microsoft really expect those who haven't done so yet to upgrade their Pentium III-era PCs to Windows XP at this point in time, considering that Windows Vista is coming relatively soon? For my purposes, I have got a Windows 98-based system on which I feel modern enough for my needs - I can use the latest version of Firefox, I can do instant messaging, I can use BitTorrent, I can play and work with media, I can use USB drives, I can burn CDs, etc. Best, Ivan --- In , Gary S. Terhune typed: I assume someone already posted this at least once. But just in case... -- Gary S. Terhune MS MVP Shell/User (MS Official Announcement and FAQs) Effective June 30, 2006, support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows Me (and their related components) will end. After this date, incident support, security updates and Custom Support Agreement will no longer be available to the public. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows/sup...ofsupport.mspx for details. * On June 30, 2006, assisted support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows Me (and their related components) will end. * After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide any incident support options or security updates. Microsoft is not offering a Custom Support Agreement for these products. * Online Support Content will continue to be available through the Microsoft Support Product Solution Center Websites. This website will continue to host a wealth of previous How-to, Troubleshooting and Configuration content for anyone who may need self-service access to this information. (http://support.microsoft.com/select/?target=hub) * Additional information on the support lifecycle of Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows Me can be located at: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean1 and http://www.microsoft.com/windows/sup...ofsupport.mspx * Microsoft continues to encourage all customers to upgrade to Windows XP to achieve the highest possible level of security. Customers will benefit and stay secure on Windows XP with many of its improved security and protection features. * Customers that are not able to obtain Windows XP based versions of their applications are able to run these older applications in Windows 98 compatibility mode within Windows XP * Customers should visit the Windows XP Resource Kit http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d...XP/all/reskit/ en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en- us/prba_dwp_ogli.asp to find out more information about migration to Windows XP. This assistance resource helps customers understand the requirements and Application Compatibility implications of migrating from Windows 98/ME to XP. Q. What does Microsoft mean when it says it is ending support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows ME? A. This means that after June 30, 2006, transitioning these products to a non-supported status means that assisted support, including security updates, will end. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide any incident support options or security updates. (however, Online Support Content will continue to be available through the Microsoft Support Product Solution Center Websites. This website will continue to host a wealth of previous How-to, Troubleshooting and Configuration content for anyone who may need self-service access to this information. These Product Solution Center websites can be found at http://support.microsoft.com http://support.microsoft.com/ ) Q. Why should I consider moving to a newer Windows operating system version? A. Customers should consider moving to the most recent version of Windows, such as Windows XP, for the following reasons * Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows ME are products that are no longer suitable for the security demands of today's internet environments. * Customers will benefit and stay secure on Windows XP with many of its improved security and protection features. * Customers that are not able to obtain Windows XP based versions of their applications are able to run these older applications in Windows 98 compatibility mode within Windows XP * Microsoft is not offering a Custom Support Agreement for these products. Q. Why is this announcement so sudden? This announcement is not a last minute announcement. As early as December 2002, we had announced an original end-of-support date for Windows 98, 98SE and ME for January 2003. We later extended the end-of-support date to June 2006 to allow customers enough time to migrate to a new and updated Windows operating system in order to continue receiving security and hotfix support. This last wave of communications is a final reminder for those who have postponed or delayed migrating from Windows 98 or Windows ME to Windows XP to finally put their plans into action. Q. Why will Microsoft no longer provide public security support for Windows 98 and Windows ME? The importance of a secure computing platform has never been greater. Over the past decade, security vulnerabilities that could not have been anticipated have emerged. Microsoft has responded with new design methodologies, coding practices and test procedures. These enhancements are included in new platforms such as Windows XP and even more enhanced in the upcoming release of Windows Vista. These newer platforms offer our customers a far greater level of security than is possible with Windows 98 and Windows ME. You need to remember that Windows 98 and Windows ME were developed before the era of sophisticated Internet based attacks. These products have reached the point of architectural obsolescence. It would be irresponsible to convey a false sense of security by extending public support for these old products. Q. Will there be 3rd parties that can continue supporting my installations of Windows 98? There are still multiple companies in the market today that are able to provide for-fee configuration support for Windows 98 and Windows ME computers. They do not, however, have access to the code base to be able to create hotfix and security fixes. The absence of the critical types of support components from their capabilities should encourage customers to quickly migrate to more up-to-date versions of Microsoft Windows. Also, Online Support Content will continue to be available through the Microsoft Support Product Solution Center Websites. This website will continue to host a wealth of previous How-to, Troubleshooting and Configuration content for anyone who may need self-service access to this information. These Product Solution Center websites can be found at http://support.microsoft.com http://support.microsoft.com/ Q. What resources does Microsoft offer to companies or individuals that have yet to migrate to a newer Windows operating system? Customers who are able to access the internet should visit the Windows XP Resource Kit http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d...XP/all/reskit/ en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en- us/prba_dwp_ogli.asp to find out more information about migration to Windows XP. This assistance resource helps customers understand the requirements and Application Compatibility implications of migrating from Windows 98/ME to XP. I agree Ivan that by having more services with XP it allows more entry points to a user's PC. That is something that can make XP more confusing and in some ways more vulnerable than 98SE. I wonder what made Microsoft add 11 days although any extra support is nice and I applaud Microsoft for all of the added support that they have given 98, 98SE and ME. |
#42
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
Hello!
"Dan" wrote in message ... Ivan Bútora wrote: Wow, we got 11 extra days according to this: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/sup...ofsupport.mspx I agree Ivan that by having more services with XP it allows more entry points to a user's PC. That is something that can make XP more confusing and in some ways more vulnerable than 98SE. I wonder what made Microsoft add 11 days although any extra support is nice and I applaud Microsoft for all of the added support that they have given 98, 98SE and ME. This is the second Tuesday in that month! Cheers, Roman |
#43
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
"Dan" wrote in message ...
| PCR wrote: | "Dan" wrote in message ... | | PCR wrote: | | Me 'n Colorado are sworn to wait for it to turn to dust! I KNOW he broke his word, though, ran JUST the XP tester & ended up with purple toes! Now, he is back & healing. Poatt too! | | | | | | Do you think you will install Vista or is it too early to tell. | | Not until I have to! But, yea, I won't resist that one on the day Win98 crumbles to dust. I even suppose there is one chance in 1,073,741,824 that XP will prove to be the better OS, though, & I'd go for it, instead-- & take 12 pills a day for the radiation! | | LOL I have both since I dual-boot and I prefer 98SE although you can do | more with XP. You can! But it won't be long before you get XP-eyes! You'll only see things on the opposite side of every wall, like poatt! That's OK for him, though. He's got his son over there telling him what's on his side. |
#44
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
roman modic wrote:
Hello! "Dan" wrote in message ... Ivan Bútora wrote: Wow, we got 11 extra days according to this: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/sup...ofsupport.mspx I agree Ivan that by having more services with XP it allows more entry points to a user's PC. That is something that can make XP more confusing and in some ways more vulnerable than 98SE. I wonder what made Microsoft add 11 days although any extra support is nice and I applaud Microsoft for all of the added support that they have given 98, 98SE and ME. This is the second Tuesday in that month! Cheers, Roman Good observation and so we will get that final round of security update(s). |
#45
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
In a word ... horse-hockey!
Services can be used for good and evil, exploited, even overflowed and shut down; but Windows 9x will always be less secure than any WinNT based operating system for one lethal and uncorrectable problem - lack of security. For example, on a WinNT based computer configured with default settings, the NTFS file system locks the standard user (and thus the programs, worms and viruses that user might run) out of many potentially lethal areas of the hard drive. The user may have read-only rights to these areas, or no rights at all. Win9x - no such luck, the entire drive is wide-open. For another, the Registry. Again, WinNT systems give standard users only limited access to most areas of the Registry. Win9x - yeah, once again, wide open. Oh, you want another? Okay. The WinNT kernel runs programs in separate buckets so that one running program cannot touch or corrupt the memory another program is using. Not so in Win9x - any program can stomp all over memory in use by any other, and can read the data that program is processing. Given a little more time (and coffee!) I could almost surely come up with others but you get the idea here. Win9x was designed for an entirely different time - when one computer was generally used by one user, either at home where it was rarely exposed to the Internet or other computers, or at work where security was handled by the IT gurus, when the threats of today were no more than a glimmer in someone's eye. The time for Win9x has come and gone. -- Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] * PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups * for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to. * My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/ * HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm "Dan" wrote in message ... I agree Ivan that by having more services with XP it allows more entry points to a user's PC. That is something that can make XP more confusing and in some ways more vulnerable than 98SE. I wonder what made Microsoft add 11 days although any extra support is nice and I applaud Microsoft for all of the added support that they have given 98, 98SE and ME. |
#46
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
Would like to point out that most of what you refer to is germane to local
security--of particular interest in corporate installations, other commercial sites, etc., but for a single home user, such as Ivan, the advantage is much less clear-cut. In such case, you're depending much more on whatever technique you use for isolation from the net at large (e.g., firewall, site selection, method of connection, etc.), and as someone in this thread said, once they're through, it's a mess, and from what I can see, the mess is worse in XP. Not least because of the lack of general accessibility of the system (at least partly in the interest of security, no doubt) to the user. Reinstallation as a panacea for all ills doesn't appeal to me. Joe "Richard G. Harper" wrote in message ... In a word ... horse-hockey! Services can be used for good and evil, exploited, even overflowed and shut down; but Windows 9x will always be less secure than any WinNT based operating system for one lethal and uncorrectable problem - lack of security. For example, on a WinNT based computer configured with default settings, the NTFS file system locks the standard user (and thus the programs, worms and viruses that user might run) out of many potentially lethal areas of the hard drive. The user may have read-only rights to these areas, or no rights at all. Win9x - no such luck, the entire drive is wide-open. For another, the Registry. Again, WinNT systems give standard users only limited access to most areas of the Registry. Win9x - yeah, once again, wide open. Oh, you want another? Okay. The WinNT kernel runs programs in separate buckets so that one running program cannot touch or corrupt the memory another program is using. Not so in Win9x - any program can stomp all over memory in use by any other, and can read the data that program is processing. Given a little more time (and coffee!) I could almost surely come up with others but you get the idea here. Win9x was designed for an entirely different time - when one computer was generally used by one user, either at home where it was rarely exposed to the Internet or other computers, or at work where security was handled by the IT gurus, when the threats of today were no more than a glimmer in someone's eye. The time for Win9x has come and gone. -- Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] * PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups * for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to. * My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/ * HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm "Dan" wrote in message ... I agree Ivan that by having more services with XP it allows more entry points to a user's PC. That is something that can make XP more confusing and in some ways more vulnerable than 98SE. I wonder what made Microsoft add 11 days although any extra support is nice and I applaud Microsoft for all of the added support that they have given 98, 98SE and ME. |
#47
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
Roger Fink wrote:
or maybe over to these guys... http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4131.html I've heard of this "unoffical patch " before, but hesitated. My W98SE has always worked very reliably on a P166, minimal patches installed. Is this update: A. Necessary (note above) B. Safe for the average user? C. Safe for an older computer? TIA MS |
#48
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:58:03 -0800, Gary S. Terhune wrote:
I assume someone already posted this at least once. But just in case... So what does this announcement mean for this ng? |
#49
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
Hard to say... But MS has a much different set of rules for NGs. They are
retired as people stop using them. An NG has to be moribund for several months before they even consider canceling it. I would expect that in a year or three, some of the Win98 NGs will be retired. But this one and the other active ones will likely be here long after XP has reached end-of-life-- and I for one am staying here for the duration even if I start also participating in Vista forums. -- Gary S. Terhune MS MVP Shell/User "sf" wrote in message ... On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:58:03 -0800, Gary S. Terhune wrote: I assume someone already posted this at least once. But just in case... So what does this announcement mean for this ng? |
#50
|
|||
|
|||
Last Rites for Win9x
Gary S. Terhune wrote:
Hard to say... But MS has a much different set of rules for NGs. They are retired as people stop using them. An NG has to be moribund for several months before they even consider canceling it. I would expect that in a year or three, some of the Win98 NGs will be retired. But this one and the other active ones will likely be here long after XP has reached end-of-life-- and I for one am staying here for the duration even if I start also participating in Vista forums. For those of us contemplating, with whatever misgivings, moving on to XP, what groups are good to start with? |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|