'Best before'...

[alexpgp]

An article on Expiring OSes at The Register's web site notes how Microsoft's recent FUD about Novell's NetWare achieves "Olympic standards in chutzpah," especially considering MS's plans regarding various versions of its own operating systems. (MS had sent advertising to Novell customers telling them that Novell was ditching NetWare, which prompted Novell to sue.)

Windows NT 4.0 Server was apparently yanked from the channel four days ago, though it will still be obtainable for a while, if I understand the article correctly. Unequivocally, though, the article lists a number of OSes that will cease to be supported and on what date. These are:

- MS DOS x.xx (December 31, 2001)
- Windows 3.xx (December 31, 2001)
- Windows 95 (December 31, 2001)
- Windows NT 3.5x (December 31, 2001)
- Windows 98/98 SE (June 30, 2003)
- Windows NT 4.xx (June 30, 2003)

Cheers...

Comments

Expiring OSes

[cg07446.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the heads up. This article got a lot of notice around here as Windows 95 is still the office standard.

[volkris.livejournal.com]

They seem to be doing everything in their power to push people to Linux/StarOffice,etc. Now if only I had confidence that those programs were ready for primetime....

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

Well, StarOffice just came out with a major upgrade, if my peripheral reading is not mistaken, but I'm not sure it's going to help much.

The point is, Linux is going to have a tough time in the near future. Lots of people are going to try it on for size, if only not to be railroaded into using XP. But Linux is really not ready for prime time yet, at least not in the sense that Windows users have come to expect. I think this is part of MS's strategy.

Cheers...

P.S. Despite a lot of harping and bitching, the fact remains that Windows users - in the final analysis - have been fairly well served by that platform.