Itsme
07-04-2006, 05:55 AM
Microsoft Ends Support for Windows 98 and ME
By Walaika K. Haskins
July 3, 2006 3:44PM
Starting next week, more than 70 million Windows users running older operating systems will no longer receive security updates from Microsoft.
Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition (ME) users will have to fend for themselves without the protection of the security patches and other software fixes that Microsoft regularly issues. Without the updates, users could be vulnerable to attacks by hackers attempting to capitalize on unpatched flaws.
Microsoft, which originally planned to discontinue the security updates for these older operating systems in January 2004, decided to extend its support until July 11 in an effort to maximize the amount of time consumers and businesses still using the older software needed to upgrade.
"The surprise is that they have continued their support for so long despite the fact that there have been many other versions of their operating system around since these versions came out," said Mukul Krishna, a Frost & Sullivan analyst.
End of an Era
Industry estimates put the number of PCs running a licensed version of Windows 98 and Windows ME at around 13 percent of the total number of Windows users.
According to Al Gillen, an analyst with the research firm IDC, about 48 million computers were running legal versions of Windows 98 at the end of last year, while another 25 million were still using Windows ME.
Gillen said he anticipates the percentage of users running the antiquated operating systems to drop to 6 percent of total Windows users by the end of 2006.
"The laggards are those users who are going to keep these systems around until they either catch fire or simply don't turn on one day," Gillen was quoted as saying. "Generally speaking, these people who run old operating systems are probably not waiting on the edge of their seat for the next new Windows operating system to arrive."
Affected Minority
Many of the affected users, Krishna said, do not even realize that they have support from Microsoft. This set of users, he said, probably will not upgrade until their hardware dies.
Schools and consumers are likely to be affected most by the removal of support, with schools taking the biggest hit because budget constraints could make it difficult for them to purchase Windows XP, said Michael Silver, a Gartner research analyst.
There are, however, steps users can take to protect themselves until they can afford to upgrade. Strong antivirus software is one way. And, at the very least, users should visit Microsoft's Windows Update page to download the latest patches before the July 11 deadline.
Of particular concern, according to Silver, are Windows 98 systems that are connected to the Internet by way of broadband. "PCs on broadband are the most urgent to secure," he said. "New applications don't generally run on Windows 98 anyway. [Users should] budget to get these PCs replaced."
http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=003000C23UFU
By Walaika K. Haskins
July 3, 2006 3:44PM
Starting next week, more than 70 million Windows users running older operating systems will no longer receive security updates from Microsoft.
Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition (ME) users will have to fend for themselves without the protection of the security patches and other software fixes that Microsoft regularly issues. Without the updates, users could be vulnerable to attacks by hackers attempting to capitalize on unpatched flaws.
Microsoft, which originally planned to discontinue the security updates for these older operating systems in January 2004, decided to extend its support until July 11 in an effort to maximize the amount of time consumers and businesses still using the older software needed to upgrade.
"The surprise is that they have continued their support for so long despite the fact that there have been many other versions of their operating system around since these versions came out," said Mukul Krishna, a Frost & Sullivan analyst.
End of an Era
Industry estimates put the number of PCs running a licensed version of Windows 98 and Windows ME at around 13 percent of the total number of Windows users.
According to Al Gillen, an analyst with the research firm IDC, about 48 million computers were running legal versions of Windows 98 at the end of last year, while another 25 million were still using Windows ME.
Gillen said he anticipates the percentage of users running the antiquated operating systems to drop to 6 percent of total Windows users by the end of 2006.
"The laggards are those users who are going to keep these systems around until they either catch fire or simply don't turn on one day," Gillen was quoted as saying. "Generally speaking, these people who run old operating systems are probably not waiting on the edge of their seat for the next new Windows operating system to arrive."
Affected Minority
Many of the affected users, Krishna said, do not even realize that they have support from Microsoft. This set of users, he said, probably will not upgrade until their hardware dies.
Schools and consumers are likely to be affected most by the removal of support, with schools taking the biggest hit because budget constraints could make it difficult for them to purchase Windows XP, said Michael Silver, a Gartner research analyst.
There are, however, steps users can take to protect themselves until they can afford to upgrade. Strong antivirus software is one way. And, at the very least, users should visit Microsoft's Windows Update page to download the latest patches before the July 11 deadline.
Of particular concern, according to Silver, are Windows 98 systems that are connected to the Internet by way of broadband. "PCs on broadband are the most urgent to secure," he said. "New applications don't generally run on Windows 98 anyway. [Users should] budget to get these PCs replaced."
http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=003000C23UFU