Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> Microsoft Turns Up The Heat On Windows 2000 Users
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | What if you want to keep your old operating systems, such as Windows
> | 2000, running as long as possible?
Obviously Microsoft doesn't like that idea. The OEMs don't like that
Idea either.
Remember, Windows 2000 was the second OS to be bound to the machine
with which it was sold (Windows ME was similarly bound). To stay with
Windows 2000, you have to NOT purchase new equipment. Given that
Windows XP came out in 2001, as the Antitrust case was being settled,
and almost immediately after the 9/11 attacks, this means that you have
a 7 year old PC. It might be perfectly functional, but it isn't what
Microsoft and the OEMs want you to be using.
> | Microsoft isn't making it easy for you. Office 2007 and the software
> | for the company's much-hyped Zune music player won't install on Windows
> | 2000. As other new products emerge from Microsoft in 2007 and beyond,
> | more and more of them are likely to leave Windows 2000 out of the party.
On the other hand, you can use Windows 2000 libraries on WINE (windows
license only requires that you use it on the machine you purchased).
You an use Windows 2000 as a virtual machine client (again, assuming
you are on the machine you originally purchased.).
Also, you can install the Windows 2000 software on a Windows XP
machine, but you are subject to the terms of the Windows XP license.
You can still use the libraries on WINE, you can still use the
Virtualization, but you can't transferr the XP license to another
machine unless you purchased the "Full" version (not just an OEM
version or upgrade to OEM version).
The Vista License will severely limit your ability to use the libraries
and software, and will expose you to much more liability. Remember,
the Vista EULA allows Microsoft to do a number of things that would
otherwise be criminal activities, including fraud, extortion, sabotage,
and obstruction of justice.
Furthermore, with the Vista license, you don't have the option of
"downgrading" any more.
Imagine going to a car dealer, the dealer has you give him your credit
card before he even shows you a car, you also sign a complex multipage
contract permitting them to do a "credit check". While you are on the
lot, he points out a car, it's beat up, it's ugly, it's not what you
want, but you are told that you MUST buy the car. You have already
been approved for financing, and you loan has already been issued. The
paperwork has already been completed, and if you don't sign the final
bill of sale, the "loan agreement" which you thought was an
application, allows the dealership to keep the money anyway.
Furthermore, you find out that you are required to come in for frequent
repairs and "inspections", and if you miss an appointement, or you
don't make the required repairs, the car can be disabled. If you miss
a payment, even if the car is disabled, the car can be recovered by a
tow truck operator. Finally, they have the right to cash the check any
time during the month, and your loan agreement has given them the
ability to check your balance at any time. If they want to cash one
check on the 31st and another on the 1st, they can do this. Of course,
if a check bounce, not only could you still be held responsible for the
loan, but you could also have your interest rates increased to usury
rates, AND you could have your car towed back to the dealership.
In most states, a dealership who did business this way would be
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Microsoft's Vista License
pretty much allows Microsoft to do similar things, and yet even with
court orders, full judgements, and settlements in 48 states, Microsoft
seems more than happy to add insult to injury by scaling UP their
questionable business practices.
It's a bit like the Roman Legions who came into villages and downs and
just took what they wanted, simply because no one was willing or able
to stand up to them. Even when it was against Roman law, it didn't
stop the Legions. Eventually, the occupied countries united and the
Huns, Barbarians, Vandals, and Mongolians overran the Roman Empire
completely.
> http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196700071
> Firefox could still work with Windows 98, IIRC, until recently. IE7 requires XP at the least.
Yep. Microsoft has declared Windows 9x, ME, and NT 4.0 to be
"obsolete", simply because they said so. Much older Windows software
will run under these software packages, but Microsot is really pushing
hard to force ISVs to use "XP-Only development tools and libraries"
which will make Windows XP the "minimum" required version of Windows
required.
Ironically, all of this has made Linux and OSS even more attractive to
businesses, governments, and end users. There are UNIX workstations
and servers which are still functional even though they are 10 years
old. Ironically, many of those "obsolete" Windows 9x and Windows NT
4.0 machines - are still in use as Linux machines, in Karala India,
Liberia Africa, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, and many other parts
of Asia, India, South America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. I'm not
sure about the Middle East.
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