Discussion on:

Microsoft puts end to Windows 98 support

It?s official: Microsoft will no longer issue security updates or provide support for Windows 98 and Windows ME, which are still being used by more than 50 million people. Microsoft is hoping that these people will upgrade to Windows XP.

Do you have Windows 98 or Windows ME running on one or more of your PCs? If so, what are your plans now that Microsoft has pulled the support plug?

I have several Win98 PC's running some software that will not install on Win2K or newer. So, until I replace that software, I CAN'T get rid of the OS. Honestly, these are machines I keep inside my firewall and they don't access the internet.

Put those machines in a good use.

That is exactly what my thought was when I was looking at the statement..

Now even Apple, with their (admittedly beta and 'Unsupported') Boot Camp, claims to run recent Windows games; at least those supported by that one specific video card. And if you buy a hot new Dual-Core Intel machine. (I was just given a demonstration: Oh Man, are they sweet..!)
*Note that most modern games require a 3D-accelerator video card with vertex- and pixel-shading, OpenGL and DirectX 9.0c support.
I'm admittedly uninformed about Linux (I've done some programming, but my background is graphics, DTP and HTML.) Does Linux run Windows games? If so, you might have a new convert.

www.transgaming.com produce a product called Cedega and it runs most Windows based games, it specialises in in it - visit their web site. Also many games now come with a Linux version on the same disk and others with a Linux version available from the supplier.

Here's a TR article by jmgarvin on getting WoW to work, but the advice is applicable in general to much more than that specific game:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11-6063292.html

Here's a Tux Magazine (free to subscribe to) issue with articles on Cedega:
http://www.tuxmagazine.com/node/1000155

There's plenty of other information out there. If you've got questions about a specific game, I recommend searching with the keywords [game name] cedega

We're happy to offer what help we can if you want to learn more about Linux gaming or Linux in general. Who needs MS's support when you've got the world's most skilled geeks to give free support for a free OS?

To get Windows games to work on Linux, I have to visit a website, subscribe to a magazine, visit web forums and rely on people like you?

Conversely, to get a Windows game to work on Windows, I put the CD in and follow the prompts which usually Next, Next, Next, OK, Finish.

Now I'm getting a clearer picture of why so many people are NOT using Linux.

But what does it say about your OS when the only good thing you can point to is that it has some "really kewl gamez"?

Yes, that's sorta what it takes to get Windows games to run on Linux.

Linux games are much easier.

It's open source, write your own Win32 port of it if it's that damn important to you...

Hell, I'm sure there'd be a native WoW client in Linux if it was open source.

Well, If you are a real "IT" type, well, re-think...
All's it Really takes is installing Linux (Doing yourself a favor), DL Cedega, and install a game !!!
WOW !!! Sounds like ALOT more fun to me than installing ANOTHER patch.....

Pay $100-$300 to be able to "I put the CD in and follow the prompts which usually Next, Next, Next, OK, Finish."
Wait, Update Driver. .......

www.transgaming.org. I also published a whitepaper here at TR to get WoW up and running on a Linux box.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11-6063292.html?tag=search

Good luck!

This is a quote from the original post:
"I provide support for a small organisation's network on a voluntary babis as they are not well funded and one important user's PC still runs on Win 98. I shall upgrade it eventually (there is a training / familiarisation issue to get over first) and I shall do it at minimum cost."

Do you think games are of any imortance here ??
It is the same everytime, the issue of Windows games on Linux is always brought up as a do-or-die, 'proving' that Linux is useless. They are called WINDOWS games. That means they are written for Windows, and naturally they don't run on a mainframe, OS/400, Linux, Unix, or anything else, unless something in between the game and the OS makes it possible.

Get on with it. For anybody else than a gamer, games are a nuisance.

Most new games don't run on '98 anyway or worth anything. Windows '98 doesn't need to be patched anymore than it is already - if they haven't fixed it by now - some 6 years later they never will. Keep it and use it. At least you don't have to activate it online.

Let's be realistic. If someone's running Win98, then they sure as heck aren't going to put Linux on anything. Plus, why would anyone do that? So they can cut themselves off from the world?

If you don't have the money, you can not replace it but must live with it. In my little section of the Agency, that would be 500 desktops and laptops. Not to mention they all are running Office 97. Another upgrade, so does anyone have $750K in their pocket that isn't in the budget. Plus the staff time to make the swap outs, a hidden cost.

I think you left out the word "takes".

You mean there is an upgrade to Win95....

Yeah, Windows 98, but it is'nt worth the bother really, I would stick with 95 untill they do a proper upgrade.

My son's schools found out about about 4 years ago.........

If you're still running 500 desktops and laptops on Win 98 and Office 97 you have bigger issues than money.

If he has machines and applications that are still doing the job, then why does he HAVE to upgrade? Remember, most people use computers to help in their business, not be the reason to be in business.

First rule of support - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

I wonder how many people happy with Win98 have called on MS support in the last year? Last 5 years?

OK, you will lose the ongoing security patches but with a dwindling user base, it's hardly worth the malware writers bothering when there is a much bigger target. Just make sure you keep your firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware up to date.

Regards,
A.

alot of the "newer" virus's (Worms) don't effect anything "less than XP".

Have you tried using Microsoft Virtual PC 2004, its now free, and you should try using it for migrating those win98 PC's to a newer operating system.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

... a new toy to play with.

Who cares? Do you think that the rest of the assumed 50 million users DO NOT connect to the internet? They (including me -- I have a dual boot system, 98SE or XP -- will care. THAT'S WHO!

If you don't have a usefull comment to the blog, please keep your mouth shut!!!

I have so far been fortunate in convincing all of my clients to upgrade their Win 98/ME systems to Ubuntu Linux with the exception of one machine which is running a propritary building alarm software. For that one we will probably upgrade the alarm panel with an ethernet port and embedded web server so future management can be done from Firebox.

As an independent IT support guy, I have been supporting (fixing) windows products for years. Tell those 50 million to call me... I can use the work.

My only Win98 box is being used to provide an unimportant box for family websurfing - my important computers are not exposed to the internet to safeguard them from viruses and penetration - so I'm converting that box to Linux.

I support quite a lot of small business users in the UK and many of them are on Win98SE and will continue to do so until their PCs die. Upgrading is out of the question (processor power and memory) and the expense of new applications as well as the platform will put them off migrating to XP for some time yet.

surely any business can afford that for a 5 year investment, otherwise maybe they should chose a different trade...

I agree that purchasing a new computer or even a few, for a medium sized business with its own IT staff isn't a great output of funds. However, small businesses that outsource their IT work replacing even a single PC can easily cost in the range of two to three times the price of the box and its base software. Additional, on the end of the spectrum major corporations that need to replace hundreds or thousands of machines, test new and older software compatibilities, solve networking and communication issues, re-setup procedures and manuals, re-write proprietary software, etc, this can be a major outlay of money.

Apart from games, the standard applications don't get better - just bigger and much more expensive.

it is only the "must have the latest gadget" sheep that fuel the bloating rather than improving of our technology. having more is not being better than! You can read it two ways, one way you know of the problem, the other, you are part of the problem.

Thanks Pete...i may re-load mine

I tell my clients "Keep your business PCs clean and only install software that justifies itself in terms of your busines. Provide your kids with their own pc for games and keep them away from the business network. You don't need to waste your money on the latest software if it won't show immediate ROI." 6 weeks later they will have disabled the firewall, Installed MSN (for the kids) and at least 6 games and have more adware and trojans than you could shake a stick at ...???

Ok, i can understand Win9X etc...but Windows3.1???????? Yikes...come on buddy... let go of the chain..we are dragging you into the 22nd century! LOL

on a 286

Or as Terry Pratchett might say, "the century of the Fruitbat".

I have a PC still running DOS 3.2
But it isn't a very usefull machine.
It makes a good conversation piece, or a large paper weight. Which ever comes first.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I have a piece of hardware the will only work on a 286 or less in DOS mode. So am I going to throw out a piece of hardware just because MS wants me to upgrade?

I think you 're dragging him too far; the 21 century will be far enough, for now !

What a few others said; everything gets bloated, doesn't run any faster on yet faster machines and doesn't bring any surplus to the workplace regarding productivity.
Most users don't use 'hooters and bells', they won't use extra 'hooters and bells' either !

If they would know NOT to thump the ON-button too hard, we wouldn't have to drive half a day to put it back in place.
If they would remind themselves that what comes OUT, must go IN, then we wouldn't have to drive through the city to load their printer with paper !

Now you expect them to use XP or Vista(next year) ?????

I 'm rolling on the floor here !!!

@

With everything you're saying, however, 1) all OS's are getting bloated and not just Windows 2) productivity in the workplace is still increasing when properly used 3) not running any faster really isn't a problem for most users as their PC is already many times too fast for them already.

New and improved, Windows P.U. (an upgrade from Windows 2100).

I still use my DOS 6.22/Windows 3.11 box on a daily basis for my Borlands Paradox SE database program. It seems that Paradox SE won't run on anything Windows 9X or better.

My Windows 3.11 Box is a Compaq Prolinea 575. My 486 66MHz DX-2 finally went belly up on me one day and I bought a used Compaq Prolinea 575 from a buddy of mine as an upgrade.

My Compaq Prolinea 575 Desktop Box
Intel: 75MHz Pentium
Western Digital: 1.2GB Hard Drive
24MB of RAM
On Board Video
Compaq: ESS Based Soundcard
Packard Bell: 14.4K Modem
3-COM: 10 Mega Bit LAN Card

Oh and don't let anybody tell you that you can't use a cable modem and router with Windows 3.11. I got it working and I'm not even an IT.

I support a local high school, and whilst many machines are XP capable and running that bloated OS, we also have a museum of 4 workin machines.All on the local lan behind a Linux based firewall.

1. A 4.77MHz XT (8088 CPU) running Dos 3.3 with a Dos based e-mail client. Hardware is a Mone long persistance green screen and a Seagate ST225 Hard drive.

2. A 16MHz 286 running Win 3.0 (3.1 wont run) with a 16 bit windows based e-mail client. This has a Hercules amber mono screen an a Seagate ST251 hard drive.

3. A 33MHz 386sx running Win 3.11 and the same e-mail client. This has an EGA (16 colours) screen and a Seagate ST351 hard drive.

4. A 40MHz 486DLC in a similar configuration as number 3 differeing only in that it has a paper white mono VGA screen.

I am planning number 5 which will most likely run Win 95 on a Pentium 75 with SVGA screen and the 32 bit e-mail client. Obviously it will need a slightly bigger hard drive, but I have a couple of 850MB drives available.

I guess that sooner or later a Pentium II (233MHz) with Win 98 will also be required.

Wow, the last time I checked, Linux had virtually ever feature and function that Windows has yet Linux isn't considered bloated?

Some of the newest Linux distros when finally configured and installed are just as bloated as XP.

Hell, I'm starting to hear more and more diehard Linux users complain about it.

What is bloat to you is a feature to someone else.