MS to discontinue extended support for WinXP Home 2008

This is why people migrate to other OS's, MS are making their products like throwaway lighters, okay this has been around for 7, 8 years time to move on........and forcing consumers to upgrade...for "Power Users" this may be okay, as I am sure those using WinXP professional can hardly wait for "Vista", but for the average PC user who are using the home version, is 8 yrs really too old for an OS????

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Meanwhile, millions of consumers running Windows XP Home Edition will see an end to all support three-years ahead of those running Windows XP Professional despite both operating systems becoming generally available at the same time.

While Microsoft is pushing out mainstream support for Windows XP Home Edition to two years after the shipment of successor Windows Vista, due in the second half of 2006, Windows XP Home Edition will not receive extended support.

That potentially means an end to all support for Window XP Home Edition at the end of 2008, while Windows XP Professional edition should continue until the end of 2013.

It is Microsoft policy not to move consumer products into extended support, although the additional two years have been granted because of the delay to Windows Vista and in recognition of the fact Windows XP Home Edition is "a bit different" to other consumer products from Microsoft, a Microsoft spokesperson said.

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This was a result of bad PR on their part:

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Microsoft's Windows maintenance program is in the spotlight as the company has admitted to bending its support rules over security while cutting support to users of Windows XP Home Edition early.

The company has said it will, in future, release security updates for products that would normally not receive updates as they'd exceed Microsoft's stated support lifecycle.

Microsoft said it is now matching the date that a product support cycle ends with its regular monthly security update release cycle, known as "Black Tuesday".

The first products to benefit from the change are the increasingly dated Exchange Server 5.0 and Exchange Server 5.5, which this week received updates contained in Microsoft's January 2006 patch. The patch fixes a problem judged "critical", which would have allowed malicious code to run in Exchange and Outlook.

The change comes four years after Microsoft standardized its Windows support policy, introducing three phases called "mainstream", "extended" and "self help" that last five, five and up to eight years after a product's introduction.

Mainstream support delivers free security and hot fixes, while extended support maintains security fixes but ends hot fixes and free support. After that, users are on their own and must search Microsoft's knowledge base and web casts for answers.

The change follows a storm of controversy over Microsoft's tardy response to the recent Windows Meta File (WMF) vulnerability. Additionally, a large number of Microsoft's corporate email users are believed to still be running Exchange Server 5.0 and 5.5, launched in 1997 and 1998 respectively, meaning Microsoft has a vested interest in continuing to provide support for the latest vulnerabilities.

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I like this statement.......more or less fend for yourselves.... :mad:

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It's not like consumers can do without the support. Twenty-four security holes still remain unfixed in Windows XP Home Edition, according to vulnerability monitor Secunia Vulnerabilities . A total of 109 holes have been found since 5 September, 2005.

The premature end to support means Windows XP Home Edition users will be forced to trawl Microsoft's free online knowledge base and web casts for home fixes.®

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So typical.....

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01...port_security/

This is why people migrate to other OS's, MS are making their products like throwaway lighters, okay this has been around for 7, 8 years time to move on........and forcing consumers to upgrade...for "Power Users" this may be okay, as I am sure those using WinXP professional can hardly wait for "Vista", but for the average PC user who are using the home version, is 8 yrs really too old for an OS????

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Meanwhile, millions of consumers running Windows XP Home Edition will see an end to all support three-years ahead of those running Windows XP Professional despite both operating systems becoming generally available at the same time.

While Microsoft is pushing out mainstream support for Windows XP Home Edition to two years after the shipment of successor Windows Vista, due in the second half of 2006, Windows XP Home Edition will not receive extended support.

That potentially means an end to all support for Window XP Home Edition at the end of 2008, while Windows XP Professional edition should continue until the end of 2013.

It is Microsoft policy not to move consumer products into extended support, although the additional two years have been granted because of the delay to Windows Vista and in recognition of the fact Windows XP Home Edition is "a bit different" to other consumer products from Microsoft, a Microsoft spokesperson said.

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This was a result of bad PR on their part:

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Microsoft's Windows maintenance program is in the spotlight as the company has admitted to bending its support rules over security while cutting support to users of Windows XP Home Edition early.

The company has said it will, in future, release security updates for products that would normally not receive updates as they'd exceed Microsoft's stated support lifecycle.

Microsoft said it is now matching the date that a product support cycle ends with its regular monthly security update release cycle, known as "Black Tuesday".

The first products to benefit from the change are the increasingly dated Exchange Server 5.0 and Exchange Server 5.5, which this week received updates contained in Microsoft's January 2006 patch. The patch fixes a problem judged "critical", which would have allowed malicious code to run in Exchange and Outlook.

The change comes four years after Microsoft standardized its Windows support policy, introducing three phases called "mainstream", "extended" and "self help" that last five, five and up to eight years after a product's introduction.

Mainstream support delivers free security and hot fixes, while extended support maintains security fixes but ends hot fixes and free support. After that, users are on their own and must search Microsoft's knowledge base and web casts for answers.

The change follows a storm of controversy over Microsoft's tardy response to the recent Windows Meta File (WMF) vulnerability. Additionally, a large number of Microsoft's corporate email users are believed to still be running Exchange Server 5.0 and 5.5, launched in 1997 and 1998 respectively, meaning Microsoft has a vested interest in continuing to provide support for the latest vulnerabilities.

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I like this statement.......more or less fend for yourselves.... :mad:

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It's not like consumers can do without the support. Twenty-four security holes still remain unfixed in Windows XP Home Edition, according to vulnerability monitor Secunia Vulnerabilities . A total of 109 holes have been found since 5 September, 2005.

The premature end to support means Windows XP Home Edition users will be forced to trawl Microsoft's free online knowledge base and web casts for home fixes.®

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So typical.....

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01...port_security/

You do understand that there is a difference between "support" and "critical updates", don't you? Critical updates go on for a significant period after all support has been withdrawn.

Further to that, in the total population of the installed base of XP Home you could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of users that have _ever_ called MS. It is more usual for the user to call Compaq, Dell or whoever the manufacturer or reseller was. MS has almost certainly made this decision based on the number of calls received rather than to push users to Vista simply because with or without support not many of the users will upgrade to Vista anyway. 20+% of all my users are still using Win9X at home.... 'nuff said.... ;)

You do understand that there is a difference between "support" and "critical updates", don't you? Critical updates go on for a significant period after all support has been withdrawn.

Further to that, in the total population of the installed base of XP Home you could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of users that have _ever_ called MS. It is more usual for the user to call Compaq, Dell or whoever the manufacturer or reseller was. MS has almost certainly made this decision based on the number of calls received rather than to push users to Vista simply because with or without support not many of the users will upgrade to Vista anyway. 20+% of all my users are still using Win9X at home.... 'nuff said.... ;)

The whole OEM licensing is throw away...Hardware gets old....buy a new computer..get a new OS.

Reflects on our whole throw away society...its not just MS

Usually MS offers and upgrade path for the new OS.

I never recommend OEM server software....pay the extra...get the upgrade path

I also have some retail versions of OS software....with upgrade paths...allows me to move it to new hardware when needed

Not that I agree with MSes policy on this.

I guess they could give you the free upgrade...then charge you for SPs and kb access :eek:

But then...noone would patch

MLF

The whole OEM licensing is throw away...Hardware gets old....buy a new computer..get a new OS.

Reflects on our whole throw away society...its not just MS

Usually MS offers and upgrade path for the new OS.

I never recommend OEM server software....pay the extra...get the upgrade path

I also have some retail versions of OS software....with upgrade paths...allows me to move it to new hardware when needed

Not that I agree with MSes policy on this.

I guess they could give you the free upgrade...then charge you for SPs and kb access :eek:

But then...noone would patch

MLF

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You do understand that there is a difference between "support" and "critical updates", don't you? Critical updates go on for a significant period after all support has been withdrawn.

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Well Tiger Shark that makes 2 of us anyway........now for the vast majority out there, do they? I still use an old Win 98SE and yes even that gets the odd update.......and no I haven't called for online help for it.........

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Further to that, in the total population of the installed base of XP Home you could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of users that have _ever_ called MS

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I would be willing to bet unless that hand had a lot of fingers on it, that it is substantially more then that..... ;)

I suppose it is somewhat like buying a car with a warranty, after it's over and it's more expensive to cover then to sell, why bother??? drive her into the ground.....now there's an idea, maybe MS will except trade-ins :p

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You do understand that there is a difference between "support" and "critical updates", don't you? Critical updates go on for a significant period after all support has been withdrawn.

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Well Tiger Shark that makes 2 of us anyway........now for the vast majority out there, do they? I still use an old Win 98SE and yes even that gets the odd update.......and no I haven't called for online help for it.........

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Further to that, in the total population of the installed base of XP Home you could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of users that have _ever_ called MS

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I would be willing to bet unless that hand had a lot of fingers on it, that it is substantially more then that..... ;)

I suppose it is somewhat like buying a car with a warranty, after it's over and it's more expensive to cover then to sell, why bother??? drive her into the ground.....now there's an idea, maybe MS will except trade-ins :p

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I never recommend OEM server software....pay the extra...get the upgrade path

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I agree with that, but when a company is counting it's pennies, the OEM's always get picked, at least unfortunatley that's the way this company operates..... :rolleyes:

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I never recommend OEM server software....pay the extra...get the upgrade path

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I agree with that, but when a company is counting it's pennies, the OEM's always get picked, at least unfortunatley that's the way this company operates..... :rolleyes:

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maybe MS will except trade-ins

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ROFLMAO.....

I'd send that to BG if I were you.... He probably needs a good giggle too.... ;)

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maybe MS will except trade-ins

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ROFLMAO.....

I'd send that to BG if I were you.... He probably needs a good giggle too.... ;)

I'm trying to figure out where you're getting 8 years. XP has only be out in official release since about 2002 (four years). We're only on SP2, btw. I used Win2k server and workstation for just over three years and was at SP6 before leaving it behind. We won't even go into NT 3.x and NT 4.x.

Even so, eight years, yes, is a very long time for an OS. While it may not be as evident as it was in the 90's, hardware keeps getting better and more capable. The OS's have to keep up. I went from a PC XT to a 486 in one jump. A lot of the old stuff I used to run on the XT just wasn't up to running on a 486DX.

Also, keep in mind the economics of the product life cycle. I hear a lot of folks complaining about the cost of XP. We are getting a bargain in comparison to some (midrange and big iron) where long life cycles and perpetual support are the norm. If Microsoft were to maintain and provide extended support indefinitely for all the OSs (98, ME, XP), we would be paying more than $1,000 per copy for the next OS, and Microsoft would have three times the employees.

Problem is, MS couldn't maintain that level of production because the consumer wouldn't pay for it.

Even open source moves on. I sure wouldn't try to run and maintain a Linux 1.x version today.

I'm trying to figure out where you're getting 8 years. XP has only be out in official release since about 2002 (four years). We're only on SP2, btw. I used Win2k server and workstation for just over three years and was at SP6 before leaving it behind. We won't even go into NT 3.x and NT 4.x.

Even so, eight years, yes, is a very long time for an OS. While it may not be as evident as it was in the 90's, hardware keeps getting better and more capable. The OS's have to keep up. I went from a PC XT to a 486 in one jump. A lot of the old stuff I used to run on the XT just wasn't up to running on a 486DX.

Also, keep in mind the economics of the product life cycle. I hear a lot of folks complaining about the cost of XP. We are getting a bargain in comparison to some (midrange and big iron) where long life cycles and perpetual support are the norm. If Microsoft were to maintain and provide extended support indefinitely for all the OSs (98, ME, XP), we would be paying more than $1,000 per copy for the next OS, and Microsoft would have three times the employees.

Problem is, MS couldn't maintain that level of production because the consumer wouldn't pay for it.

Even open source moves on. I sure wouldn't try to run and maintain a Linux 1.x version today.

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I'm trying to figure out where you're getting 8 years. XP has only be out in official release since about 2002 (four years). We're only on SP2, btw. I used Win2k server and workstation for just over three years and was at SP6 before leaving it behind. We won't even go into NT 3.x and NT 4.x.

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Sorry to correct you here... ;)


But W2k is at sp 4.....plus a gazilion patches
NT is at SP6a..........plus

And I agree with you....new hardware drives new software

MHO as always

MLF

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I'm trying to figure out where you're getting 8 years. XP has only be out in official release since about 2002 (four years). We're only on SP2, btw. I used Win2k server and workstation for just over three years and was at SP6 before leaving it behind. We won't even go into NT 3.x and NT 4.x.

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Sorry to correct you here... ;)


But W2k is at sp 4.....plus a gazilion patches
NT is at SP6a..........plus

And I agree with you....new hardware drives new software

MHO as always

MLF

Yeah, well, I'm old. I get to have the little lapses now and then. ;)

Thanks for the correction.

Yeah, well, I'm old. I get to have the little lapses now and then. ;)

Thanks for the correction.

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Yeah, well, I'm old. I get to have the little lapses now and then.

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Me too......I think the date 2008 got stuck somewhere, and it came out like 8 yrs while I was typing it out....which makes it sound worse now as it is only 6 yrs.......... ;)

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Yeah, well, I'm old. I get to have the little lapses now and then.

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Me too......I think the date 2008 got stuck somewhere, and it came out like 8 yrs while I was typing it out....which makes it sound worse now as it is only 6 yrs.......... ;)

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now there's an idea, maybe MS will except trade-ins

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Good idea, but you forget -- even car dealerships won't let you trade in a car that doesn't run (or is not profitable). You'd have to call one of those "Get cash for your old car!" guys.

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now there's an idea, maybe MS will except trade-ins

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Good idea, but you forget -- even car dealerships won't let you trade in a car that doesn't run (or is not profitable). You'd have to call one of those "Get cash for your old car!" guys.

This is basically a double edged sword statement.

Windows 98 had it's support cut off in a shorter span than Windows XP Home....
....However, By that time, consumers had the opportunity to choose to purchase Windows 2000 or (bah ha) Windows ME.

Now, just because extended support was cut off, it doesn't mean that the patches stopped.
Patches kept rolling out (and I think still is, am I correct?) for Windows 98

Stop me if I'm wrong, but how many people call Microsoft for Tech Help?
If I have a problem with software X, I call Y company, not Microsoft.
If I have a problem with hardware part A, I call it's company
And in cases where there are true issues, paying $50+ for support from Microsoft kinda sucks when you can pay that for a local tech and have it fixed (prob) quicker
And the techs who to work on computers prob don't call Microsoft but check their KBs on their site or frequent tech forums for assistance.


They will continue to provide patches for the OS (unless I am mistaken) for a long long time.

This is basically a double edged sword statement.

Windows 98 had it's support cut off in a shorter span than Windows XP Home....
....However, By that time, consumers had the opportunity to choose to purchase Windows 2000 or (bah ha) Windows ME.

Now, just because extended support was cut off, it doesn't mean that the patches stopped.
Patches kept rolling out (and I think still is, am I correct?) for Windows 98

Stop me if I'm wrong, but how many people call Microsoft for Tech Help?
If I have a problem with software X, I call Y company, not Microsoft.
If I have a problem with hardware part A, I call it's company
And in cases where there are true issues, paying $50+ for support from Microsoft kinda sucks when you can pay that for a local tech and have it fixed (prob) quicker
And the techs who to work on computers prob don't call Microsoft but check their KBs on their site or frequent tech forums for assistance.


They will continue to provide patches for the OS (unless I am mistaken) for a long long time.

Hmmm ... check out the SANS ISC for an update on this topic:

http://isc.sans.org/

Hmmm ... check out the SANS ISC for an update on this topic:

http://isc.sans.org/

im gonna skip all the replies in this thread ans just say this.............*nix. im so tired of microsoft raping people out of hundreds of dollars for their **** OS and now i read this? i mean COME ON. its no wonder gates is a ****ing billionaire, its because of stupidity....i have never bought windows and i never will. i will never buy anything microsoft......and for the reason their programmers suck....bunch of monkeys who after a year or so put out an OS.....6 months for a security patch. sorry for the exag. but its real.........its ridiculous. just tonight i met some guy who couldnt delete his history on his god damn IE.....wtf is that? it seems every new windows they come out with is more vulnerable that the last, of course script kiddies want to keep up with the times but lets get serious. win2k i feel was the best windows besides win95c, very stable....but now no support? i know people who pay for software and if they get screwed......................

im gonna skip all the replies in this thread ans just say this.............*nix. im so tired of microsoft raping people out of hundreds of dollars for their **** OS and now i read this? i mean COME ON. its no wonder gates is a ****ing billionaire, its because of stupidity....i have never bought windows and i never will. i will never buy anything microsoft......and for the reason their programmers suck....bunch of monkeys who after a year or so put out an OS.....6 months for a security patch. sorry for the exag. but its real.........its ridiculous. just tonight i met some guy who couldnt delete his history on his god damn IE.....wtf is that? it seems every new windows they come out with is more vulnerable that the last, of course script kiddies want to keep up with the times but lets get serious. win2k i feel was the best windows besides win95c, very stable....but now no support? i know people who pay for software and if they get screwed......................

karmine

I have to disagree. Firstly Win 95 had service releases (SR)

SR2 is 4.00.950B
SR2.1 is 4.00.950B and was the first version to have limited USB support.
SR2.5 is 4.00.950C and is the same as SR2.1 other than it shipped with IE4.0

That makes 950B SR2.1 the last true version of the Windows 95 OS

However Win 98SE is much better and provides full USB and AGP support. That is the one I would go for, and is the one most widely used today, of the old operating systems. Another reason is that UK broadband providers will support it, but not Win 95 (any flavour, presumably because of the USB issues)

After that I would agree with Win2000 (SP4)

;)

karmine

I have to disagree. Firstly Win 95 had service releases (SR)

SR2 is 4.00.950B
SR2.1 is 4.00.950B and was the first version to have limited USB support.
SR2.5 is 4.00.950C and is the same as SR2.1 other than it shipped with IE4.0

That makes 950B SR2.1 the last true version of the Windows 95 OS

However Win 98SE is much better and provides full USB and AGP support. That is the one I would go for, and is the one most widely used today, of the old operating systems. Another reason is that UK broadband providers will support it, but not Win 95 (any flavour, presumably because of the USB issues)

After that I would agree with Win2000 (SP4)

;)

It was a false alarm... Take a look at this article:

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6026576.html

So it looks like we can all get at least another 3 years out of our XP's :)

It was a false alarm... Take a look at this article:

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6026576.html

So it looks like we can all get at least another 3 years out of our XP's :)

The 3 and a half times a year, I turn my windows 98 (SE I think) computer on it shows a windows update popup. That's all I care about really as far as "support" goes and maybe some driver updates every now and then, but I'm better off getting those of the manufacturers website anyway.

The 3 and a half times a year, I turn my windows 98 (SE I think) computer on it shows a windows update popup. That's all I care about really as far as "support" goes and maybe some driver updates every now and then, but I'm better off getting those of the manufacturers website anyway.

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Originally posted here by Iron-Kurton
Good idea, but you forget -- even car dealerships won't let you trade in a car that doesn't run (or is not profitable). You'd have to call one of those "Get cash for your old car!" guys.

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In the same frame of mind as a car dealership.
Vista, will probably lose half its value after your first boot, like a car after it drove off the lot.
I wonder what warranty will come with it :confused:

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Originally posted here by Iron-Kurton
Good idea, but you forget -- even car dealerships won't let you trade in a car that doesn't run (or is not profitable). You'd have to call one of those "Get cash for your old car!" guys.

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In the same frame of mind as a car dealership.
Vista, will probably lose half its value after your first boot, like a car after it drove off the lot.
I wonder what warranty will come with it :confused: