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The poll question is if you use 98 at all (not just main computer)
Microsoft has ended its support for the estimated 70 million users of operating system Windows 98.
From 11 July, Microsoft will no longer help users over the phone with any problems they have with the ageing operating system.
The firm will also stop providing security updates for Windows 98 from the same date.
Support for the software was originally due to end in 2003, but was extended following customer protests.
However, protests from many developing regions of the world where, at that time, the software was widely used prompted Microsoft to reverse its decision.
One of the splash screens that popped up while the software was installing said: "With Windows 98 you can connect to the Internet quickly and easily", another started: "If you have Internet access...".
Both point up the fact that in 1998, consumers were only just starting to go online in big numbers. It was when the dotcom boom was just starting to be heard. At that time about 36 million web hosts were registered - today there are almost 400 million of them.
Products affected by closing down the support system include Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Me (Millennium Edition). Analyst firm IDC believes that more than 70 million users will be hit by the change.
The majority of these people are likely to be using the operating system at home, as by now most large businesses have phased out machines running the software. Many small firms are also believed to be users of the product.
Microsoft ended free support for this trio of products in late 2003 but continued to offer paid support and provide critical security updates. This too will now stop.
I think it sucks for people like my bestfriend and partner Jasmine.
She's stuck using Win 98 and ME.
She doesn't have the funds for an upgrade to XP but her brother has it on his laptop.
I told her just install that if she has a CDROM.
But her PC is pretty old.
I hope she can get a PC capable of running XP or Vista down the road. She's 15.
Well, I think that nobody should use windows 98 now coz its too old and outdated plus there are LOTS of exploits, MS should give those legit windows 98 users a FREE upgrade to winxp
With Vista coming up, I think that would be an excellent idea, however there are millions using Windows XP, maybe they should do that, it would also be an amazing publicty stunt
It was very similar to Windows 95, but it did make the changes in file systems, and it was similar to Me which pointlessley came after, until they went on to the NT systems with NT5 and 2000 and XP.
IT would be good to offer a free upgrade to those with 98 now, as with Vista coming, it would, as I say, be an amazing puplicity stunt, but I cant see it coming any time soon
Yep, Everyone went to 98 from 95, and then they even had to bring out 98 Second Edition until the really crap Windows Me was replease, then came the latest NT (Windows 2000) and finally Winally in 2001/2 XP was coming in to the scene, but the issue really lies with 3rd World Countries, where they cant afford to upgrade their hardware let alone software, maybe Microsoft wlll make a very cheap, Vista Light for the people affected, where you could upgrade from 98 to Vista Light!