Mainstream support of Windows 1

[ykfc]

Well, in the company I work for we're still having quite a number of Win9x stations. The operators of these workstations run no PC applications other than entering data onto a web-based application. Sort of ASP hosted internally (in other words, purely intranet application).

People say mainstream support for Windows 9x is going to stop soon. We won't be having any Windows updates, Windows patches, etc.

I need some expert comments or opinion. If you were me, would you bother upgrading Windows that run at these workstations to the latter version such as Windows XP. Licence fee is quite a sum to pay.

Thanks.

 

[hotfusion]

A non-expert opinion:
All Windows 98 updates are available FREE on a CD-ROM, so no problem there. (I don't recall exactly where I went to apply for mine, but I'm sure someone will let us know.)

Why 'upgrade' with all the attendant expense, to do exactly the same job, only possibly slower? (XP places a much heavier demand on the computer than Win98.)

Regards, Andy.
**************************************
My pathetic attempts at learning HTML can be laughed at here:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/index.htm

 

[ykfc]

Assume there are 3 parties: a small number of users out of a large group of Corporate users, application developer designing and selling the intranet application to this small user group, and the Corporate IT system Administration team.

IT System Admin say: Hey, we don't want to see any Win9x machine anymore. We shall setup up an intranet Microsoft update service location where we place selected Windows Patches and Windows Updates considered essential to this organization. Each PC should setup its local Group Policy to ensure its PC is up-to-date with Security Patches etc, as they are essential to protect our Corporate network. Windows 9x does not have support of local Group Policy setup so they should be out.

The users who never need emails, never runs Office, and normally never run a different PC application except an intranet application (that is designed for data entry) said: we don't want to upgrade and we don't want to spend the money (to upgrade) for nothing. Please consult our software vendor.

The software vendor says: Well, why bother with Windows Updates, we can leave these few users alone. We can run Windows Updates from the Internet if it is still available. If Microsoft no longer provide updates, we don't need them to maintain this application running under the present platform. These stations would present to threat to the corporate network as they don't access a different application.

Is the software vendor right?

 

[pjw001]

So mainstream support for Windows 9x is stopping soon.

How much use have you made of this support recently?

If the machines aren't broke, don't fix them.

Microsoft were going to stop supporting Win 98 a few years ago but realised that people were more likely to replace it with a cheaper option (i.e. Linux) than upgrade their hardware to run a later version of Windows. (I'm not sure about Windows 95.)

Security updates for Windows 98 are still being supplied.

I can't see the point in replacing them just because support might be withdrawn.

 

[ykfc]

Our Win9x boxes are actually all Win98 now. I couldn't even recall any one of if these simple stations has ever got a problem because we forget to run Windows Updates. They are just rock-solid reliable, due to the simplicity of the application it runs.

Personally I favour not to upgrade them but I am not too sure if it would have problem. Upgrade for what? I don't know why my boss couldn't simply reject the advice to replace them. There are many areas money need spend for. I do not like to anyone signing off the purchase of new pc or upgrading the os in my workplace.

 

[diogenes10]

How many of the recent, say last 2 years, "windows 98 updates" are true operating system updates as opposed to explorer updates. I don't know but I wouldn't expect to find very many. A good corporate av system is probably a better security net.

My thought would be that the biggest issue would come when there is no longer a supported browser for 98. If needs are basic and the systems are working ok now, I wouldn't see a need to change until then.



-------------------------------------
It's 10 O'Clock ( somewhere! ).
Are your registry and data backed up?

 

[hotfusion]

Quite right.
Until such time as the hardware no longer has driver support for Win98, and I run out of older machines, I'm sticking with what I like best.

Regards, Andy.
**************************************
My pathetic attempts at learning HTML can be laughed at here:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/index.htm