Microsoft Tells Win2k users "Too Bad"

As confirmed on the official IEBlog the next version of Internet Explorer (Version 7) will not be compatible with any version of Windows but XP SP2.

blogs.msdn.com...

IE7 will be going into Beta shortly, and this is bound to bring about a lot of complaints. Many companies still favor Windows 2000 because of it's stability and the costliness of upgrading thousands of machines.

By saying that the new IE will be much more secure, MS is pretty much forcing users to upgrade Windows as well in order to enjoy the new security and new features, including the long awaited tabbed browsing.

On the other hand (perhaps some of our more computer capable members can weigh in here) maybe it's possible that to install a super secure browser on an OS that hasn't been made as secure as SP2 would be wasteful?

I want to say MS is trying to grab more $$ here, but I don't know... maybe it is necessary?

What do you think?

What do you think?

I think this is a golden opportunity for more Firefox growth. This is bound to piss alot of people off. It may even become a boon for Linux as well, M$ is going downhill even faster then I thought they would. First the Hardware DRM they have concocted with Intel and now this, I am giddy with delight

DOWN WITH INTEL AND MICRO$OFT! I am boycotting both companies and I invite all ATSers to join with me in breaking this attempted monopolization.

[edit on 31-5-2005 by sardion2000]

IE is useless.

When anyone buys a new computer or installs Windows they should be given the choice to install Firefox, Netscape, IE or Opera. I would personally choose Opera every time because of its easy to use interface and tabbed browsing.

www.opera.com...

Spread the word!

I agree with sardion2000, MS is basically shooting themselves in the foot with this stupid idea. I mean what kind of planning is it for a company to produce a product that is completely incompatible with 99% of their other products??? That's just bad business plain and simple.

IE has always been the worst browser and the most insecure to use on the net anyway. So now, trying to bully the majority of your customer base into upgrades which are only required because MS failed to deliver a good product in the first place is really a dumb, unless of course the plan is to run your company into the ground.

MS has already pissed off everyone because of thier new XP Privacy Protection BS in the way it handles hardware changes. XP only allows certain hardware changes before it considers the PC no longer the same one that XP has been registered for. Essentially, making it so that everyone who buys and fully owns their PC and a Valid copy of XP and so forth, still is forced into a position where MS decides what they can and cannot change within it. Well WTF is that??? It's like buying a pair of shoes but having to get permission from the shoe store on when or where you can wear them.

Well... they cant hardly keep making programs that are better than the old ones by continuing to restrict the new software development to an old operating systems limitations. Why bother wasting a programers time by asking him to remove the new features from IE 7 that rely on SP code to work just so some guy with a 5 year old OS will think he has a new program? That guy with the old OS can just use IE 6 because that is pretty much what he would get if they removed IE 7 newer features anyway. Its kinda like trying to make a 351 bigblock fit into a Pinto.. it just wont work right, and even if you manage to put it in there it just wont be the same heh. Its like wishing to view HDTV on your grand parent old black and white TV. Even if they made IE 7 compatible with older windows programs it would still be black and white.

Having said that I use Firefox myself

To get new software it must evolve beyond the old operatiing systems at some point.



X

The biggest kick in the chest is that :
"We will of course continue to keep our Windows 2000 SP4 customers secure with security updates through the life of Windows 2000 (through 2010). " I also heard at work that support for 98 will also stop in June of this year. Thank God.

Yes but why spend hundreds of pounds on a new OS when the one you currently use works fine?

Sounds like another court case to me.

Well, the warranty on your car only lasts so long. After awhile it breaks too, can't sue the dealer. Buy a new one.

This isn't a case of the OS breaking.

If you buy a car in 2000 and the warrenty runs out in 2004, say you want to upgrade your speakers in 2005 you've got to buy the 2004 model of the car just to use the speakers.

Using the Pinto example, I see it more like someone buying a corvette only to find out that it has been put together by a bunch of monkey's making it too far below quality standards for the manufacturer to support it once it leaves the lot. Then being told that if you'd like to buy the new corvette that you'll then have what you thought you were going to get the first time around.

Sure, I know not all new apps can be backward compatible since the older machines simply can't support things they were not made to handle. However, I can't think of any better way to force a massive amount of your current customer base into a position where they must look elsewhere for future upgrades to their 5y/o equipment.

After all, we all agree that FireFox is the way to go anyway, cause IE blows dog!! So it's not likely that IE7 is going to be the Future of Web Browsing the world has been waiting for anyway. So IMO, they'd be better off trying to keep their current clients satisfied by including them in current projects. Abandoning your customers cause your software that you sold them is so limited that it's usless in 5 years is about as considerate as leaving a steamy load for them on their new sofa!! Yes, we appreciate your business.........To poop on!!!!

I use firefox and only us ie if that is the only compatible browser for the web site. I do not like ms business practice of trying to corner the market but that is what any business in there position would do. As far as support goes how long do you think they should provide updates for there os. 5 years 10 years? If you want that kind of service you will have to pay a subsrciption fee otherwise how can you expect any company to continually upgrade there products indefinately?
If you do not like ms there are other choices. Make the switch to a linux version they are free.

I dont see why you are complaining. The reason you have this message board and the software interfaces you see today are because of microsoft and bill gates. He's given you all these cools things we have, quit your complaining, why dont you go invent something better if your so angry? Not to mention, i would do the same thing if I was microsoft, by the time IE7 rolls around, the base software code for 2000 will be outdated and many people will be switching to dual core and 64 bit etc, maybe even other technologies. It's called market system economy, all corporations need to make money, and also not to mention the massive amount of people whose computers are built entirely of pirated software and these people are the ones complaining and they didnt even pay for it. Give me a break.

Train

MS is not shooting themselves in the foot.
Billy knows exactly what he is doing.
His think tank knows exactly what is going to happen.
This is just another small step toward Gates' image being projected on the side of every building.

I noticed with IE5, you know how if you punch in a bad url itll pop up a Microsoft error page? Well that error page is not locally generated. It is generated on MS servers. What does that mean? It means they have a record of your incorrect url. It isn't much, but it was a start.

DRM is yet another step.

Forcing users of older Windows versions to upgrade is another step. Get them using the software that lets Billy play.

IMHO Windows 3.11 (WFWG) was THE BEST Windows version EVER made.

Firefox has many issues as well.
Opera is utter crap.
All you need is Lynx.
Allllllllll you neeeeeed is LYNX.

Originally posted by apc
Opera is utter crap.

Why do you say that? What are you reasons to why Opera is 'utter crap'?

It pukes and dies MORE than IE, in my experience.
Unstable, bloated, nastiness. Good for Palm Pilots, bad for peecee's.

Bill gates is the Antichrist. Besides how can you put your hopes in a guy who named his company after his weenie Micro and soft.

I have used opera for years, I currently use Firefox. But opera is still installed on my system because it is just a reliable. I love the mouse shortcuts. Where basically you can go back or foward 20+ pages in less then one minute.

This does, though, pose a security risk if you use opera with your online banking etc.

What about the newer systems that aren't compatible with the crap he's already put out there? My system is still a fairly decent machine. A 2.4 gig authentic pentium processor, 1024 megs of ram, 80 gig HD plus several other updates, and I still can't run SP2.

If I install SP2 on my system i'm online exactly ten minutes and I get kicked off. Never fails. I tried everything to stop it and it simply will not stop. I can't use SP2 on my system.

I'm guess ol' Bill is just going to tell me i'm sol......the bastard.

Wupy

SP2 is Kicking you from the net.....lol....checked that firewall is off lol.

For person that says bill gates gave us all that we see today that aint strictly true most of the inovations that microsoft have come up with have come from companies they have bought over have they not.

Also they were not the first to make a icon based operating system think it was linux based that did it first but might be wrong.

Microsoft were jsut lucky that IBM asked them to do a operating system for them......only reason they have become so big.

And why are you using 2000? That is why XP exists, it is better. I know, lets upgrade all cars by removing the tires on the left side. What, you don't like it? Well, to bad, we wanted to upgrade it, but people kept saying if you upgrade it my 50 year old car won't work so we just made the same crap as always since people whine if you make something better.