End of XP support: Implications for 9x users?

[Andrew T.]

Since Windows XP has finally reached its end of "support," what are the implications for Windows 9x users?

I feel somewhat ambivalent about it all. I never liked Windows XP, and Product Activation is the biggest deal-breaker: I have no intention of using an operating system that binds you to phone or internet connections and the mercy of its maker, I will never run anything newer than Windows 2000 on any home computer that I care about, and that's not going to change now. Nevertheless XP is still far superior to Vista/7/8 in configurability and performance (low a bar as that may be), so it still feels a bit of a blow as the trends of popularly-endorsed technology move away from what they could be and what I wish they were.

The biggest issue may be that Windows 9x becomes shunted one more step down on the obsolescence ladder. When application and hardware vendors stop targeting Windows XP and start going out of their way to use Win7/8-only APIs that break functionality with it (or use SDKs that do this for them), the task of getting stuff to work with Windows 2000...let alone a Win98/KernelEx kludge, let alone Windows 95...isn't going to get any easier.

[Flasche]

POSReady 2009 a variant of xp has support till 2019. It doesn't need to be activated and is smaller in size than normal XP. Though programs will be an issue when they stop support for XP.

[ZortMcGort11]

I think the biggest implication will be web standards. It seems like the prevalance of IE 6, and how it hung around forever, was one of the major obstacles in terms of providing backwards compatibility.

Now, web developers probably won't concern themselves with such old browsers like IE 6 or even FF2 or FF3... that's assuming they have at all the last couple years. At least, no more than the bare minimum.

Edited April 11, 2014 by LostInSpace2012

[submix8c]

Implications?

"Same as it ever was"

XP not= 9x, so there are IMHO no "implications" as 9x is what it is ATM. No change in status whatsoever.

[dencorso]

Implications?

"Same as it ever was"

XP not= 9x, so there are IMHO no "implications" as 9x is what it is ATM. No change in status whatsoever.

+1. Business as usual.

[Flasche]

I think the biggest implication will be web standards. It seems like the prevalance of IE 6, and how it hung around forever, was one of the major obstacles in terms of providing backwards compatibility.

Now, web developers probably won't concern themselves with such old browsers like IE 6 or even FF2 or FF3... that's assuming they have at all the last couple years. At least, no more than the bare minimum.

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/171363-possible-hope-for-old-browsers/

EDIT:

Update Proxy now works with linux/other operating systems

http://virtuallyfun....orp.com/?p=3973

Edited April 11, 2014 by Flasche

[oldskool]

Been using XP pro corp edition since around 2005, so I never had any of the problems the OP mentioned. And it doesnt need activated and it never complains about hardware. Maybe now XP is EOL enthusiasts will just turn towards working corprate keys to run thier legacy hardware software who knows. Considering you cant buy XP and MS will no longer support it I see it makes no difference. XP is basically a wash now.

The only Point to run 98 is to use OLD hardware to run old games and mostly for DOS. XP or 2000 can run any 32 bit applications better than 98/me can ever dream of. And run beatifully on Core 2 Duo arcetecture which is really nice if you can get 3ghz Core2 or Quadcore. Core2 is now basically the new P3.

The implications are this You can pick up a used core2 system very cheaply now or make one for under like 100 dollars. Run some XP PRO corp edition on it and you are golden to run any kinda old software. XP is basically replacing 98 except for when you need real mode DOS. 2000 was good for ahwile untill things stopped running on it without hacks. I see XP corp replacing 2000 now as the userbase will be so much larger chances are it will unofficially live a lot longer.

Edited April 11, 2014 by oldskool