> Take the current registration process as an example. My prediction is that > once enough firms have registered for the next 2 years, Microsoft will > indeed come out with a new office version that will read older versions but > not write to that format. > > This means that if you stuck with an older version of say, Word, then you > will be unable to read all those word documents that people keep sending > you and wanting you to read. This makes it a requirement to upgrade at any > cost. Especially if Microsoft makes it slightly annoying to load and read > older versions even if they do have the latest, as it will cause peer > pressure for smaller players to pay whatever is required to upgrade - and I > suspect at that stage it will require a full purchase.
I am no defender of microsoft. but how is this any different than a company that starts making audio CD players that don't play vinyl LP discs? Or a company that stops making VCR players and replaces them with DVD players?. Are you under "peer pressure" to replace your old VCR so you can look at the latest DVDs? Would you expect companies to manufacture DVD players that continue to play VCR tapes forever? As I say - i hate to get into the MS corner on this, but MS has a pretty good record of actually going the extra mile to keep things compatible 2 or 3 versions back (16 bit code for example, MS Office formats) and usually gives plenty of warning about deprecated features, and clear (well sort of clear) directions for developers. I agree some cautious attention is warranted - but really palladium is just an extension of the idea of "signed" applettes and downloaded executable code. The important thing is that they give transparent control the the system administrator and not bury it in some obscure rat's nest of registry keys so the whole system locks up if something goes wrong. fwiw -ns http://www.roserox.co.th --------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz To UnSub, send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with body of "unsubscribe delphi" Web Archive at: http://www.mail-archive.com/delphi%40delphi.org.nz/
