Bob Scofield wrote:
While I use Linux for all personal computing, I'm still using Windows 98 for
my business computing. I have not upgraded to XP because I don't want to
support Microsoft (and the idea of having to call to re-install XP a second
time rankles me).
Since July Microsoft no longer gives security updates for Windows98. So do
you all think there's a danger in my continuing to use Windows98? Should I
upgrade to XP, or the new OS coming out in January, simply to protect myself?
If you never connect to the Internet, then you should be okay. If you
don't use Internet Explorer or Outlook, then you're probably relatively
safe. But note that future versions of the Firefox browser may drop
support for Windows 98.
Windows 2000 is still supported by MS and will receive security updates
through 2010. MS isn't selling any more licenses for Win2k, but it looks
like some merchants still have it for sale. It's somewhat less evil than
Windows XP, for example it doesn't insist on contacting Microsoft every
so often to check that it's not pirated. I upgraded from Win98 to Win2k
back in 2002 specifically to avoid all of the extra DRM in Windows XP,
and I never had a reason to regret my decision.
Another long-term possibility is to get a Macintosh. It'll let you move
to non-MS software where you can, and if you have something that just
has to run on Windows, you can use Parallels (<http://www.parallels.com/>).
Ken
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