lack of support

I'm curious about just what "lack of support" and "end of life" means to users of Windows 98, Windows 2000, and XP Pro. How has the 'end of support' affected your use of these operating systems? What problems has this caused? I plan on having XP Pro & Windows 2000 Professional on my future home PC, and wish to know what to expect.

 

Lack of support means exactly that, don't bother speaking to MS for assistance they will not be forthcoming. It doesn't mean the OS will no longer work but as time goes by you will struggle to get hardware drivers and software programs that will work with the older OS's (have you ever tried to hook up your cell via BT with win 3.11 )

The problem is not what OS you're planning on using (though older ones would be better running under a virtual machine), it's more what hardware you are using and in my personal opinion WHY run an older OS?

 

With a lack of support the legacy operating systems will be full of security holes.

 

Without up-to-date anti-malware software solutions, you can fully expect they will become infected.

 

Many thanks!

Okay, so lets say I'm doing a custom build using hardware components specifically picked to run Windows 2000 Professional, XP Pro, and various Linux distros; and already have chosen all the necessary software compatible with both Windows operating systems. That leaves hardware drivers, and I'm sketchy on this point...can you direct me somewhere to flesh out my understanding of this? I assume it refers to stuff like printers, keyboards, etc.?

Read that book on VirtualBox and the other one on VMWare. Looks very complicated, and I've enough on my plate to keep me busy for next year or two. Maybe after I teach myself Windows 2000 and the various Linux distros.
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To answer your question, I taught myself XP Pro on library computers about two years ago, and now ready to get home PC. Tried Vista, its twice as irritating as XP Pro...I can use it, but barely, so have no interest in it. Tried Win7, absolutely hate it, and will never use it. After XP Pro, I move to Linux. As for Windows 2000, read many books on it, and it looks enough like XP Pro that I think it will be easy to pick up. In short, XP Pro and Windows 2000 are my gateway into Linux. I figure it will take at least a year to teach myself Linux...XP Pro and Windows 2000 will allow me to actually use the PC during that transition time...otherwise PC will be just an overlarge paperweight until I can employ Linux!

 

RE: security measures

I'm planning on software (antivirus, antispyware, firewall, and afew exotics like Faronics Anti-executable, Sandboxie, etc.), hardware (wired router with SPI & NAT), along with XPLite and 2000lite custom install to jettison as much of the exploitable junk (Telnet, NetMeeting, Windows Messenger, etc.) as possible. Anything I'm overlooking?

 

OK trimis, seriously if you can't get to grips with Vista or 7 within a few weeks then you seriously are going to struggle with any flavour of linux (you're talking to a CP/M man and even I struggle).

MS OS's hold your hand through every step apart from the hard core programmers but Linux (though improving) still expects you to do the work the majority of the time.

My advice, get to know Windows as it is now, worry about Linux later.

 

Hundreds of new holes|bugs are discovered daily.

Older Operating Systems, and the software that runs on them is being, or has already been abandoned.

Best of luck.

 

When MS declares an OS as "end of life ", most of the software/hardware manufacturers also drop support for it. Not only is thas OS abandoned by MS, but also by others. No updates, no patches, no drivers. Even antivirus/anti malware companies stop supporting it after some time, so you are left holding an orphan.

trimis if you don't like any of MS OS except WinXP, keep using it till MS stop supporting it. Don't bother about Win 2000. If you like Linux & you can do all your work in it, that's great. Stick to it then & forget all about running older OS on modern hardware.

 

I know, thats why I intend to have XP Pro and Windows 2000, to soften the transition. Could I use Vista? Yes, if I wanted to double stress levels! I don't. After reading many instructionals and taking night clas in Win7 basics, its still useless. Linux cannot possibly any worst than that crapola!