[duxuser] Re: DBT 10.5
- From: "Dawes, Stephen" <Stephen.Dawes@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:51:33 -0700
Windows 98 support was extended to 2006.
Be careful of making wrong sweeping statements.
Here is an article that I received back on January 15 that talks about
the extended cut off date.
-----From the article-------
Microsoft as once again stepped to the brink of dropping Win98 support,
and then backed away at the last minute:
(AP) Microsoft Corp. will extend support for Windows 98, Windows 98 S.E.
and Windows Millennium Edition through June 30, 2006, the company said
Monday,
reversing a decision from last month... Support for Windows 98 and
Windows 98 S.E. had been scheduled to expire on Friday, and for Windows
Me on Dec. 31,
but the software giant decided to keep supporting those systems in large
part because some customers in developing countries were not aware it
was ending.
(More:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/040112/microsoft_windows_support_3.html )
If you're still using or supporting Win98, that's good news. But don't
celebrate too much: What it mostly means is that Microsoft will continue
to offer
limited paid support (at $35 per call) for Win98 users; and may---
may--- offer additional security patches and updates for the aging OS.
Microsoft had previously announced that the Win98 Knowledgebase and
other self-help items would remain alive until 2006. That remains in
effect.
It's great that Microsoft has taken the pressure off Win98 users, but it
doesn't change the fact that Win98 is getting quite long in the tooth,
in tech
terms. Even if Microsoft releases additional security patches, there are
fundamental limits: Win98 predates a whole range of current and new
technologies---
USB2, support for huge hard drives, newer CPU types and optimizations,
SATA, etc. etc.--- and there's only so much back-filling you can do.
Microsoft sometimes force-feeds meaningless updates to its customers,
like WinME, which should have been a free update for Win98 users. But
all OSes eventually
need to be upgraded at their core. That's not a Microsoft thing. It's
the way all tech evolves.
So even if Microsoft will now keep Win98 on limited life support, it's
still time for Win98 users to start thinking about an upgrade. It could
be a free
or low-cost Linux distribution, or upgrading to XP, or even getting a
new PC with a newer OS preinstalled (which doesn't have to cost a lot:
http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20030206S0014 ).
-----End of excerpt-----
Stephen Dawes <B.A., B.Sc.>
Management Systems Analyst
The City of Calgary | Phone: (403) 268-5527
Information & Technology #8012 | Fax: (403) 268-6423
PO Box 2100 Postal Station M. | Email: Stephen.Dawes@xxxxxxxxxx
Calgary, Alberta, Canada. T2P 2M5 | Web: http://www.calgary.ca
<http://www.calgary.ca/>
NOTICE::
This communication is intended ONLY for the use of the person or entity named
above and may contain information that is confidential or legally privileged.
If you are not the intended recipient named above or a person responsible for
delivering messages or communications to the intended recipient, YOU ARE HEREBY
NOTIFIED that any use, distribution, or copying of this communication or any of
the information contained in it is strictly prohibited. If you have received
this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and then
destroy or delete this communication, or return it to us by mail if requested
by us. The City of Calgary thanks you for your attention and cooperation.
-----Original Message-----
From: duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of George Bell
Sent: 2004 March 13 6:33 PM
To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [duxuser] Re: DBT 10.5
Hi Pamela,
I'm afraid I very much doubt it will. Windows 95 is no longer
supported by Microsoft.
Although Windows 98 and 98SE is also no longer supported, we are
doing basic tests with 10.5 here in the U.K. Likewise we are also
testing with Millennium.
To be quite frank, trying to support just Windows 98SE and
Millennium is causing some grief with a few of the new features for
which there has been a major demand. Some things cannot be coded round,
simply because the functions just do not exist in these older operating
systems. Remember there is also Windows 2000, Windows XP Home, and
Windows XP Professional to support as well.
For example, the new installer alone has to cater for multiple
users. USB has only really matured in XP. Likewise Unicode is now
essential where DBT has to handle certain foreign languages.
I hasten to emphasise that Duxbury is not alone with software
developers world-wide. Trying to support a wide range of operating
systems is next to nearly impossible without adding seriously to the
cost, and the older the operating system, the higher the cost and for a
smaller return.
In the next 2-3 years, you will even see the demise of Parallel
and Serial printer and communication ports. Indeed more and more
laptops are coming without Serial at all. However, before you all go
off and sell your current embossers, there are USB to Parallel and
Serial converters - which of course DBT has to handle.
George Bell.
_____
From: duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Pamela Marzolini
Sent: 14 March 2004 01:01
To: duxuser
Subject: [duxuser] DBT 10.5
George,
Does Duxbury support Windows 95 with the release of DBT 10.5?
Pamela,
Toronto, Canada
Other related posts:
