Microsoft pushes out Windows patch ahead of time

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Good Grief...Good but not Good Enough

It is good that Microsoft took action quickly...and released this patch for XP, 2003 and 2000...but I disagree with Microsoft on their policy of older OS's.

Even though I have long since ceased to use any other MS OS than XP Professional, I find it a little circumspect that Microsoft uses the "Life Cycle" issue as an excuse not to help older OS version users.

Depending on how you look at it, what this does, is leave those users feeling like they have a vulnerability (potential, however hard to get at).
However hard to get at really is NOT a good enough excuse...because as we all know, there are plenty of hackers out there that will find a way to get at it no matter how hard it is to get at. That means, that everyone using those older OS's is, in fact, very vulnerable.

As I see it, this is a kind of indirect "threat" by Microsoft to get people to dump the older OS's...I hate to use the term "threat," but that is how I see it. Merely brushing off the concern and then using a poor excuse like it's an OS out of the "Life Cycle," leaves ME and all other MS OS system users feeling being dumped on because ONE DAY, MS will no longer support our OS either...and we will have no other alternative than to "Upgrade" or buy a new OS...so as to fill the coffers at Microsoft.

Let's face it, a lot of people still use the older OS's, people who cannot afford even a new $299 computer or $199...below that, you have to go to Linux. But Linux requires a rather long and hard "get used to" curve, requires a higher level of user competence (as in installing software)...a lot of these people are poor or have a limited income due to age or are children in schools using old computers which aren't worth upgrading. For these people, their computers and OS's are relegated to the trash heap...so what, they are just the poor, the aged and the young!
And I bet there is a whole class of computer users who use computers to get an occassional letter written, and do a little internet surfing...I know a lot of people who are just like that...and many of them still use Win98 or ME..because they don't need all the expensive fastest hardware, don't need ultra up to the minute software, don't need a lot of stuff just to write a letter or do a little surf on the net.

I think Microsoft needs to take a more proactive approach and just stop quibbling with poor excuses. A company with assets in the neighborhood of $60+ billion bucks, can afford to pay for a patch for everyone, including the older OS versions in my opinion.

Posted by: jimc52@...   Posted on: 01/05/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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