End of support for Microsoft Windows 98 and Windows Me

End of support for Windows 98/Me

I would just like to add that also means the end of any recapturing of trust and confidence in any future Microsoft products, including Vista IMO.

Any industry that finds it that easy to turn their back on their own work and products (and yes, customers) after they gained for them such popularity and market success will never achieve that much sought after support from those consumers and businesses alike for ANY future developments which includes Vista IMO.
If Microsoft was to become any type of serious industry leader for the 21st century in this specialized field they would revisit BOTH 98 and ME and completely re-write them again instead of turning their back on them, and those consumers who placed their trust in these releases.

Many will argue why bother anymore when theres now (XP sp1sp2) (Server2003) (2000) and soon to be Vista 64bit?

I will personally continue to contend that Microsoft as an industry would better recover BOTH their reputation and consumer confidence if they did.
And think of not only the excitement and anticipation that would swirl around such an announcement but also that consumers & businesses alike would then see that they really could depend on Microsoft as a sound business practice to give proper attention it really deserves even to those matters that have reached their full usefulness or lifecycle as they like to put it.

I know that in today's social business cycle this idea is nothing more than a pipedream and wishful thinking, but announcing a complete abandoment to their own product models, especially those that have brought them as far along as things are today, not only adds further shame to insult but also proves they don't really have what it takes to inspire product confidence OR trust.

Just an impression of mine by another frustrated microsoft customer who doesn't see much in the way of any real inspiration anymore that might come from that camp.




As already posted courtesy of Nick.....................