Unofficial Windows98SE Patch

usrid0 writes "A service pack for Windows 98 Second Edition has been released. Big deal, right? It is if it doesn't come from Microsoft. "

Comments

The eternal question:

[Tirel]

Can you trust him?

I don't know about you, but I'll rather be keeping my win98 systems safely protected behind nat and a strict firewall than trusting some stranger offering me unofficial service packs.

Re:The eternal question:

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd go for the stereotypical response "But Can You Trust Redmond?!?!?!?!?"... but at least they're accountable for their actions.

I'm curious. Other than shareholders, to whom are they accountable?

Re:The eternal question:

[sambira]

Don't know if you can trust this Service Pack but can you trust one from MS? Who knows, this Service Pack might actually fix something instead of breaking things.

Re:The eternal question:

[theLOUDroom]

Can you trust him?

Can you trust Microsoft?

After all, they resfue to take on ANY legal liability for the security of your systems. If they intentionally shipped you broken software, what recourse do you think you have?

If this guy publishes real, verifiable contact information, I'd trust him, and I expect he does.

Of course, to me, asking if you can trust this guy is like asking if you can trust someone with the key to those shitty luggage locks they put on suitcases. If you gave a shit about security, you'd be using something else anyways.

Re:The eternal question:

[sadomikeyism]

I don't know about you, but I'll rather be keeping my win98 systems safely protected behind nat and a strict firewall than trusting some stranger offering me unofficial service packs.
Is this a joke? What happened to your Open Source Religion? If just anybody can offer a patch for linux, and you trust THEM, why won't you trust someone else offering a patch for Windoze? A bit hypocritical, don't you think?

Re:The eternal question:

[silentrob]

...their customers...

Microsoft doesn't support it's customers, but instead only supports their customers who have paid for Microsoft's product AND who have also let Microsoft gouge them over support costs to have thier paid-for product supported.

John Q. Consumer doesn't have enough money to warrent Microsoft's attention.

If MS release a patch that hoses systems or installs a rootkit...

Similar things have happened before (unintentional, I'm sure). Microsoft fixed the problems at it's leisure, never apologizing and never being held truly accountable. ...many people will be clamouring for their blood.

Sure, whatever. People have never really clamoured for blood when yet another virus broke out or yet another security hole was found. As far as I am aware, Microsoft has never paid for damages due to the problems with thier software. There are parts of their EULA that makes them immune to accountability, just for these reasons. Consumers just sit back and tolorate the problem until Microsoft get's around to fixing it.

I ask you this: Specifically, in what capacity is Microsoft accountable to it's customers?

Granted, they are accountable to the US DoJ and the EU Commission, but only because of the weight each carry and the fines they can impose.

In the end, I can see where you're coming from, and you have a decent point, but I think you're not really looking at the real Microsoft, but instead you're looking at the public image of Microsoft.

Re:The eternal question:

[zangdesign]

After all, they resfue to take on ANY legal liability for the security of your systems. If they intentionally shipped you broken software, what recourse do you think you have?

Of course, one could say the same about Open Source.

*ducks*

just repackaged

[NoDoZ]

This is cool, 98SE is still my favorite windows for lower end machines.

The article doesn't really specify, but it looks like this guy just too all the microsoft fixes and repackaged them. So most (if not all) of the stuff in it is 'official'

Re:What's so special??

[John_Steed]

That he did it and no one else bothered?

Seriously, if it does prove safe its a nice shortcut for admins forced to work with Win98.

Do you trust Windows 98?

[fmaxwell]

Can you trust him?

The guy's web page says:

I highly recommend that you should backup your system before installing the pack.

and

This software is provided "as-is," without any express or implied warranty. In no event shall the provider be held liable for any damages arising from the use of this software.

If he was trying to get you to download and install a Trojan horse, why would he tell you to backup your system? Why would he have a disclaimer with dire warnings about 'no warranty' and "damages" rather than a statement that the software is "r33ly L33t" and that you need it now? Why would Information Week provide a link to it if it was a Trojan horse? There's 96 hits on Google when you look up "Alper Coskun" (with quotes) and "98SE" -- none of which mentions his sinister plot to get your oh-so-valuable data that you keep on an ancient Windows 98 PC. You figured out his clever ruse!

You need to take the aluminum foil off of your head.

I don't know about you, but I'll rather be keeping my win98 systems safely protected behind nat and a strict firewall than trusting some stranger offering me unofficial service packs.

Will NAT and a firewall give you the ability to support more than 512 MB of RAM in 98SE? Will they give you improved swap file usage? Will it give you better WDM and USB support? Will the NAT and firewall provide you with general "USB 1.x Mass Storage Device" support? In fact, are you sure that there are no remotely exploitable bugs, that the OS isn't leaking your personal information, etc.?

But, I guess if you gave a rat's ass about security, functionality, or reliability, you wouldn't still be using Windows 98SE, would you?

Re:"Windows 98" - *98* - 1998! - GET A LIFE

[SomeGuyFromCA]

> It is now 2004. This is a operating system from 1998. WTF?

I can tell you what the fuck, by ssh'ing over into my Lin/Win98 dual boot machine, cd /mnt/win/games, ls.

Duke3d, Fox Ranger, Freddy Pharkas Frontier Pharmacist, God of Thunder, GTA 1, Keen 1-6, Keen Dreams, Kilrathi Saga, King's Quest 6, Loom, Master of Magic, Monkey Island 1-3, Night Raid, Raptor, SimCity, SimCity 2000, Solar Winds 1 & 2, Space Quest 5, Star Trek: 25th Anniversary, Star Trek: Judgement Rites, Tyrian, Wing Commander: Kilrathi Saga, Wing Commander IV, Wing Commander: Prophecy, Wing Commander: Armada, Wing Commander: Academy, Wing Commander: Privateer, Wolf3d, Wolf3d: Spear of Destiny, and X-Wing Alliance.

All great games. All bought and paid for. And none of which I want to stop playing just because I've changed main machine OSes in the meantime.