Slashdot Mirror
End of Win 98 Support May Boost Desktop Linux
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft kills off support for Windows 98 and Windows ME today, and ZDNet is reporting that the move will boost demand for Linux on the desktop. Unlike two years ago — when support for Win98 was extended because Linux was seen as a serious competitor — this time it seems there is no turning back."
I tagged the article "wishfulthinking" - because that's what it is. The thing is those still running Windows 98 didn't really have any support to begin with, and are likely home users who haven't moved off Win98 because they don't know how to install Windows XP. Even though things like Fedora Core are really easier to install than Windows these days, most people running Win98 probably have absolutely no interest in learning how to use even an easy-to-use desktop Linux distro.
It will likely be a decade before Linux on the desktop gets even the marketshare that Apple has now - there are just too many impediments (like proprietary codecs) to keep even the clueful from switching, let alone the typical person who still uses Win98 on a daily basis.
Oolite: Elite-like game. For Mac, Linux and Windows
What I find incredibly strange is that a machine like that, 7 years ago, would've been top of the line and lightning fast with Linux. Now it barely runs it? Maybe Linux distributions need to work on their bloat a little. In 1998 I got my blazing fast PII-266 with 512 megs of RAM and a 4 GB hard drive and used that to run Linux just fine. Eventually I even had VMware Workstation running on the thing and it ran fine. Now we've got to have a 3GHz P4 with 2 gigs of RAM and a 300 gig hard drive just to get by? WTF?
One could be forgiven for thinking that there's alot of straw grasping going on.
Doesn't say much for Linux though when they're counting on the EOL of a 9 year old OS to boost Linux on the desktop.
Conor "You're not married,you haven't got a girlfriend and you've never seen Star Trek? Good Lord!" - Patrick Stewart
These people will finally upgrade to a new computer with xp installed.
They're not going to install linux. The kind of people who are still running 98 are the kind of people that would be completely lost in linux.
Besides why would anyone switch to linux? The are few to no applications.
Get to app writing and stop hoping to pick up a few windows 98 users who cant afford new pcs
Yeah, Mac Minis are cheap. Except when you include Mac Mini+Monitor+keyword+mouse+Parallels then you are talking about close to $1000. A cheapo Dell is a lot less. Your parents only purchased a Mac because their son is an Apple fanboi (personally, I'd be ashamed if my son was).