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Microsoft Kills Support For XP SP2
Trailrunner7 writes "Microsoft's announcement this week that it is preparing to end support for machines running Windows XP SP2 not only represents a challenge for the thousands of businesses still running SP2, but also is the end of an era for both Microsoft and its customers. It wasn't until 2004 that the final release of XP SP2 hit the streets, but when it did, it represented a huge step forward in security for Windows users. It wasn't necessarily the feature set that mattered as much as the fact that the protections were enabled by default and taken out of the users' hands."
What's wrong with SP3?
Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
I ended support for Microsoft products a few years ago.
Rich And Stupid is not so bad as Working For Rich And Stupid.
MS bludgeons XPSP2 to death like a small defenseless kitten.
I know you tried to make the OP look foolish but is it really that hard to write Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2?
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire
"assassinates" would be better
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire
I prefer decapitates.
Microsoft has had their end of life policy available on the web for ages now. Sp2 has been well known to be going EOL. If this threw any sysadmins off-guard...then wow.
The only reason I can see sticking with SP2 is that SP3 hasn't gotten an EAL rating.
I bought my copy of XP in 2002 for $150. My cost per day is down to about 5 cents, and since it's only a VM now, there's no compelling reason to upgrade to 7. All of the apps work just fine.
I used to wonder why all of these huge businesses were still on Windows NT in the early naughties. It's because it worked, and the smartest CIOs know the real truth about IT: if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. There will be unforeseen costs and bugs, and if there's not a "killer app" you're gaining for some competitive edge, you're just wasting time and money.
"..the Library of Congress yesterday approved six exemptions to US copyright. The one most pertinent to gamers is that, for archival purposes, copy protection on software no longer being sold or supported by its copyright holder can be cracked.."
- http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/23/us-copyright-office-grants-abandonware-rights/
if not, why not? Seriously, interested..
The developers of this software simply aren't ready on their end and there is no reason why a company should HAVE to upgrade just because MS wants more money or compliance (read slavery) from their customers.
If you don't like the rules of Microsoft's game, then don't run their software. Other options exist.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
Maybe they should contact the company that supports their multi-million dollar financial software to get off their asses and fix their software.
Microsoft, for all their faults, maintains their OS API quite well. You do not see this sort of API stability from almost any other vendor. API that worked in Windows 95 still works, more or less.
Ford Motor is still running SP2.
Next thing you know, they'll be dropping support for my MSDOS systems too!
"MS bludgeons XPSP2 to death like a small defenseless kitten."
If you mean "...a small defenseless ZOMBIE kitten that refuses to finally die." I would tend to agree.
Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'
>Microsoft Kills Support
I've often thought that death was the appropriate punishment for MS Support. I'm glad that they took care of it for us.
Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
Seconded, more or less. There is no excuse for a business-critical app to not be compatible with SP3 at this point. Hell, there's no reason for it to not be compatible with Vista at this point. Those developers knew the end was coming, just like the rest of us.
The Quirkz Handbook of Self-Improvement for People Who Are Already Pretty Okay
We can still call the Psychic Hotline, though, right?
--
"Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
The successor to Windows 2000 Professional was Windows XP. Not Windows Server 2003.
Millenium was also a consolidation release, designed to make the consumer line look more like the business line so they could merge them. There are three tracks:
3.x -> 95 -> 98 -> Me -> (Line ends. Continue from XP below)
NT 4 Workstation -> 2000 Professional -> XP -> Vista -> 7
NT 3.51 -> NT 4 Server -> 2000 Server -> 2003 -> 2008 -> 2008R2
For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
That would depend upon where you were purchasing it from and whether or not the shop informed you of such at the time of purchase, I'd think. There is some degree of culpability that lies upon the retailer of a product.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Be aware that the end-of-support for SP2 isn't actually news. The date has been known ever since SP3 was released.
You do not see this sort of API stability from almost any other vendor. API that worked in Windows 95 still works, more or less.
Solaris has always done great in this regard. Sun in fact has maintained binary compatibility up to Solaris 10, the current production release. It's even a guarantee.