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Some Windows XP Users Can't Afford To Upgrade

colinneagle writes "During a recent trip to an eye doctor, I noticed that she was still using Windows XP. After I suggested that she might need to upgrade soon, she said she couldn't because she couldn't afford the $10,000 fee involved with the specialty medical software that has been upgraded for Windows 7. Software written for medical professionals is not like mass market software. They have a limited market and can't make back their money in volume because there isn't the volume for an eye doctor's database product like there is for Office or Quicken. With many expecting Microsoft's upcoming end-of-support for XP to cause a security nightmare of unsupported Windows devices in the wild, it seems a good time to ask how many users may fall into the category of wanting an upgrade, but being priced out by expensive but necessary third-party software. More importantly, can anything be done about it?"

2 of 953 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Helps but not a complete solution. by sribe · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    There are several government programs to help practices upgrade software to deal with the new electronic record regulations.

    Those programs are a fucking nightmare.

  2. Re:specialty software prices by fredprado · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    (a) Nope, "White Paper" is an accepted term well outside any IT field as well as within them, regardless of any personal bias or dislike you have toward the term.

    (b) Monographs are nothing more than published papers. They have no intuit of being didactic or serving as learning material.

    Regarding the availability of content, your ignorance and inability to find knowledge does not make the Internet a less rich resource. I understand that you need people to hold your hand but that is a limitation you have and not a problem with the content available in the Internet.