Extended support for XP is a joke just read the fine print.

[fuentez]

Just days before launching Windows Vista, Microsoft is pretending to
extend the support lifecycle for the consumer versions of its currently
shipping Windows XP system.
Microsoft is now providing five years of "mainstream" support, plus
five years of "extended support" for XP Media Center and XP Home
Edition.
Consequently, consumer versions of XP are now covered under mainstream
support through April 2009, and under extended support through April
2014.
The rip off iof this deal is in mainstream and extended support, the
difference is the way Microsoft treats non-security-focused hotfixes.
Under mainstream support, Microsoft provides these kinds of hotfixes
for free. Under extended, customers are required to pay for
non-security hotfixes and must sign an "extended hotfix agreement,
purchased within 90 days of mainstream support ending."

not so good news for all of those with older or lower powered computers
with Windows XP Home or MCE installed. Those computers will never see
Vista because they can't run it to it's full potential. So this will
only keep those older or lower powered hardware running for another 7
years. I consider 15 to 20 years at least a reasonable life for a
computer before it either breaks down or becomes so obsolete in that it
is no longer no capable of ordinary tasks with then current
applications.
Being out in the real world and still finding people running Win98, I
can guarantee WinXP will probably be around a lot longer than that.
With Vista's hardware requirements being so high, all these lower end
computers that will still be around need to run something. It seems
Microsoft has learned just how long people will use older technology
that still works(as well as any M$ software works) - which makes
abandoning these customers so sickening.
The differences between what's covered by mainstream and extended
support are detailed below. Basically, you have to pay for real support
during the extended support period.
And here is a detailed comparison:
http://the-technocracy.thumblogger.com/home/log/2007/4/extended-support-for-xp-is.html

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselect
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselectindex

If you wanna lean and talk about tech visit
http://www.technocracy.co.nr/

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In fuentez <[email protected]> typed:

I consider 15 to 20 years at least a reasonable life
for a computer before it either breaks down or becomes so obsolete in
that it is no longer no capable of ordinary tasks with then current
applications.

My heavens, I think that's rather extreme. Not arguing with the rest of your
post (and honestly I don't have the energy to read it all) but come on, 15
to 20 years for a PC?

 

[fuentez]

One question how old is your television?
if its brand new my 25 year old tv can watch the same shows.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

One question how old is your television?
if its brand new my 25 year old tv can watch the same shows.

This is not a terribly useful analogy.

 

[Bob I]

In 2 years it won't, unless you use an adapter.

One question how old is your television?
if its brand new my 25 year old tv can watch the same shows.

 

[fuentez]

I doubt that will ever happen and if it does we have enjoyed 80 years
of backward compatible TV.

In 2 years it won't, unless you use an adapter.

One question how old is your television?
if its brand new my 25 year old tv can watch the same shows.
On Jan 26, 7:35 am, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Infuentez <[email protected]> typed:
<snip>
I consider 15 to 20 years at least a reasonable life
for a computer before it either breaks down or becomes so obsolete in
that it is no longer no capable of ordinary tasks with then current
applications.My heavens, I think that's rather extreme. Not arguing with the rest of your
post (and honestly I don't have the energy to read it all) but come on, 15
to 20 years for a PC?

 

[fuentez]

I think it is, first colour was introduced, the fcc rules that the
signal had to be viewable on black and white TV's and it was so. same
with HDTV those with and without can see the same signal, though HD is
a much better picture. I dont have to junk my old TV because of
inability to watch the sci-fi channel.

 

[Tim Slattery]

I think it is, first colour was introduced, the fcc rules that the
signal had to be viewable on black and white TV's and it was so. same
with HDTV those with and without can see the same signal, though HD is
a much better picture. I dont have to junk my old TV because of
inability to watch the sci-fi channel.

Older TVs cannot receive an HD signal. It's broadcast on a frequency
that the existing TV sets cannot tune to.

If you have cable, I think the cable companies will supply a set-top
box that will output a signal for your older TV. But you won't be able
to get anything over the air once the switchover happens.

 

[Allen]

In fuentez <[email protected]> typed:



My heavens, I think that's rather extreme. Not arguing with the rest of your
post (and honestly I don't have the energy to read it all) but come on, 15
to 20 years for a PC?

Twenty years ago I was sitting in front of my CompuAdd 286 machine with
its 20 or 30 MEGAbyte (not gigabyte) drive, its whopping 256K of memory
and its 5.25" floppy drive, looking at my black-and-amber monitor.
Attached to it was a dot matrix printer that reminded me of the dry
cleaning signs of the time--In by 9:00, Out by 5:00. It seemed like a
miracle compared to the IBM 360 Mod 30 mainframe at work 20 years before
that, with its 16 Kilobyte memory and its three 7.5 megabyte hard
drives, each the size of a washing machine; the 360 itself would hardly
have fitted into the room where that CompuAdd took up very little
space--and then there was the printer, about a quarter the size of a VW
Beetle and probably half the speed of my little slow HP 1020 LaserJet
that I have now. Twenty years is a hell of a long time in a field that
is only 60 years old.

 

[Jonny]

While I agree that paying for updates is ridiculous, the 20 year expectation
of use for a PC is not appropriate.
One PC I built in 98, I still use regularly for maintaining my
checking/savings accounts. For 2 reasons, I don't want internet
intervention (not connected), and the software doesn't require any higher
operating system. However, I did clean install ME and add more RAM in 2000.
I was playing around with Commodore 64 in 1985, and don't see it doing
anything useful or entertaining in today's world.