END OF SUPPORT FOR WINDOWS 98 AND MILLENNIUM. WHAT DO I DO?
If I might provide a bit of insight as I perceive it:::
If you truly wish to consider this from it's consumer/practical aspects, we should think outside corporate/business objectives..
To do this, we should address a few obvious corporate misdirections first.
1. Corporations make their money from providing customer service and stable products which do not need to be constantly tweaked/updated.
Obviously, this would be a distinct fallacy.
In the computer market, stable: mother boards; video chips; OSs; applications; and other computer products, translate to stagnant sales, stagnant corporate growth, and lack of ability to stimulate market/economic growth in general.
Therefore, corporations must constantly create "new and improved" versions of their products. If they can manage to convince the consumer, that the new product is superior, they gain the first step in ensuring this "private" growth.
The first line of "offense" in these "corporate wars" is not the product, but the advertising. The *perceived* worth of the product carries the corp to the next level. The market has been flooded, at times, with products which only carried a *perceived worth*. Consumers buy into the product until the next "advertising genius" convinces the consumer that its product is superior.
Addressing this at the corps' own established level, the corp must create a supposed "need" to buy into one of it's newer products if it already controls that segment of the market.
2. Corporations gain market share solely via their own advertising, products, and services.
Obviously, this would also be a misdirection.
Let's take two corporations which have been openly working "hand in hand". Microsoft and Intel have been working towards combined market goals.
Each receives the benefit of supporting the others products. Both have designed segments of their products around the new aspects the other produced, thereby ensuring that both corps receive mutual "enrichment".
By using their own personal "market muscle", they can thereby ensure that they both remain the leaders in their respective markets. So long as they provide *hooks* into their "areas of dominance" for other corps to use, the legal aspects of the "conjoined" market initiative is somewhat obscured and protected.
The other "marketers", however, must follow the design plans of the leaders.
[Let's add another into the mix, AMD. Now we find three leaders working *hand in hand* upon the consumer market. Microsoft provides the OS to use with these chips; where Intel and AMD both receive direct support for their chip sets, processors. Stir in VIA and you have four, etc.].
3. Intel will not provide support and drivers for it's new chipsets and processors for Microsoft's older OSs.
TRUE.. but why?
By refusing to provide this support, Intel ensures increases in it's own board and chipset manufacturing and resultant sales, and it's conjunctive agreement with Microsoft; since Microsoft also will not provide support within the older OSs for these chipsets and processors.
3a. Microsoft is ending support for 98, Millennium, and other older OSs.
Apparently true.
Microsoft ensures that consumers will, by necessity, have to buy into it's new OSs if the consumers wish to use the newer chipsets, processors, and gizmos being produced.
3b. No new DLLs, drivers, and other will be supplied for the "older" OSs to support the new chipsets and gizmos developed, both by Microsoft AND other marketers.
Not exactly true, some after-marketers will supply supporting drivers and updates.
4. By controlling the general home consumer market, Microsoft and others ensure their corporate growth.
Obviously this is true.
Let's look at how this works.
The home market is the general "key" used to further market dominance. By training home users to "think Microsoft" not only is the home market garnered, but the "business world" is also guaranteed.
When these users enter the business world, they expect the same style of familiar OS in this environment. They are extremely reluctant to learn safer and more secure systems like Unix - Linux [Posix], Solaris, and the like, because of the perceived *learning curve* associated with these other OSs [forgetting, of course, the learning curve they went through with Microsoft's OSs].
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WHERE NEXT - ON THE END CONSUMER SIDE
The consumer can and should, look to other applications to provide their browser, email, and other Internet related uses.
ON THE DEVELOPER/PROGRAMMER SIDE:
For the first time in the existence of these OSs, the coding may be addressed without fear of future changes by Microsoft. Any and all base coding they produce can be brought to relative finality. Moreover, they can now begin to address their own coding flaws and any they find in Microsoft's OSs through their own coding. Known holes, exploits, and flaws in these OSs can now be blocked or otherwise negated by these second and third tier programmers/developers.
THE CONSUMER'S PROBLEM:
Many developer's and programmers will not be providing new programs or fixed versions of their programs for these old OSs. The claim is that these are dead and/or insecure OSs. Not true.
The reason many will not be supporting the older OSs is because the application creators can NOT continue to claim new versions need to be produced for their APPS.
Most new versions of Applications are produced to address some functionality change by Microsoft. As there will be no more changes, the application producers can NOT, generally, receive the larger revenue from version changes, and would have to rely upon revenue from minor updates within the existing versions.
On the other side: any new versions would HAVE to include massive changes in their own application, due to Microsoft STABLE coding... they can no longer point to Microsoft as the reason for version changes.. moreover, they can NOT claim large amounts for "yearly update services" supposedly to ensure the app will be upgraded due to *Microsoft changes* in base coding, functions, and services. So we could reasonable state: They will not support the old OSs due to limited revenue enhancement, not because of inherent flaws, exploits, or other limitations.
Regretfully, Microsoft is instrumental in causing this lack of support. Just as Microsoft ensures its own revenue enhancement by creating new OSs and dropping support for older systems, so do the application and device providers following Microsoft's lead.
WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE IF I INTEND TO USE THE OLDER OSs?
1. Do everything possible to ensure Internet security if you intend to use it for such. If not, find the applications you intend to use or may use in the future.
2. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MANUALLY DOWNLOADED ALL THE MICROSOFT UPDATES TO YOUR DISK AND BURNED THEM TO A CDROM OR OTHER MEDIA. You will need them in the distant future for your older computers. Save your "%windir%\Windows update.log" and your download history from the Microsoft site. The update log supplies the updates/fixes as they were installed on your computer, and the download log would show what you manually downloaded. Another useful file would be the iuhist.xml from the "\Program Files\WindowsUpdate\V4\" folder. With these you can manually update after clean re-installs, forever, if you should wish to do so.
For a more complete explanation of the above and below
see:
Manually updating a new installation of Windows 98SE and
follow the links included on those pages.
SECURING YOUR COMPUTER
1. Install a router.
Look for router which has the style of connection you intend to use.
If using a phone line, an analog phone connection will be required [if you can still find one] or one which allows connection through an external modem. If not skip to 2..
Connect your computer through this "routed" connection as the router has a hardware style of "firewall".
If using cable, DSL, or other high speed connection, use a router which supports the style of connections you will be using.
2. Install an older version of a software firewall or do not attempt to update beyond the last compatible version.
You can still find archived older versions of firewalls which are both secure AND do not need updates.
Some will require manual configurations [which allows you the ability to tweak to your own needs], others contain "automatic" configuration routines which are somewhat more insecure as they may not allow you to shut off or define "ports" and program access to the extent manually configured firewalls can.
Kerio, ZoneAlarm, Sygate, and several others can still be found and used.
Note though, that software firewalls can be defeated if attacked, but generally are safe unless attacked from the inside, e.g. by YOU allowing something INTO your computer. Therefore, you are responsible for your own security. The more stringent your firewall restrictions, the safer you become.
For Firewall information see:
FIREWALLS - WHY YOU NEED ONE AND WHAT TO DO
Make your computer as "stealthy" as possible. If you are essentially "invisible" then you may not be attacked easily.
Make sure your ISP is also secure.. harass them if you find they aren't..
3. Install and use an anti-virus program.
Look or watch for virus programs which will continue support for your old operating system. You will likely have to use an old version of a major application (McAfee ?), though you will find other free programs which perform the same or similar functions. Avast and AVG, are presently two of the free programs you can use. Make sure you keep them updated and configured properly.
SEE: ANTI-VIRUS Programs as part of your Layered Security
4. Install and use "spyware" discovery programs.
Anti-virus programs generally do not provide spyware blocking, e.g. from cookies, browser hijacks, email secondary hijacks, ActiveX attacks, and the like.
Therefore, search for a present program which supports your OS and which will not require major updates to work in the future (which they now won't).
Present free [and recommended] "standards" are:
Spybot Search & Destroy
Spyware Blaster
AdAware SE Personal Edition
Regardless whether you use these or choose others, use them consistently. Any and all tracking and hyjacks [including browser helpers and search bars] is or can be, a security breach.
Anti-spyware programs as part of Layered Security
5. Install a *supported* browser and email application.
This is the "interface" aspect to the Internet. Here is where most systems will be compromised.
If you try to use an unsupported browser such as IE 6 and OE you will be susceptible to attack as both contain holes, exploits, and other problems associated with their use. As they ARE copyrighted and trademarked programs, the base coding can not be presently changed. Therefore, it is time to start looking for alternatives if you rely solely on these programs.
Opera is an older established browser which is again free, and apparently will continue to support the older OSs. There are and will be others, as many programmers have not bitten the "Microsoft" apple and realize the potential use and security of these now stable OSs.
There are also several email clients which still support the "end of support" OSs. Find one and use it.
6. Check for other types of security which you can install or configure in the OS. [see the links above]
7. Do not think the new OSs are more secure.
They contain more "embedded security", but they also contain massive security holes, exploits, and other problems. Moreover, unless you properly configure them, they can be far more insecure. These are the OSs which will be the "focus" for hackers, virus writers, and others who wish to attack you, steal your information, or otherwise intrude into your lives.
Additionally, as they are newer: more exploits, and attack points exist; and it is doubtful they will EVER be "finished" OSs in *light* of the apparent marketing avenue Microsoft is pursuing. Somewhere a "break point" will be instituted in the software. You should not expect the software bought for these OSs, will work in future OSs, or that market would stagnate.
THE POTENTIAL
For the first time in the OSs existences, other programmers can now address the flaws, holes, and exploits in the OSs without having to worry about changes due to Microsoft. Granted, the "name brand" applications may not support them, but others will for a considerable time.
As I have stated before: These OSs have the potential to become the most secure OSs for use on the Internet, as long as you make the security effort on your own computers, and don't get caught up in the "glitz" exploits [such as Flash and ActiveX; yes, nifty "games" and graphics, but they are a constant pipe to advertising and other attacks] now being used on the Internet.
Hopefully programmers and developers will continue to think of these OSs as viable alternatives to "gotta have the newest regardless of the problems" attitude so prevalent in our world [think throwaway mentality].
As for the websites and web developers now requiring Flash, ActiveX and other for their site usage:
Think of your audience, and create pages which do not require these potential exploits. As more users become aware of these security breaches you will lose you advertising incomes... or at least limit the usage until security can be designed around their use..
Maurice Edward, Brahier
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/
Other Parts of Layered Security necessary for Internet
usage.
SEE:
FIREWALLS - WHY YOU NEED ONE AND WHAT TO DO
SEE:
Anti-spyware programs as part of Layered Security
ANTI-VIRUS Programs as part of your Layered Security
SEE:
GENERAL WINDOWS NETWORKING DIAGNOSTICS AND SETUP
Diagnosing
Windows problems - Part 1
Part
2 - Diagnosing Windows Problems
After support end information for 98
SEE:
Manually updating a new installation of Windows 98SE