01-08-2003, 05:00 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
|
|
What Version of Windows Are You Syncing With?
http://www.forbes.com/2003/01/07/cx_ld_0107upgrade.html
The computer industry may be ready for a big year in 2003. Microsoft will be dropping all support for Windows 98 and Windows NT 4, meaning corporations and users that want to at least continue to get some security fixes and be able to buy software they can use, they will have to move to Windows 2000 or Windows XP. (Some of you may be thinking, what about Windows ME, but I am trying to be serious here.) You can see on Microsoft's Windows Lifecycle page the various planned life spans of all Windows versions. Once a product enters "Non-Supported Phase" MS and many developers pretty much quit testing that OS for compatibility. I have a laundry list of Microsoft and non-Microsoft apps I've purchased over the last 18 months that didn't support Windows 95.
Which brings us to Pocket PCs. When Microsoft wrote ActiveSync 3.5, Windows 95 was entering the non-supported phase of its life cycle, and as a result, Microsoft didn't spend one minute even trying to make AS 3.5 work. With limited resources, the Mobile Device group has to prioritize, and supporting an OS that parent Microsoft is in the process of killing is wasted effort. At some point, there will be an ActiveSync 3.7 or 4.0 or whatever they call it. With Windows 98 and NT 4 entering this non-supported phase, do you think the Mobile Device group will spend any effort supporting it? It may work, but if it doesn't, I'd imagine there will be a shrug, someone will say "oh well" and move on.  I can't really blame them. If MS fixed the top 10 issues I have with ActiveSync today, Windows 95 compatibility would be number 48 or so. I'll actually be glad to see all of the OS's with 16 bit code die. Think how much time they will waste on Windows ME compatibility. Yuck. You wouldn't believe how much code in Office XP installs depending on a Win9x based OS or a WinNT based OS.
I'm curious, what OS are you syncing your Pocket PC with? Will you move from Windows 98 to Windows XP if the next generation iPAQ/Axim/Whatever doesn't support your OS?
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:03 PM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 405
|
|
XP and 2000
2000's been great since SP2.
It's not surprising as auto update support was all but killed for 95 a while back.
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:14 PM
|
|
Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
|
|
Wow, we have a ton of XP users here 
BTW, the biggest ramification of end-of-life of a Microsoft OS is the turning off of the corresponding Windows Update site, and the fact that MS releases no new patches. It is a very effective mechanism -- companies still using Windows 95 are very vulnerable if they're connected to the Internet now (unless they're using only Netscape/Mozilla and turn off all attachments  )
NT4/98 is going to be the most painful of all the MS OS retirements, as many companies are still using them. I have one customer who is still about 30% NT4, including half of their servers. They're going to have a massive migration happening soon, but I'm debating whether to wait until .NET Server comes out or just push them to Win2k Server.
--janak
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:17 PM
|
|
Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
|
|
I'm surprised how many people are using XP (70% users at this time with 20% going to 2000). I just recently upgraded my desktop to XP, and that was only after my main HD crashed on what was previously 98SE. I still had thought I was ahead of the curve.
Given that the majority uses either 2000 or XP, I wouldn't think it's that big of a deal... I personally wouldn't care if they decided to only support 2000 and beyond... but I do beg of MS to please upgrade ActiveSync to something far more flexible, predictable, and stable.
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:18 PM
|
|
Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 633
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
Wow, we have a ton of XP users here |
Wow you ain't kidding! Now that is a surprise! Not sure why, but I would have expected a few more 2k-er's and 98'2 to say the least!
Guess it's a good sign of sorts huh?
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:19 PM
|
|
Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 633
|
|
Shame you didn't include 95 in the poll in a way :twisted:
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:20 PM
|
|
Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 30
|
|
Wow
Wow a lot of people are on XP! I guess it is time I upgrade my home pc. I am using windows ME no less! How horrible is that? I guess it is just I really need to back up my stuff and haven't done so yet.
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:29 PM
|
|
Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 93
|
|
didnt think i would like XP but I really do. deffinatly a refined OS. Windows ME though, my god how awful was that. It has a total feel of "we need to get somthing out there, we need some more money, lets repackage 95"
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:35 PM
|
|
Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
|
|
I'm actually surprised that the % of XP users isn't HIGHER. 8O I mean, come on, it's been our for over a year now right? I can't stand not having the newest version of whatever it is I'm using, although I'm not sure how excited I'll be about upgrading to Office XP 2.0 (or whatever it will be called)....
|
| |
|
|
|
01-08-2003, 05:36 PM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 433
|
|
hei so far, so little mac user surprisingly....
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
