End of Win 98 Support May Boost Desktop Linux

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft kills off support for Windows 98 and Windows ME today, and ZDNet is reporting that the move will boost demand for Linux on the desktop. Unlike two years ago — when support for Win98 was extended because Linux was seen as a serious competitor — this time it seems there is no turning back."

In A Related Announcement ...

[amelith]

Microsoft confirmed that they would begin supporting Windows XP sometime during Q3 this year.

Ame

Undoubtedly

[samael]

The kind of people who are still running Windows 98 are exactly the same people who will happily run Linux. And these same people really care about whether it's supported by Microsoft or not.

Re:Undoubtedly

[Homology]

> The kind of people who are still running Windows 98 are exactly the same people who will happily run Linux. And these same people really care about whether it's supported by Microsoft or not.

You forgot the /sarcasm, so now you will be modded Insightful ;-)

Re:Yeah sure...

[plague3106]

Wouldn't it have been simplier (and more secure) to tell her to buy a firewall?

Re:Yeah sure...

[denison]

Strange ... we call your Dad's Girlfriend's Daughter by her name usually. Granted, her name might be "Great Aunt", but it's unlikely.

Surely you can't be serious.

[RoyGBatty]

I would like to see Linux take their fair share in the desktop market, but I don't think it will happen with Microsoft dominating the market

What a coincidence! I would like to see Barack Obama as President, but I don't think it will happen with George Bush in office.

Re:I agree

[wwwillem]

And, sometimes very important, the variant: "If you can't fix it, don't break it!" :)

Re:how does losing 98 make linux more usable?

[smchris]

True. I have a little old lady I've set up for an experiment and she operates linux fine for the web stuff she wants to do.

One thing that has troubled me though is that a lot of these home Win9x duffers are probably on dial-up. How do you _update_ and _upgrade_ that linux distro? For that matter, would anyone want the user trying it? Apt-get has to be like a loaded gun to a child -- particularly when it is run from a GUI like KPackage where it will tell you what it has decided to REMOVE after it has STARTED the process.

I am amused

[greetings programs]

As much as i like my Ubuntu install, I find it highly unlikely that the poor guys still running Win98 will come knocking on Linus' door. I would classify current W98 users in two categories. 1) People who doesn't tinker with computers too much and has been using their old box for years just for web surfing and doing some office work. These guys are hardly concerned about computer security and most probably don't know their OS was supported anyway. 2) Guys that for some reason (games, especial software or hardware that won't run on NT) require to stick with the old OS even though they may have another, newer box running XP. No way any of these two animals is downloading and installing the next fedora DVD anytime soon. I love the slashdot spin on regular news.