Post by Noel on Jan 5, 2016 10:18:35 GMT -6
OS Support is a completely arbitrary thing. Boil it down to real-world terms, and it's basically this, from Microsoft:
(paraphrased)
We built a buttload of bugs and vulnerabilities into the operating system we sold you before, and we occasionally fix a few of them and call that "support". We expect that you've forgotten already that it wasn't good enough to buy initially without our promise to "support" it, so now we make out like we're doing you a favor by updating it.
We leave as many problems in it as we can so we can hype up the next operating system, into which we're building all new bugs, and then we can tell you how the old one is now perilous to use. We regularly release "security updates" where we maximize that fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
We tell you when "end of support" is so that you can plan to send us more money. Now we also download nagware onto your system to make sure you don't forget to do so, because some of you have been lax about sending us your money and information from which we can make money. We won't tolerate that!
If you don't think the above is completely true, it's actually an understatement. Check this:
www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/01/02/microsoft-windows-7-problems/
Even more arbitrary is the concept of "mainstream" vs. "extended" support.
It's been bothering me for a long time that it's become completely accepted to think of "end of support" as "end of life" and that drives people's decisions.
Resist the urge to think "OMG, Windows 7 support ended a year ago! We MUST upgrade to Windows 10!" It's not valid. Windows 7 still works fine. Windows XP still works fine.
Demand better before accepting what's being pushed, and they will have to deliver better.
Fall in with the other sheep who believe what they're told and bend over when told to and we're all screwed, even those of us who know better!
Refuse to be manipulated!
-Noel