Microsoft continued with updates--not just patches--for Windows 2000, Windows XP, Office 2000, Office 2002, Office 2003, and other programs, long after they had been replaced with new versions. Windows 2000 updates are posted regularly even now--after there have been two subsequent operating systems replacing that one. I have no hesitation about buying a Microsoft product, as I know it will be supported for as long as I need it. Indeed, I\'ll buy Microsoft any time that company has a product of a type I\'m looking for, over a competitor\'s product.
You clearly missed the part where I distinguished between maintenance updates (which includes security fixes) and providing new features to defunct or obsoleted applications.
I would agree that the company has an extended obligation to make repairs to a product that does not function as it was intended to function when it was purchased. That includes bug and security fixes.
I would not agree that there is any obligation or should be any expectation that a company should provide free upgrades of capability beyond those intended when the product was purchased.
Windows provides support a couple of versions back (but certainly not forever) because they understand that conversion takes time. For instance, I once worked in software testing for a very large company that had over 20,000 in-house-developed applications.
It took fully two years to test (and if necessary, revise) their in-house applications for a new Microsoft operating system. In fact, that company was planning to move from XP to Vista in 2010, but have just decided to skip Vista because Microsoft has announced a more rapid release of its follow-on.
Inasmuch as they purchased over 120,000 workstation licenses and over 10,000 server licences, Microsoft was always willing to extend premium support beyond the normal end-of-support dates (paid support, of course, and dearly so). But not forever, even then.
Notice, though, that \"goodwill\" has nothing to do with it. It\'s a matter of easing the transition from the old product to the new product. Microsoft is not intending to enable anyone to stay permanently with the old product.
Microsoft continued with updates--not just patches--for Windows 2000, Windows XP, Office 2000, Office 2002, Office 2003, and other programs, long after they had been replaced with new versions. Windows 2000 updates are posted regularly even now--after there have been two subsequent operating systems replacing that one. I have no hesitation about buying a Microsoft product, as I know it will be supported for as long as I need it. Indeed, I\'ll buy Microsoft any time that company has a product of a type I\'m looking for, over a competitor\'s product.
You clearly missed the part where I distinguished between maintenance updates (which includes security fixes) and providing new features to defunct or obsoleted applications.
I would agree that the company has an extended obligation to make repairs to a product that does not function as it was intended to function when it was purchased. That includes bug and security fixes.
I would not agree that there is any obligation or should be any expectation that a company should provide free upgrades of capability beyond those intended when the product was purchased.
Windows provides support a couple of versions back (but certainly not forever) because they understand that conversion takes time. For instance, I once worked in software testing for a very large company that had over 20,000 in-house-developed applications.
It took fully two years to test (and if necessary, revise) their in-house applications for a new Microsoft operating system. In fact, that company was planning to move from XP to Vista in 2010, but have just decided to skip Vista because Microsoft has announced a more rapid release of its follow-on.
Inasmuch as they purchased over 120,000 workstation licenses and over 10,000 server licences, Microsoft was always willing to extend premium support beyond the normal end-of-support dates (paid support, of course, and dearly so). But not forever, even then.
Dec 10, 2008 at 02:17 PM
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