The game's up for Windows 2000

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Microsoft on Tuesday issued what is expected to be its last significant revision of Windows 2000.

The software maker released what it calls an Update Rollup for the five-year-old operating system, which is due to shift at the end of this month from receiving mainstream support to extended support. Microsoft does not generally add features to a product under extended support, and the Update Rollup is largely a collection of previously released patches as opposed to a batch of new features.

In addition to already released fixes, the collection "may contain fixes for non-public low- and moderate-level security issues that did not warrant individual security bulletins," a Microsoft representative said.

The software maker said last November that it would release the Update Rollup rather than offer a fifth service pack. As a result, the final service pack for Windows 2000 becomes the SP4 release that came out in March 2003.

Although Windows 2000 has been followed by several other Windows versions, the software remains extremely popular in corporations and small businesses. It still accounts for nearly half of all Windows-based business desktops, according to a recent survey by AssetMetrix.

Talkback

Microsoft are pushing a bad bet.
Windows 2000 is not ready to go, unlike NT4 was when it was pushed, because there is not enough take up of Windows XP.

Microsoft are going to lose market share over this. Another company is going to be smart, and pick up the loss, and Microsoft are going to lose billions (if they push this).

They have lost credibility with security issues and patching, and a 'join or die' attitude to competitors and customers alike.

They seem to think that, unlike IBM, and countless conglomerates before, they will not lose market share to competitors.

Anyone else notice that Mozilla has intermittent access problems when the XP firewall is running...even if you make it the 'main browser'?

Ever wonder why the error message you get from Mozilla during these access problems mentions 'firewall configuration' problems as the reason for the intermittent problems?

Ever wonder why there is nowhere obvious within the XP firewall to check settings related to individual program access (as you would get in, say, Zone Alarm from Zone Labs, where you can set access levels for every single application or system attempting to access the internet)?

Ever wonder why this error message in Mozilla dissapears the moment you turn off the XP firewall, and use A N Other firewall (such as the aforementioned Zone Alarm)?

Microsoft are still playing games, and the business world is tired of it. They better learn to loosen up, or they will lose money.

Watch this space! :)

via Facebook 1 July, 2005 10:37
Reply

The main replacement for Windows 2000 is Windows Server 2003, not XP. Server 2003 is a brilliant product. I love Novell and to a lesser extent Linux, but Windows 2003 beats both of them hands down. It is very stable, rich in features, very secure, and makes an excellent applications platform. When Server 2003 is link with Exchange 2003 and SharePoint Portal Server it is a winner.

I am glad that Microsoft has declared W2K as end of life. Now I can give all my users a very positive reason to move upwards. They will save money as the product is so stable. It runs very well on any 1GHz box with at least 1Gb of RAM and so in most instances the end-user does not have to buy any new hardware.

Forget end-of-life - its a whole new life for end users.

via Facebook 4 July, 2005 16:19
Reply

Leslie, somehow I don't envision installing Windows 2003 Server on all sorts of desktops.

Also keep in mind that the future arrival of Longhorn (part 1, 2 and 3) has been announced somewhat. As well as Blackcomb. So I fail to see how people can surely save money by first investing (not just licenses, there's work to be done first before actually being able to make use of it) in solutions that so far differ in what was promised versus what was actually delivered (again) only to be replaced by yet another new solution that still needs to be delivered and already has given in on its earlier promises (again). Not to mention Windows 2003 SP1 and XP SP2.

Personally I would adopt a wait and see approach and if I can't wait that long start investigating alternative solutions (which could include making the best of what one has currently in the mean time) so that I'm well prepared and have my options open for when it's time for some real, strategic, decision making.

Should Microsoft however make the mistake of not keeping Windows 2000 up-to-date (certainly as far as security patches are concerned) until I'm ready to make a decision then I would concider that as a clear indication of what will await me if I was to adopt Windows 2003 now. It's not that I'm alone in that situation. About half the world is. Not to mention Windows 98 that's also still out there in fast numbers (why else would Microsoft still be making security patches for that available?).

As for your statements that Windows 2003 or any of the other products you mention would beat the competition hands down. Well, there are those that would disagree with you. Perhaps inspired by plenty of real-life experience with the products you mention and various alternative solutions.

That said. I do believe that almost anything can be made to work but the question is at what price (overall). Do be aware that 'price' isn't restricted to just license and implementation costs.

via Facebook 6 July, 2005 00:16
Reply

I agree with the guy before me, any systems integrator who wants to put windows server 2003 on the desktop for all corporate users needs to get himself down the job centre and look for a new job, you are disgrace to IT!

Windows server 2003 SE is released later this year and is NOT a free upgrade to windows server 2003.

so all those of you who have already bought windows server 2003 will have to buy another windows server 2003 in order to get the new benefits of windows server 2003.

Dont you just love microsoft!

via Facebook 8 July, 2005 10:23
Reply

Also microsoft will NOT lose market share over this.

The only way microsoft will lose market share is when a product is released that will run all windows applications without any problems on an x86 chip.

Everyone will just move to Windows XP given time.

you are right though, windows 2000 is not ready to go!

However if microsoft didn't pull the plug on it then the people using windows 2000 would never have a reason to stop using it!

Its a way of creating revenue!

via Facebook 8 July, 2005 10:27
Reply

I disagree with myles, Microsoft CAN and HAVE lost market share, it a small example but I have just replaced our companies Win2k Exchange/Server with a BSD box running Samba & Postfix and a selection of other excellent available software products.

Now to replace the myriad of excel and word documents floating around with a PHP/MySQL app and next stop BSD thin clients on the desktop - no constant panic about security, virii, malware, security updates and all the other 'activities' you do supporting Microsoft software when you should be hunting round your organisation finding areas to improve existing systems and you're employers bottom line!

I am no fan of linux, it's too chaotic, but there are excellent alternatives (I don't mean drop in replacements) out there for those willing to look and invest the time and effort, check http://www.freebsd.org for one alternative to Windows Server, it's so good Microsoft use it themselves providing Hotmail.

via Facebook 20 August, 2005 12:05
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