M$ strikes again

[rohan]

Last week, both of my XP netbooks received notification from M$ saying that there was a new Important software update that I needed to install, related to the end of support for XP next month. Asking for more information received the usual M$ response - it seems that it's to tell me about the end of XP support !!! Nothing more - nothing to say why I need a software update to do that, or why I need to install something to tell me that. For **** sake, what the expletive deleted is this software update going to do - best case, bitch at me every so many hours or days that I can't get support any more - worst case, actually do something to stop my PC from running any or all apps, even if it stays permanently off-line; or even force me to buy an o/s upgrade. Only M$ could regard an update as important when the only purpose is to "suggest" that I should buy something else from them ...

Needless to say, this is yet another update that I will NOT install unless some kind soul happens to know just what this update will do once it's been installed on a PC. After all, it is just possible that there's already something that has been inflicted on my PCs, and this is their way of de-activating it once support ends

In any event, this week sees the release of the last monthly update for XP systems, and I'll be scrutinising each and every update carefully for relevance to my PCs before deciding whether to install it or not ...

Take care of your systems, guys

[TSR2]

To be fair id say its good customer service. While many of us on here are fairly pc savy, most of those still running XP aren't, and don't understand the risks going forward. There is no mention that it will disable your software. But as a means to directly communicate the end of life of an almost 14 year old OS, id say it was a good approach. If you think this is bad, you should see what IBM and Apple do when you've had an OS for more than 5 years.

[rohan]

I'd certainly agree that any communication is better than no communication, but this is another example of M$ communication. It says nothing about what the software update will do on your PC, or why a software update is necessary because of the end of support. All I've managed to find is another variation on the same tale - support ends next month.



I've also experienced the joys of an Apple o/s upgrade. After a few Mountain Lion upgrades which had no issues, the upgrade to Mavericks was a complete and utter shambles. I waited a few months for the main problems to be found and hopefully fixed before applying the upgrade to my Air, only to find that it seriously corrupted my Bootcamp / Win7Pro partition. When the upgrade had finished, everything seemed fine but Win7 refused to boot. Some Apple software recognised that I still had a Windows partition, while other Apple software (including Bootcamp) failed to see anything but occupied space. I looked for on-line Apple support but found none - community support was voluminous, but unhelpful (I even found one user who said that he was going to write a manual on how to fix it). Even third party Apple suppliers were lacking in offers of help. What really annoyed me most was that this issue had been reported since the upgrade was first released, yet there was absolutely no warning or other communication from Apple when I began the upgrade process. Then of course the Genius Bar service was sympathetic but unwilling to do anything to help. That'll be the last time I buy an Apple PC.

[TSR2]

Lol, the point i was making is that apple insist you stay current, within 4 years I think, so your never get the option of them supporting your os for 14

[rohan]

... which makes a mockery of the point that the Apple CEO used to open last year's WWDC - how chuffed he was at the number of users / PCs that had the current o/s version, especially compared to others (hint, hint, M$).

Without wishing to contradict your point, I would say that my time at the Apple store (one2one & Genius bar) has revealed a large group of users who are at least four years behind in terms of their o/s, and the local staff are actually quite pleased that their hardware will continue to run under such old releases ...

[TSR2]

Oh yes, they'll help, but its not supported. I'm not having go at apple, i think they're quite right to withdraw support for old OSs. Im just pointing out that MS still providing updates for something 14 years old is unheard of in IT, and it will likely be the last we'll see of it. The other thing to point out is that you cant buy an Apple Mac for £300. Love them or loathe them MS did bring affordable computing to the masses at a time when Apple where for the trendy elite. Android is closer to that space now. But to get back on track an update that advises the less competent users that their OS has reached the end of its life is a good thing. Those that are knowledgeable can just ignore it or choose not to download it. But for many it will be a useful piece of advice.

[DaveB]

I saw this update for XP the other day. I'm so used to just accepting critical updates for XP, I accepted it though having done so, I also wondered what a lack of support update was going to give me. I guess time will tell

I'll let you all know when it happens

ATB
DaveB

[GHD]

I decided to forego the update

[ianhind]

My Avast virus checker on the XP box is telling me to abandon Internet Explorer since it won't be updated further on XP and hence switch to Chrome.

Might be worth considering if I even used IE on that PC.

[TSR2]

Chrome is still awaiting a patch since September last year because Google are waiting "for a standard to be ratified". TBH I think that's a lame excuse not to provide a patch. Might be worth considering Firefox or safari as an alternative to IE.