Windows 98 Closes

July 11, 2006— -- Up in the attic we have a sad, old computer that runs on Microsoft Windows 98. The processor runs about as quickly as an abacus, and the hard drive probably holds less than a paper clip can. But the machine works--better than some newer ones that have come and gone from our lives since we got it--and we're determined to keep it going.

As of today, we will no longer get help from Microsoft. "Effective July 11, 2006, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Me (and their related components) will transition to a non-supported status," says a notice on The Windows 98 Home Page. http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/

The statement continues: "Microsoft is retiring support for these products because they are outdated and can expose customers to security risks. We recommend that customers who are still running Windows 98 or Windows Me upgrade to a newer, more secure Microsoft operating system, such as Windows XP, as soon as possible." http://www.microsoft.com/windows/support/endofsupport.mspx

Microsoft did keep up its tech support for the system for eight years. Computers dating back that far have, in many cases, been overwhelmed by new applications, from digital cameras to mp3 players to graphics rich games.

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But if a little frustration wells up inside you, it turns out you're far from alone. According to Gartner, Inc., the information-technology research firm, about one in five small businesses still have a machine running Win 98. Many schools do, though the number is hard to guess. If all you need to do is email, word processing and basic web surfing, machines far older will do the trick. www.gartner.com

Microsoft tried to end its support of Win 98 in 2004. There was an outcry. It tried again last month. There was another outcry; a regular security upgrade had already been scheduled for today.

From tomorrow on, if your machine gets totaled by a virus or some spurious glitch, you'll have to fix it yourself, get outside help... or swallow hard and upgrade.