With the recent release of Microsoft's newest potential cash cows, Windows Vista and Office 2007, the company is expecting a wave of upgrades from users seeking the latest functionality. But what if you're not looking for new bells and whistles? What if you want to keep your old operating systems, such as Windows 2000, running as long as possible? Microsoft isn't making it easy for you. Office 2007 and the software for the company's much-hyped Zune music player won't install on Windows 2000. As other new products emerge from Microsoft in 2007 and beyond, more and more of them are likely to leave Windows 2000 out of the party.
Which of these installation restrictions are caused by a real lack of capabilities in Windows 2000, however? Are any of them merely a "squeeze play" by Microsoft to convince buyers that it's necessary to immediately upgrade all PCs to Vista and all servers to Server 2003 or the forthcoming Longhorn Server?
One example of this conundrum is Microsoft's Windows Defender program. This antispyware program can be downloaded for free, but it will only install on Windows XP, Server 2003, and higher. The application won't install on Windows 2000, according to Microsoft's own product documentation. Users have reported, however, that this is simply an artificial rule built into the Installshield package that copies Defender files to disk.
View: Full Article @ InformationWeek
Which of these installation restrictions are caused by a real lack of capabilities in Windows 2000, however? Are any of them merely a "squeeze play" by Microsoft to convince buyers that it's necessary to immediately upgrade all PCs to Vista and all servers to Server 2003 or the forthcoming Longhorn Server?
One example of this conundrum is Microsoft's Windows Defender program. This antispyware program can be downloaded for free, but it will only install on Windows XP, Server 2003, and higher. The application won't install on Windows 2000, according to Microsoft's own product documentation. Users have reported, however, that this is simply an artificial rule built into the Installshield package that copies Defender files to disk.
View: Full Article @ InformationWeek
But, some IS packages can be extracted and you get back an embedded .msi file.
Aren't they are one in the same? It was a coperative production, both worked on it. You need the Windows installer installed to be able to run InstallShield MSI's (the installshield's setup.exe will install it automatically for you though)
Amazong how the beta version had no problems with w2k.
Happy Tuesday To Everyone!
Discusting.
-Spenser
Not being capable of running something is one thing. Having an artificial rule block the installation just because I don't want to upgrade is sneaky.
-Spenser
Anyway, I'm sure that it's meant to push you upgrade, or inconvenience you more. But to be honest, it is nearly 2007.
Also, Microsoft isn't forcing anyone to do anything. If you're happy with 2000 then surely you are happy with Office 2000, XP, 2003? No one is compelling you to upgrade your Office suite are they??
You do have a good point there, but the same could be said for a lot of things: "I don't care if Windows 95 is 12 years old, I paid for it with no limitations when I bought it". Or maybe that's stretching it a little bit
Ok, so you have people who don't want to upgrade from Windows 2000. That's fine. But don't expect to be able to use the latest and greatest if you choose not to upgrade. No one is forcing anyone to do anything. You want the latest and greatest then get Vista. If you don't want to upgrade then don't... but don't whine that you can't get your Zune working because you won't upgrade to Vista.
It's all about choices. If you actually think Microsoft should develop all their new technologies to work on legacy systems then we'd have Office 2007 working on Windows 95 and Windows 3 and that just doens't make logical or business sense.
Upgrade or don't. It's your choice. But stop whining.
Windows Defender, Zune and Office 2007?
Only newbs get spyware, and there are free scanners. Why would someone who is using Win2K care about some crappy mp3 player, and there are plenty of other mp3 players with full compatibility. And why would a Win2K user install Office 2007? That would be like putting a rear spoiler on a Hyundai Excel.
And why would a Win2K user install Office 2007? That would be like putting a rear spoiler on a Hyundai Excel.
Yeah, but some people still put rear spoilers on their Excels!
And others want to run Office '07 on Win2K (I can't see the point, as Office 2003 is a great program and would be as slow as '07 on an older machine.
Well I think seven years is long enough. Even Apple doesn't support stuff from that long ago (Think, Mac OS 9 was still the main OS back then! Wow we have come a long way!
Cal
Such insightful commentary.
Seriously, does anyone actually understand business, or are there really so few of us enlightened with that knowledge? You cannot economically support software that is many years old and no longer actively worked on. This is not because MS is evil - it's because they HAVE to do it. Shareholders would be angry, some large corporations would be annoyed (e.g. PC builders), etc, etc. And it's not like MS is the only one. Is every Linux release ever supported? I somewhat doubt it.
Next time I'll get him a machine with Freespire.
Who care about Office 2007 when we have OpenOffice and best of all it free.
Zune music player who care there are other option.
C_Guy it all about carp in new OS that min us don't like
1: Does not support DirectSound 3D Hardware Acceleration which mean no EAX through DirectX so only few mustly newer games already have OpenAL support will work so your SOL with older games that build around EAX.
2: Vista is a major memory hog with Vista Ultimate what I'm seeing 450MB on clean install and that was with out enable MCE, I wonder what Vista Home Basic is going to be like on clean install to bad MS didn't give us an option to try the diff ver of Vista.
3: Problem with XP and Vista is that MS owns you, THAT RIGTH OWN YOUR SORRY A@@ haha with the WPA (Windows Product Activation) & WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) with that phones home carp, What you all think going happing when MS turn off validation process for XP which is most likely going happing in a few years which mean you being force to move some other OS.
4: Reinstall XP or Vista on a new assembled system becuases your old system die mean you going re-do the validation process which is not going to match old system hash so now you have CALL MS and think XP bad just wait in tell you get load of Vista, Read this http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11..._eula_worries/
5: You all should be worries about MS planning annual rental fee meaning you be force each and every year to paid in order to keep using windows, office and etc.
Who care about Office 2007 when we have OpenOffice and best of all it free.
Zune music player who care there are other option.
C_Guy it all about carp in new OS that min us don't like
1: Does not support DirectSound 3D Hardware Acceleration which mean no EAX through DirectX so only few mustly newer games already have OpenAL support will work so your SOL with older games that build around EAX.
2: Vista is a major memory hog with Vista Ultimate what I'm seeing 450MB on clean install and that was with out enable MCE, I wonder what Vista Home Basic is going to be like on clean install to bad MS didn't give us an option to try the diff ver of Vista.
3: Problem with XP and Vista is that MS owns you, THAT RIGTH OWN YOUR SORRY A@@ haha with the WPA (Windows Product Activation) & WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) with that phones home carp, What you all think going happing when MS turn off validation process for XP which is most likely going happing in a few years which mean you being force to move some other OS.
4: Reinstall XP or Vista on a new assembled system becuases your old system die mean you going re-do the validation process which is not going to match old system hash so now you have CALL MS and think XP bad just wait in tell you get load of Vista, Read this http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11..._eula_worries/
5: You all should be worries about MS planning annual rental fee meaning you be force each and every year to paid in order to keep using windows, office and etc.
can you provide proof for number 5 please.. because if that true, this give cracker more reason to crack windows and more reason for me to pirate it.
That going be little hard to do when it build in to OS when it going want to check activation so now you end up with messaage saying We sorry your copy of XP didn't pass validation check becuases MS disabled it, so no more Windows Update no more install IE7 or WMP11, etc even if you own a genuine copy of XP and they user are sure in hell not going want install a crack, etc becuase 95% of thoses crack most have embeded virus, carp spyware, etc, etc and some of then are even attempt to do Relay Spam to make them some $$$ and some them cuases more harm then good so you better stop and think before you go download cracks, keygens and etc from websites, ftp, irc and newsgroup you just can not trust those hackers and crackers now days.
And also, I couldn't believe that even the download site for Windows Live Messenger 8 says you need Windows XP or Server 2003. (can't use it on Windows 2000)
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