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Microsoft Abandoned Windows 95 Users

Members of the ISP-Tech list discuss recent Microsoft announcements and the release of Internet Explorer Administration Kit Version 6.0.

[December 7, 2001]

On the ISP-Tech list in November, BL complained,

"It appears that Microsoft has decided Internet Explorer Administration Kit Version 6.0 will no longer support Windows 95. I don't know about you, but I have many Windows 95 users still signing on to my service. Any thoughts on how to handle this?"

A number of respondents noted that it's all part of the usual upgrade process:

[TW offered] "The problem is that Internet Explorer 6.0 doesn't support Windows 95. You need a minimum of Windows 98 to install Internet Explorer 6.0."

[RS agreed] "Windows 95 is now officially unsupported by Microsoft. I understand your position, but Microsoft cannot continue supporting outdated software: the cost would be prohibitive."

[LK added] "I hear that nothing below Windows 2000 will be supported by Microsoft starting next year."

Others disagreed about whether or not it's possible to please everyone all the time:

[BK advised] "It looks like you need a CD with both versions on it, and some way to identify which operating system the customer has, so the proper version will be installed."

[GG observed] "Read the IEAK license agreement. It states that in order to use the new version, you must discontinue use of the old one. It also states that you must upgrade to the newest version each time a newer version of the IEAK becomes available."

[CR countered] "Actually, it says you have to make a 'reasonable effort' to discontinue distributing older software. You don't have to point-blank stop. So if you have a user that can't use Internet Explorer 6.0, then you just have to make every 'reasonable effort' to supply them with the newest software."

Still others suggested that this kind of activity requires an aggressive response:

[GG offered] "We need some industry laws to prevent things like this. In the '50s, auto manufactures tried to reduce cost by discontinuing service on models that were only a few years old, and the government stepped in and forced them to support older models. My guess is that this will also happen in the software industry within a couple of years, after enough people start complaining about it."

[BS asked] "Does the phrase 'abuse of monopoly power' ring a bell? Most people I know would be happy to stick with the software they know, but Microsoft makes the license non-transferable to other computers, so you can't do that. Microsoft will not sell you new licenses for the old software, so now the people with old software have to buy new software to talk to people with the new software. And Microsoft is by no means alone in playing this game; they are simply the best at it."

TB, on the other hand, observed that change is inevitable:

"Come on: the software folks aren't making their software obsolete just to annoy the customers. They are trying to reduce support overhead on a myriad of releases by dropping support for the older ones. They are also trying to meet consumer demands that their software do this and that. The market sets the standard, not the few who don't want to change."

—End