Time to Replace Those Old Windows!

From the Microsoft Windows Site:

End of support for Windows 98 and Windows Me

July 11, 2006 will bring a close to Extended Support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Me as part of the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy. Microsoft will retire public and technical support, including security updates, by this date.

End of support for Windows XP Service Pack 1

On October 10, 2006, Microsoft will end all public assisted support for Windows XP Service Pack1 (SP1). After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide any incident support options or security updates for this retired service pack under the policies defined by the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy.

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I've already discovered the need to upgrade to Windows XP SP2 recently when I had tried to upgrade my Windows Anti Spyware now known as Windows Defender. Also when I attempted to upgrade to Windows Media Player 10, I also received notification I would need to have Windows XP SP2. Even after these notifications, I was hesitant to install Windows XP SP2 after a previous install when it first came out left me unable to connect to the Internet. The Anti-Spyware wasn't that big of a deal since I use other programs and as for media I use either WinAmp or Real Player. I later figured out my connectivity problems were caused by the crappy Windows firewall. I have since installed SP2 and disabled the Windows firewall and am using a third-party (as in n0n-Mirosquish) firewall program.

So you are probably wondering why the Guru finally broke down and upgraded to SP2, when I had such hostility towards that upgrade? One day I was running the usual Windows Updates when I got a popup on my taskbar's system tray informing me after October 10th no more updates. So I was left with a couple options, upgrade and hope I would able to access the Internet or do nothing and hope for the best. I could just see booting up one morning and getting the message:

This version of Windows you are running is obsolete and may no longer be used.
You must upgrade to Service Pack 2 in order to continue using Windows.

After a very long update process I was able to get Windows XP SP2 install along with all the other 'critical updates'. So far so good, I now have the new Windows Defender and I can still get on the Internet. I haven't bothered yet with Media Player 10, at least I don't think I have.