Finally, Windows Me/98 Move Toward Retirement

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==== In the News ==== - Finally, Windows Me/98 Move Toward Retirement - Google Moves into Calendaring

by Paul Thurrott, thurrott@windowsitpro.com

Finally, Windows Me/98 Move Toward Retirement

Microsoft has begun alerting its customers that it will retire three of its legacy Windows versions--Windows Me, Windows 98 Second Edition (Win98SE), and Windows 98--on July 11, 2006. In other words, these products will exit Microsoft's extended support phase and the company will stop providing any support.

"Microsoft is ending support for these products because they're outdated, and these older operating systems can expose customers to security risks," a note on Microsoft's Web site reads. "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."

Windows Me, Win98SE, and Win98 represent the end of the line for Microsoft's MS-DOS-based Windows versions. Current versions of Windows, such as XP and the upcoming Windows Vista, are based on a different code base that began with Windows NT. NT and its successors aren't based on MS-DOS, an OS with roots dating back to CP/M in the late 1970s.

For Windows Me, Win98SE, and Win98 customers, the time has definitely come to upgrade. Microsoft will not only stop providing paid incident support but will also stop providing any downloadable critical security patches. A year after July 11, 2006, the company will stop providing self-help support online. For more information, please refer to Microsoft's support notification. http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=26F45:610453

Google Moves into Calendaring

Today, Google unveiled a beta version of its new Google Calendar service, which lets customers track appointments and other scheduling data, and share them with others. Calendar functionality has long been a feature that Web email providers such as Microsoft and Yahoo have provided, but this marks Google's first entry into this market. Like competing solutions, Google Calendar is free. However, unlike many Google services, it's devoid of advertising.

Google Calendar offers quick schedule searching in keeping with Google's central capability. You can also specify calendar searches to include calendars that others have shared with you. In its current form, Google Calendar offers basic functionality: You can add events, which are public or private and can include invitations to other individuals; and you can view your calendar by day, by the next four days, by week, or by month. An agenda view lets you view upcoming events in a list, sorted by date.

Google has big plans for its calendaring service and as a public beta, it will be changing in the days ahead. For example, the company plans to add synchronization capabilities so that users can sync with Microsoft Outlook and a variety of smart phone devices.

Microsoft is working on several competing calendaring applications and services. Outlook 2007, a component of Office 2007, will include a vastly improved calendar component. Windows Vista, due in early 2007, will include a new application called Windows Calendar, which offers features similar to those of Google Calendar but is available offline. Also, Windows Live Mail includes an online calendar component that is quite similar to Google Calendar.

Google Calendar works best with Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) and Mozilla Firefox and is open to all users. Please visit the Google Web site for more information. http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=26F49:610453

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