Microsoft to end support for Windows 7 in 2015.

Spacescreamer

Spacescreamer

Level H
Microsoft is warning customers that the end is soon coming for Windows 7 in much the same way it came for Windows XP earlier this year. Microsoft will end free mainstream support for Windows 7 on January 13, 2015.
That means no more security patches if hackers find holes, no more updated features or performance improvements.

This covers all versions of Windows 7, Mary Jo Foley points out.

This move will mostly affect consumers. Businesses that pay for extended Windows 7 support, as most of them do, will be supported for another five years, until January 14, 2020.

That's important, because many businesses are right now are in the process of upgrading their old Windows XP PCs, but they're moving to Windows 7, not Windows 8.

There's some speculation that, given the popularity of Windows 7, Microsoft might change its mind as the date nears and continue to support it a bit longer, like it did for Windows XP. All told, Microsoft supported XP for about 13 years.

That kind of extension doesn't seem likely at this point. Remember, Windows 8 basically includes a full version of Windows 7, called Desktop mode. With Windows 8.1, it's possible to run a Windows 8 machine in Desktop mode and almost avoid the new-and-confusing Windows 8 part of the OS.

And Microsoft really needs to nudge consumers into buying Windows 8 machines. More Windows 8 machines means more developers will want to write software for Windows 8, which will make more people want to buy it.

Microsoft also set an end-of-life of mainstream support for Windows 8 (including the latest version, Windows 8.1), for January 9, 2018.

This is another hint that Microsoft should have its next version of Windows ready in 2015, code-named "Threshold" (sometimes referred to as Windows 9).

If Microsoft plays its cards right, Windows 9 will be to the unloved Windows 8 what Windows 7 was to Vista, which InfoWorld ranked No. 2 on its list of the 25 biggest tech flops (also PCWorld's "Biggest Tech Disappointment" of 2007.)
Click to expand...

Source
 
I'll shift to some Linux build. I hardly use my pc now. I use it mostly for browsing or watching movies. Also some printing and letter writing too. All this can be done on Linux easily. No need to install a 20GB+ os on hdd.
 
I was under the impression that Win 7 would be supported up to January 14, 2020 for everyone for FREE. Just like Win XP was till April 8, 2014. Source -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows/lifecycle

Also, via Toms -
"Windows 7 was originally looking at a Mainstream Support end-date of 2015. All users can now expect support to last through to 2020. Extended Support for Windows XP, which is still used by many businesses, is scheduled to end in 2014."
Source -
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/support-windows-7-windows-vista-updates-tech-support,14761.html
 
In short Mainstream update is like adding new driver support or some minor functionalities which are now a part of new versions and coming up with regular software updates not only for security issues/bugs but also for performance improvement and feature addition.
But they will be be providing extended support till 2020. which will include CUs and security updates for security bugs. They might comeup with a SP for win7 and then after some time they will only support versions of Win7 newer than that particular SP.
So nothing to bother about. Still a long way to go...... just ignore this news and move on.....
Corporates and institutions are the only one which are mainly affected by this and they will definitely move on to some new version in a year or so....
 
@onlyravi, why does it say that it effects only consumers and not corporates? Looks like only the corporates will get extended support till 2020 since they pay for it. Normal consumers won't get anything.
 
Here is the confirmation -

This week, Microsoft issued a reminder to consumers that Windows 7 will exit Mainstream Support and enter the Extended Support phase on January 13, 2015. That means Windows 7 customers will still obtain security fixes until 2020, but the platform will no longer receive cool new features. This change affects all ten versions of the Windows 7 platform.

"Extended Support lasts for 5 years and includes security updates at no cost, and paid hotfix support. Additionally, Microsoft will not accept requests for design changes or new features during the Extended Support phase," states the support page.

Link - http://support.microsoft.com/gp/support-reaching-end-2nd

More info -
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-update-extended-mainstream-support,27220.html
 
6pack said:
@onlyravi, why does it say that it effects only consumers and not corporates? Looks like only the corporates will get extended support till 2020 since they pay for it. Normal consumers won't get anything.
Click to expand...
Corporates mainly IT "industries" dont like to use non supported OS... Reasons being
1)They are not actively supported meaning fewer security updates and no new features.
2)Less or unsupported compatibility with the current gen hardware or technologies. Like newer group policies or corporate policies may not always be enforced on old OS. Like every new server OS has lots of new features for network admins. but not all of these features are compatible with old OS.
3)Many network security frameworks like Symantec/Altiris or Microsoft's own applications monitor your network for every new machine that connects. They verify this new machine that has joined the network by running some policies to make sure its not a threat and complies to organisational policies. Only then it will allow that machine network access. So rules / policies for such monitors always upgrades and it may not support old OS because they are often thought of as a security concern. (Sadly this happens only with Windows).

Most Corporates have volume licensing or premium MSDN access or they are Gold Partners of MS. So whenever a new OS is released they study if there are any good features that can be used by their org and then test the OS in a isolated env.
Looking at the MS Windows OS reputation Corporates hesitate to jump on any new OS until a first SP is launched. Which means things are more stable with that OS.
At the same time there are many many corporates who use the Windows OS in their ecosystem only to run certain custom build applications for their org. Such players are always reluctant to upgrade to newer OS
sighting
1) Upgrade cost. Sometime OS upgrade may require to upgrade your workstations also....
2) support for custom built applications comes at additional cost.
3) They need to be sure all their existing hardware and networking equipment / printers, etc will be supported by new OS.
4) Sometimes staff also has to be trained to be comfortable with new OS. Even a 1 hour / user training session for a org of 1000 ppl results in cost of 1000 man hours :)

This is old story with Windows OS.... and its become a cycle now.....
The only OS ppl were so reluctant to not let go off was Windows XP.... ppl just wanted to hang on to it for ever...
 
Please answer my one query which would help many. For a common user using Windows 7 and not the business people, will we still get updates? Does ending Mainstream support would mean all updates are stopped from release and only support for the corporates?
 
Updates are stopped for one and all....
Since updates are free as part of support they are publicly available to all if available else to none.

A little off track but its fascinating to know the entire process behind a single security bulletin released by Microsoft. More than a month's work goes in every single security update..... And there is a small industry whose main stream income comes from distributing these updates to every machine on the network... :)
 
Back
Top