ZoneLabs ends support for Win98/98SE/ME

[YLAP]

Dear Windows 98/98SE/Me Customer,

Zone Labs, L.L.C. supports a balanced, multi-layered approach to security. An important part of this approach includes keeping software updated with the latest security patches.

Support Discontinued
On July 11, 2006, Microsoft will end support for Windows 98, 98SE and Me, which will have the resulting effect of making these operating systems less secure (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/support/endofsupport.mspx). Windows 98/Me are older operating systems, and are therefore inherently more vulnerable to attacks than newer operating systems. Now that Microsoft will no longer provide security updates to these operating systems any PC running them will become increasingly prone to security vulnerabilities.

Accordingly, Zone Labs will cease to support Windows 98/98SE/Me with the introduction of our version 6.5 ZoneAlarm family of products including ZoneAlarm® Internet Security Suite, ZoneAlarm® Pro, ZoneAlarm® Antivirus, ZoneAlarm® Anti-Spyware, and ZoneAlarm®.

Note about pre-6.5 products:


    * Pre-6.5 products will continue to run on the Windows 98/98SE/Me operating system. However, there are a few new and advanced protection features in ZoneAlarm products that will not run due to technical limitations of this operating system. Zone Labs strongly recommends upgrading to a supported and current version of the Windows operating system.
    * Zone Labs may end services to pre-6.5 products at any time.


There are no plans to discontinue support for any other Microsoft operating systems. This announcement applies to consumer products only and does not affect enterprise products.

[justin1278]

How long will it be until XP users are next? Microsoft will outdate XP fast how long will it take for software makers to do this...

[polonus]

Hi Ylap,

Read what I put here on minimal security for Win98SE:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=21871.0

I still use ZA for ME, but I have my own variety of this firewall now with an adopted version of packetfiltering: ZA-IPTables, and this following blocking list, going well on ZA: http://www.bluetack.co.uk/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=14
Also open source. Install the paranoid pipfilter.  So I adopt. Change things around a bit, use ResourceHacker, remove a nag screen here and there to keep some of the  software extended.  On the other hand M$ is not making it easy for all of us. If they fear the loss of sales against open source distributions (open Office for one) they change the code around so it will not run.... Scratch builders cannot do a job in these days, if they have to pay $ 170 for an unpatched OS-version and Dell pays M$ 35$ for the OEM OS, and you cannot use that later because they keep a fixed number outlet on the computer line (so many computers can only have that amount of keys), so that is la-la land for ye, even if you have the legit version from a comp that has burnt down, you cannot run it on a new one, so we are also entitled to "wriggle" a bit, aren't we? And therefore there is open source.
So I go with the old OS for "the best of both worlds" and taking the scary bits out, and keeping the checksums checked.
As long as it is malware free, it will run. And for the previous poster, start reading this book: http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/sigmil/RevEng/

polonus

[grumpy]

I hope that AVAST and ZoneAlarm will consider the number of WIN 98 users before disco'ing updates to their products. I use the free versions of both at home for 2 reasons. IFirst is to protect me, second to protect the rest of the net. The latter is why I think Avast and Zonealarm provide the free versions. So it they stop supporting us luddites we may be conduits to future viruses etc.
Re the comment about XP, it's probably the end of life support for 32 bit systems. MS is probably racing like hell to provide 64 bit support like it's better competitor already does.

[polonus]

Yes grumpy,

Yes, you're right. It all you see, is a power game. If you have bought a car six years ago, and you are experiencing some trouble with it, and the man would come up saying: "This car now is considered obsolete, we hold no spare parts for it anymore, and you have to take it off the street". How would you react? With a computer OS that is quite different then? And the number of users of 98, 98SE and ME is still some 13%, and what to think of people that cannot afford a new 400$ comp in a third world country (or pensioners for that matter). Do we have to deny them working a computer without malware?

polonus

[DavidR]

I hope that AVAST and ZoneAlarm will consider the number of WIN 98 users before disco'ing updates to their products. I use the free versions of both at home for 2 reasons. IFirst is to protect me, second to protect the rest of the net. The latter is why I think Avast and Zonealarm provide the free versions. So it they stop supporting us luddites we may be conduits to future viruses etc.
Re the comment about XP, it's probably the end of life support for 32 bit systems. MS is probably racing like hell to provide 64 bit support like it's better competitor already does.

And where have you seen/read/heard that avast will drop support for win98/winME ? They haven't, heck they even support win95 currently when some other AVs don't support you if you don't have XP or higher.

[polonus]

Hi David,

You are right, I would not expect Avast to do such a thing in a thousand years, but the rules are getting more narrow all the time.. Keep your eyes on the sparrow. Look here for the official Eula for XP:

1.2 Mandatory Activation. The license rights granted under this EULA are limited to the first thirty (30) days after you first install the Software unless you supply information required to activate your licensed copy in the manner described during the setup sequence of the Software

As far a M$ is concerned you have thirty days to activate XP, and then you can wipe your face, and forget it. Thats why they want to steer away from the old situation and older versions, and for a lot of people that is why WinXP will be their last Windows OS for their family.

polonus

[justin1278]

I agree with my good friend Polonus.

[igor]

Now that Microsoft will no longer provide security updates to these operating systems any PC running them will become increasingly prone to security vulnerabilities.

Accordingly, Zone Labs will cease to support Windows 98/98SE/Me with the introduction of our version 6.5 ZoneAlarm family of products including ZoneAlarm® Internet Security Suite, ZoneAlarm® Pro, ZoneAlarm® Antivirus, ZoneAlarm® Anti-Spyware, and ZoneAlarm®.

Funny reasoning, IMHO - shouldn't the increased vulnerability be a reason to provide more protection, instead of dropping the support completely?

Re the comment about XP, it's probably the end of life support for 32 bit systems. MS is probably racing like hell to provide 64 bit support like it's better competitor already does.

I don't think it will happen soon. New drivers are needed for 64bit systems (for hardware, and also software that needs some special drivers) - so I'd say it will take quite some time to force people to drop the old applications they are used to and upgrade.

I hope that AVAST and ZoneAlarm will consider the number of WIN 98 users before disco'ing updates to their products.

We certainly will [consider the number of users]. I'm not aware of any plans to drop support for Win9x soon... (even though it doesn't necessarily mean there aren't any, maybe I just don't know ). OK, maybe some new features will not be implemented for the older systems (you can find such ones already - the Network Shield, transparent redirection for the Web Shield and Internet Mail, some P2P providers...), but the basic functionality should be kept for some time.