Hanover - Users of the Windows 98 operating system should soon permanently disconnect their machines from the Internet.
"This reduces the risk that viruses will exploit security holes in the system," says Axel Vahldiek from the Hanover-based computer magazine c't.
Microsoft recently announced that July 11 will be the last day of support for Windows 98 and Windows Me.
Most significantly, no more new security updates will be offered from the company's home-page after that date. Computers being used for non-Internet related purposes are not threatened by this. For other computers, however, users should consider buying a newer machine that can support a more modern operating system. Old computers often fail to meet the minimum hardware requirements for newer operating systems.
There is no real alternative to Microsoft support, Vahldiek feels. "Microsoft has never released the source code for Windows 98. That's why no other provider can fill the gap," he says.
The software maker has also declined to reveal its internal estimates on numbers of users.
"But not all that many people are still using Windows 98," says Microsoft spokesperson Irene Nadler.
Most of the holdouts are companies that operate specific applications using the operating system. Only few private users have for whatever reason chosen not to move to the newer Windows XP.
A new Windows version called Vista is expected on the market next year. - Sapa-dpa
