Microsoft to start selling Windows 7 add-on support April 1

[PingSpike]

https://www.computerworld.com/artic...selling-windows-7-add-on-support-april-1.html

patches will be issued only for bugs rated "Critical" or "Important" by Microsoft, the top two rankings in a four-step scoring system.

ESU will be dealt out in one-year increments for up to three years and support will be sold on a per-device basis, rather than the per-user approach Microsoft has pushed for Windows 10 licensing. Costs for ESU will start out low - $25 or $50 per year per device - but will double each year, ending at $100 or $200 per device for the third and final year. (The less expensive prices will be for subscribers to Windows 10 Enterprise or Microsoft 365 Enterprise.)

Looks like they'll let you opt out but its going to cost you.

I still don't know what I'm going to do with my wife's PC once the time is up. She doesn't care for the file system setup on our linux set top box and she actually uses more Windows only software than I. $50 doesn't sound that bad, $200 doesn't sound that good though! And its still just kicking the can down the road.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, interesting that at least they're offering it, which is WAY better than just cutting people off.

What I'm personally a bit curious about, is whether they will re-allow "Feature Updates" for Win7 (64-bit). The reason I ask is, because WPA3 is scheduled to be deployed in Windows around that time-frame, and I'm wondering if possibly, Microsoft will use that as a "Carrot" to get people to sign up for this "Win7 extended maintenance plan", in order to get WPA3 support for their new routers, for those still on Windows 7.

Personally, I would see the above as "brilliant marketing", but I somehow doubt that MS is that clue-full as an organization.

Microsoft said that ESU will be available from multiple volume licensing channels later this year from official partners or Microsoft's own sales teams.

Seems that this is only going to be made available to MS's VL customers, and not to retail/OEM end-users? Seems like a missed business opportunity, to charge people running Windows 7 (consumer) PCs up to $350 each., which is more than Windows 7 initially cost on those machines (even less for branded OEM boxes.)

 

[Bardock]

"never let logic stand in the way of a good cash gouging I always say!" -Bill Gates

 

[mindless1]

I still don't know what I'm going to do with my wife's PC once the time is up. She doesn't care for the file system setup on our linux set top box and she actually uses more Windows only software than I. $50 doesn't sound that bad, $200 doesn't sound that good though! And its still just kicking the can down the road.

Don't be a mouse on a treadmill. You don't need windows "support".

If it works, don't fix it. Also don't engage in unsafe computing practices, have a router, don't use warez, don't open unknown email attachments, have a secure browser limiting scripting, blahblahblah.

Win7 security patches mostly matter in an unsecured business environment where any joker can do something stupid or vengeful, and they are of limited benefit in those two scenarios anyway.

Support for newer must-have software or drivers, on the other hand, are arguably good reasons to move on to a newer windows version.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Windows 98 for the win!!