

Downgrade plan for Windows 7 PCs - CalmQuiet
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7991708.stm

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noonespecial
_Windows XP, released to consumers in 2001, was also granted a lifeline to
ensure that it could be used on so-called netbooks - cut-down net-capable
laptops that are proving very popular._

What amazes me is how _good_ XP really was. When I look back at what I was
using as "Desktop Linux" in 2001...

Aside from a few security enhancements along the way, XP seems to be evolution
apogee for the MS Windows line. Don't get me wrong, the Windows 7 beta looks
good, but my first thought seeing it after Vista was "ahh finally, it works as
well as XP!"

~~~
MrRage
I think you memory is a bit selective. XP is good _now_ after 3 service packs,
and MB of upgrades. Actually it's not really good, just mature. Everyone
seemed to hated it before SP2 came out. Before then security was really,
really bad. If you were to put a pre-SP2 copy directly on the internet, it
would probably compromised within the hour. And then Vista came out, your
apps/hardware couldn't run (which is much better now BTW), and suddenly XP is
the greatest thing in the world outside of OS X.

~~~
briansmith
Even still, SP2 was released in 2004. I would (and did) run 2004's Windows
over 2009's Ubuntu any day.

~~~
windsurfer
Even on a day you don't have a net connection? What would you do, play
solitaire and code in notepad? Ubuntu comes packed with goodies.

~~~
varaon
Ehh, to a degree. Many of the default games are similar to the type that would
come bundled with Windows 95. The better games need to be installed (as they
would on Windows), and even then they're mostly just OK.

Robots is the only bundled Ubuntu game that really interests me. Chip's
Challenge on Windows 95 rocked.

~~~
windsurfer
You had to install chips challenge. And there's always wine... but Ubuntu also
has a "Chips Challenge Engine Emulator" that if you had the original copy of
the game, you can play on Ubuntu too :)

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bep
This is common practice from Microsoft.

From Windows XP EULA: _Use of Previous Version Of Software. In lieu of
installing and using Microsoft Windows XP Professional SOFTWARE, you may
install, use, access, display and run ONE of the following versions: Microsoft
Windows 2000 Professional, Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 or
Microsoft Windows 98 (Second Edition) (”Downgrade Software”) on the COMPUTER,
provided (1) you agree that Downgrade Software support will NOT be provided
hereunder by Manufacturer, MS or Microsoft Corporation, their affiliates or
subsidiaries: (2) you agree that neither Manufacturer, MS nor Microsoft
Corporation will provide you with the Downgrade Software or media; (3) you may
not loan, rent, lease, lend or otherwise transfer the CD or back-up copy of
Microsoft Windows XP Professional to another end user, except as otherwise
provided in the transfer provisions of this EULA…._

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jasongullickson
Can anyone think of another operating system that has users pining for the
ability to trade the new version in for the old?

~~~
philwelch
I seem to remember a lot of large institutions and techies kept using Windows
2000 for years after Windows XP came out.

~~~
rg
I was in a large up-to-date teaching hospital the other day, and all their
networked PC stations were running Win 2000 with some third-party specialized
hospital information systems software.

~~~
MrRage
I'm on a project writing browser-based pharmacy management software for
hospitals. I have to make it work in IE6 because later IE version don't run on
Windows 2000.

~~~
varaon
IE6 - Kill it with fire!

Might be a pain for IT to replace with Firefox, but is doable. I did this for
a 60-year-old and then skinned it just like IE so the difference was barely
noticeable.

