Yesterday, while clicking around on the BBC Web site for a live election coverage feed (remember, I’m in Japan), I had a WTF moment. Basically, I had stumbled across an article titled “The end of an era – Windows 3.x“. In summary, the article explained that on November 1st 2008 Microsoft stopped allowing licenses for Windows for Workgroups 3.11 to be purchased for an embedded system.
Yes, the fact that you could still buy (at least until November 1st) a Windows for Workgroups 3.11 license for an embedded system was my WTF. Granted when I actually thought about, the fact that anyone might still be using an obsolete operating system did seem that farfetched. After all, I see instances of OA (old a##) versions of operating systems and applications running at almost all of our clients. All the time…
But still… Windows 3.x! There comes a point when trying to use something that obsolete goes beyond any sanity that can referenced in well used arguments that often revolve around:
– Saving money
– Using something that is known
– Ensuring compatibility
– Blah, blah, blah…
Instead, regardless if the item in question is open source, closed source, my source… operating systems, hardware, or applications that serve a purpose need to be supportable. The further you transgress from a supportable environment the greater the impact and cost an incident will have on the person, organization, etc. trying to use “OA stuff”.
Anyhow… that is my humble opinion.
