Microsoft is now saying that support for Windows 10 will cease on October 14 2025, meaning that If you continue to use Windows 10 your PC will still work, but it will become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Your PC will continue to start and run, but you will no longer receive software updates, including security updates, from Microsoft.
Now I have absolutely no problem with this if computer users like me could buy third party support providing software updates including security updates. But Microsoft has managed to write its licenses in a manner that precludes other companies from doing this.
It is rather like an automobile manufacturer saying you can buy my car but we will stop supplying spare parts at a time of our choosing -— and-— oh yes -— we have legal powers to stop any other supplier from providing spare parts.
This is a direct harm to the tens of millions — maybe hundreds of millions — of computer users who are happy with their current operating system and have absolutely no need to “upgrade”.
Microsoft has for many years been using this deeply anti-competitve strategy to force millions of people to fork out hundreds of millions of dollars “upgrading” systems that work perfectly well. This is forced obsolescence, which benefits the shareholders of Microsoft, and others in the computer industry. but creates enormous harm to computer users, having to spend large sums of money replacing things that work perfectly well.
Please, push for legislation forcing Microsoft to allow other computer software companies to provide support for Windows computers after Microsoft stops support. This will be unpopular in the computer industry, but vastly popular among the hundreds of millions of people and people in other countries who are using Microsoft operating systems.
Or — maybe existing anti-trust law could be used to accomplish this, if DOJ chooses to enforce it.
UPDATE:
Readers already with a computer running Windows 10 should be aware that to use Windows 11, you very likely will have to buy a new computer.
According to the Microsoft website, ”your computer will not work well with Windows 11 unless it meets certain minimum system requirements.”
“If your device does not meet these requirements, you may not be able to install Windows 11 on your device and might want to consider purchasing a new PC. If you are unsure whether your PC meets these requirements, you can check with your PC Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or, if your device is already running Windows 10, you can use the PC Health Check app to assess compatibility. Note that this app does not check for graphics card or display, as most compatible devices will meet those requirements listed below.
Your device must be running Windows 10, version 2004 or later, to upgrade. Free updates are available through Windows Update. "
Hmmm... sadly, I own three very fast and capable Dell 9010 computers with 32 gigabytes of RAM and terabytes of storage running Windows 10, but that do not meet Microsoft's system requirements.
To put it very mildly, I consider it an egregious and outrageous financial harm and waste of time and money to have to replace these 3 computers to enrich the shareholders of Microsoft corporation.
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