Riverboat

Intel Speeds Ahead of Advanced Micro Devices

I spoke too quick. Microsoft (MS) has already scheduled the demise of Windows 2000. MS released Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) and it does not support Win 2000.


Here is the techie jargon for bye-bye Win 2000:

"...There are two important events that will happen to the support policy for Windows 2000 after June 30th of this year.

First, support for both IE 5.01 SP3 and IE 6 SP1 on Windows 2000 SP3 will expire. Users running IE 5.01 or IE 6 SP1 on Windows 2000 should upgrade to Windows 2000 SP4 in order to continue to receive security updates.

Second, Windows 2000 SP4 moves from mainstream to extended support. The key difference between mainstream support and extended support which I think is most relevant to this audience is this quote from the lifecycle site: "Microsoft will not accept requests for warranty support, design changes, or new features during the Extended support phase..."

But they (MS) will support security fixes for Win 2000.

Is MS gently nudging Win 2000 users to Vista?
You bet they are and Win XP is next, my guess.
Start thinking Intel long.

Intel Speeds Ahead of Advanced Micro Devices

A techie article on multi core cpus' here. No nod as to whose ahead: Intel or AMD.

"...Dual-core desktop blues
Advances in end-user hardware outstrip software support ..."

www.infoworld.com/arti...

If Vista has robust support for multiple processors - Core2or3or4ormoreDuo - and if this adds enough value for corporations and individuals, then Vista, and thus Intel and/or AMD, will benefit.

Computer hardware advances have outpaced software advances for going on 50 years now, nothing new in that news. Does anyone know about Vista's multi-thread ability? That knowledge has value.

Intel Speeds Ahead of Advanced Micro Devices

I've just purchased a new PC, Intel Core2Duo, and saw the head-to-head competition between Intel and AMD at the big online web order sites: HPQ and DELL. The big question is will Vista drive a new round of corporate and personal PC upgrades? If so, when. My personal opinion is that MS XP is a mature and stable platform that corporations will be reluctant to leave. Individuals also see little value in an expensive upgrade to get Vista; MS 2000, XP and XP Media Center present few reasons to hasten their departure.
Performance and Security bugs have been fairly well resolved or mitigated.

My call, if MS schedules a date for ceasing support of Windows 2000 or XP, then go long HPQ.