Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers fromtheir webpages?

[Guest 98 Guy]

The following was recently posted in the win-9x forum on MSFN.org. I

thought I'd re-post it here and see if any MVP's have anything to say

about it. I haven't verified this particular issue with HP myself.

 

-----------------------

Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from

their webpages?

 

HP have just removed their win98-drivers and says thing like this

 

"HP’s licensing agreement with third-party providers granting use of

their components will expire."

 

and

 

"Microsoft has stopped providing and supporting certain files related

specifically to Windows 98 SE, and this change affects all technology

companies. HP, along with other technology companies, is no longer

able to use selected components in support of Windows 98SE, which has

an impact on our software strategy for Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and

Windows Me."

 

on their webpage.

 

?

 

ps. have anyone made backups of all hp's drivers?

--------------------------

 

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=28036eb00aea9a9bada3bb18a559c106&showtopic=101792

[Guest Franc Zabkar]

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 22:32:24 -0400, 98 Guy <98@Guy.com> put finger to

keyboard and composed:

>The following was recently posted in the win-9x forum on MSFN.org. I

>thought I'd re-post it here and see if any MVP's have anything to say

>about it. I haven't verified this particular issue with HP myself.

>

>-----------------------

>Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from

>their webpages?

>

>HP have just removed their win98-drivers and says thing like this

>

>"HP’s licensing agreement with third-party providers granting use of

>their components will expire."

 

That's a strange statement.

 

"HP’s licensing agreement [singular] with third-party providers

[plural] granting use of their components will expire [all at the same

time?]."

 

Which third party provider(s)? All of them, or just Microsoft?

 

Which MS components are included with HP's printer drivers? Are HP's

Win98 printer drivers still available for download? If not, why not?

>and

>

>"Microsoft has stopped providing and supporting certain files related

>specifically to Windows 98 SE, and this change affects all technology

>companies. HP, along with other technology companies, is no longer

>able to use selected components in support of Windows 98SE, which has

>an impact on our software strategy for Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and

>Windows Me."

>

>on their webpage.

>

>?

>

>ps. have anyone made backups of all hp's drivers?

>--------------------------

>

>http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=28036eb00aea9a9bada3bb18a559c106&showtopic=101792

 

- Franc Zabkar

--

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

[Guest John John]

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x driversfrom their webpages?

 

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x driversfrom their webpages?

 

Microsoft cannot force third parties to provide or not provide drivers

for any operating system. If a hardware manufacturer wants to provide

drivers for Windows 98 Microsoft cannot stop them from doing so. And if

that hardware manufacturer doesn't want to provide drivers for Vista

there is nothing that Microsoft can do to force them to do so. Like it

or not, hardware support for Windows 98 is being abandoned by many

hardware manufacturers, not because Microsoft told them to do so but

because sales for Windows 98 pc are to few to warrant the additional

expenses or because Windows 98 cannot properly run some of the new hardware.

 

John

 

98 Guy wrote:

> The following was recently posted in the win-9x forum on MSFN.org. I

> thought I'd re-post it here and see if any MVP's have anything to say

> about it. I haven't verified this particular issue with HP myself.

>

> -----------------------

> Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from

> their webpages?

>

> HP have just removed their win98-drivers and says thing like this

>

> "HP’s licensing agreement with third-party providers granting use of

> their components will expire."

>

> and

>

> "Microsoft has stopped providing and supporting certain files related

> specifically to Windows 98 SE, and this change affects all technology

> companies. HP, along with other technology companies, is no longer

> able to use selected components in support of Windows 98SE, which has

> an impact on our software strategy for Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and

> Windows Me."

>

> on their webpage.

>

> ?

>

> ps. have anyone made backups of all hp's drivers?

> --------------------------

>

> http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=28036eb00aea9a9bada3bb18a559c106&showtopic=101792

[Guest Don Phillipson]

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message

news:OjsL$NE0HHA.5380@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> . . . hardware support for Windows 98 is being abandoned by many

> hardware manufacturers, not because Microsoft told them to do so but

> because sales for Windows 98 pc are to few to warrant the additional

> expenses or because Windows 98 cannot properly run some of the new

hardware.

 

True . . . but Linux often can, and people still

can and do write Linux drivers for the public domain

(much as for CP/M and MS-DOS 25 years ago.)

 

--

Don Phillipson

Carlsbad Springs

(Ottawa, Canada)

[Guest Sudy Nim]

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

"Don Phillipson" <d.phillipsonSPAMBLOCK@rogers.com> wrote in message

news:ObUTcyF0HHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> "John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message

> news:OjsL$NE0HHA.5380@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>

> > . . . hardware support for Windows 98 is being abandoned by many

> > hardware manufacturers, not because Microsoft told them to do so but

> > because sales for Windows 98 pc are to few to warrant the additional

> > expenses or because Windows 98 cannot properly run some of the new

> hardware.

>

> True . . . but Linux often can, and people still

> can and do write Linux drivers for the public domain

> (much as for CP/M and MS-DOS 25 years ago.)

>

> --

> Don Phillipson

> Carlsbad Springs

> (Ottawa, Canada)

>

>

Best Buy has a stack of Yahoo DSL modems with specifications stating w98

etc. to Vista. I called yahoo and asked to connect to DSL and was told that

XP is minimum requirement. I pointed out that they are selling modems that

indicate otherwise. They stated that because MS stopped their support of w98

they no longer provide that service.

[Guest philo]

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

<snip>

> >

> >

> Best Buy has a stack of Yahoo DSL modems with specifications stating w98

> etc. to Vista. I called yahoo and asked to connect to DSL and was told

that

> XP is minimum requirement. I pointed out that they are selling modems that

> indicate otherwise. They stated that because MS stopped their support of

w98

> they no longer provide that service.

>

>

>

 

FWIW: The problem is actually that the Yahoo software that you need to

install in order to activate your account will not install on a Win98

machine (I'm pretty sure it will work with Win2k). At any rate...once the

account has been activated...

you can put a Win98 machine on-line. For that matter and machine with any OS

will work as long as you have a TCP/IP

eithernet connection

[Guest Sudy Nim]

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

Re: Is microsoft forcing hardware producers to remove win9x drivers from their webpages?

 

 

"philo" <philo@privacy.net> wrote in message

news:%23apufVP0HHA.5884@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> <snip>

> > >

> > >

> > Best Buy has a stack of Yahoo DSL modems with specifications stating w98

> > etc. to Vista. I called yahoo and asked to connect to DSL and was told

> that

> > XP is minimum requirement. I pointed out that they are selling modems

that

> > indicate otherwise. They stated that because MS stopped their support of

> w98

> > they no longer provide that service.

> >

> >

> >

>

> FWIW: The problem is actually that the Yahoo software that you need to

> install in order to activate your account will not install on a Win98

> machine (I'm pretty sure it will work with Win2k). At any rate...once the

> account has been activated...

> you can put a Win98 machine on-line. For that matter and machine with any

OS

> will work as long as you have a TCP/IP

> eithernet connection

>

>

I use dial-up networking to connect and not the ISP software. So all I need

is the account number. I'll have to look into this, thanks.