Firefox Support Ending for Windows 2000, Windows XP Pre-SP2

[snakeair]

Not so good news for some people.

If you're one of the few Firefox users still on Windows 2000 or still using Windows XP without Service Pack 2 or later, Firefox is going to have to say goodbye. Yesterday, Mozilla's Asa Dotzler announced that Firefox team is moving to a newer version of the Visual Studio toolchain. Once Mozilla moves to Visual Studio 2010, they won't be able to build for Windows 2000, XP RTM or SP1.

Dotzler says that the team has held off "for a number of years" to preserve support for Windows 2000, Windows XP Release to Manufacturing (RTM), and Windows XP SP1. Unfortunately, that comes at a....

Continued at: http://www.readwriteweb.com/hack/201...ng-for-win.php

Any feedback about this?

[ceekeigh]

Maybe it's fine when it comes to supporting Windows 2000 because the OS is a bit old. And only a few people use Windows 2000. However, when it comes to Windows XP RTM & SP1, I think it's a bit early for them to stop supporting users of the said OS. As many people still use Windows XP RTM & SP1.

[Dan Williamson]

Doesn't this just mean that they won't be able to update any versions of their Firefox, all they will need is the old executable file if they want to deploy it on any new systems running these.

[ceekeigh]

Yes they won't be able to update their old installation. Bad thing is once it gets corrupted how would you re-install it?

[Dan Williamson]

As per my previous post, an old executable. Just because a file is no longer on the home page of the Mozilla website doesn't mean it's gone. Any good System Administrator has backups, anyone with basic Google skills can find an old file.

Where I last worked we had a Server 2000 DC which was limited to Firefox 3 which we had wrote a custom extension for to parse a bunch of records which we didn't want to update each time they released a new version, so we had old installers on the server, tapes and a pendrive.

[ceekeigh]

I have nothing against your post. But I am talking about general users.

[Dan Williamson]

http://www.oldapps.com/firefox.php

A well known website, very high in Google ranking for whatever app plus version number or old version etc.

http://i.imgur.com/VFnfI.jpg - there, I even installed the 0.8 version of Firefox for you!

[taipres]

Yeah mozilla is trying to be like google, with the rapid release. At first they said screw corps when they messed it up, and were breaking everything but now they wised up and have release for corps. Is a shame they're stopping early XP version support, many still use it.

[lets4410]

Fire Fox is quite a good browser but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I couldn't use it anymore, I'd just swap to something else and continue what I was doing, which is what everyone on the planet will probably do when they can't use it anymore

[carolh]

Bad News if it true that Firefox Support Ending for Windows 2000.

[solprovider]

Good news I don't use firefox

[kontrol]

windows 2000 is actually very old. it is worth it.

[c5c1lia]

So many of us are not using the old operating systems any more so it will not be a problem for us even though there will be no support from the mozilla. However, they will be starting their support things with the latest operating systems like windows 7, windows 8 (after it's launch).

[Dreamrage]

Originally Posted by c5c1lia

So many of us are not using the old operating systems any more so it will not be a problem for us even though there will be no support from the mozilla. However, they will be starting their support things with the latest operating systems like windows 7, windows 8 (after it's launch).

I can agree with 2000 etc. But there are still many out there that have XP, I mean I am one of 'em lol. Even though the desktop was updated to SP3. I have vista on my laptop atm so there's no worry there either.

Plus, as Dan has said, its kinda easy to find older versions. You might not get them updated regularly, but you wouldn't have to resort to using something like IE.

What I do think will happen is that at some point XP will be taken out of the running completely, even with SP3. (IMHO of course )

[GMF]

Originally Posted by Dreamrage

What I do think will happen is that at some point XP will be taken out of the running completely, even with SP3. (IMHO of course )

Well, the support for XP with SP3 will end on April 8, 2014. After that, no more fixes or anything. I heard somewhere that you can then download it legally, since it's no more available, but that could just be a rumor...

[Dreamrage]

Hmmmm, It seems like just about everything is pushing me towards upgrading the XP installation on my desktop. I just prefer it to the others though, even if it isn't very graphically appealing.

[GMF]

Originally Posted by Dreamrage

Hmmmm, It seems like just about everything is pushing me towards upgrading the XP installation on my desktop. I just prefer it to the others though, even if it isn't very graphically appealing.

XP is a fine OS, but 7 is better. Never regretted the upgrade from XP to 7. Sadly, there is no way to directly upgrade from XP to 7. There is a way to upgrade to vista and then to 7, but I don't recommend it. I did it once, on my old Dell Vostro laptop - Slow, hot, no fun at all. Made a data backup and a fresh 7 install, and it works like a charm. Doesn't even take that long to backup your data (with the right software).

You could multiboot your OS and test 7. There should be a 90 day demo around somewhere

[Dreamrage]

I prefer fresh installs actually lol. I guess you're right. If I can sacrifice my laptop to vista, then I can do the same for the desktop and finally say ciao to it all.