3 ms·

I think you must differentiate between a general purpose OS and a single-purpose OS. Why isn't XP good enough to run a map kiosk in a mall? Or flight arrivals

by _red 9y ago

I think you must differentiate between a general purpose OS and a single-purpose OS. Why isn't XP good enough to run a map kiosk in a mall? Or flight arrivals screen in the airport? Face it, the needs of many single-use applications where solved decades ago...the need to constantly undergo the endless forced upgrade cycle waste a tremendous amount of human effort.

Sindisil 9y ago
Perhaps, as long as those units are air gapped (i.e., not Internet connected, with no physically unsecured I/O ports).
jononor 9y ago
XP is a general purpose OS, with a large attack surface. That is what makes it less-than-ideal for special purpose use.
signal11 9y ago
> Why isn't XP good enough to run a map kiosk in a mall? Or flight arrivals screen in the airport? It is and the stripped-down versions of XP Microsoft sells to run kiosks still get updates [1] > Windows Embedded Standard 2009. This product is an updated release of the toolkit and componentized version of Windows XP. It was originally released in 2008, and Extended Support will end on January 8, 2019. > Windows Embedded POSReady 2009. This product for point of sale devices reflects the updates available in Windows Embedded Standard 2009. It was originally released on 2009, and extended support will end on April 9, 2019. [1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/18581/lifecycle-faq-windows-products https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/18581/lifecycle-faq...
- _red 9y ago
  Sure. Everyone knows about the embedded line. However, MS makes it very difficult to acquire and manage those products. Generally speaking, you must buy their embedded products with a motherboard/cpu purchase from an authorized vendor. MS business strategy basically mandates that a whole class of "single purpose" customers can't / won't buy via the way MS wants to sell it. If you try to mandate that the mall buy your special (expensive) motherboard/XPe combo you will generally make no sales. Therefore the default becomes that your customers just go buy "whatever computer they can that matches specs" and run that. Hence you wind up with tens of millions of devices that aren't supported anymore.

by _red 9y ago

Sindisil 9y ago

Perhaps, as long as those units are air gapped (i.e., not Internet connected, with no physically unsecured I/O ports).

jononor 9y ago

XP is a general purpose OS, with a large attack surface. That is what makes it less-than-ideal for special purpose use.

signal11 9y ago

> Why isn't XP good enough to run a map kiosk in a mall? Or flight arrivals screen in the airport? It is and the stripped-down versions of XP Microsoft sells to run kiosks still get updates [1] > Windows Embedded Standard 2009. This product is an updated release of the toolkit and componentized version of Windows XP. It was originally released in 2008, and Extended Support will end on January 8, 2019. > Windows Embedded POSReady 2009. This product for point of sale devices reflects the updates available in Windows Embedded Standard 2009. It was originally released on 2009, and extended support will end on April 9, 2019. [1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/18581/lifecycle-faq-windows-products https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/18581/lifecycle-faq...

_red 9y ago
Sure. Everyone knows about the embedded line. However, MS makes it very difficult to acquire and manage those products. Generally speaking, you must buy their embedded products with a motherboard/cpu purchase from an authorized vendor. MS business strategy basically mandates that a whole class of "single purpose" customers can't / won't buy via the way MS wants to sell it. If you try to mandate that the mall buy your special (expensive) motherboard/XPe combo you will generally make no sales. Therefore the default becomes that your customers just go buy "whatever computer they can that matches specs" and run that. Hence you wind up with tens of millions of devices that aren't supported anymore.