Twice this week I’ve gotten e-mail from Windows 98 users. They have this or that problem. Blah-blah-blah . . .

Well, of course you have problems! Windows 98 is now over ten years old! It’s an antique! The computers that run Windows 98 are at least 8 years old themselves. That’s an eon in computer terms.

First, congratulations are in order. If you have a PC that still runs Windows 98, then it’s one amazing piece of technology. I replace my PC once every 4 or 6 years. After that, computers not only start to die but:

Second, you won’t find any new software or hardware that runs on your old PC. Need a new hard drive? Good luck finding an old IDE drive. Perhaps on eBay, but not at any retail outlet or on-line computer store. And software? The stuff today requires Windows XP minimum. Sure, there are older Windows 98 compatible programs out there, but:

Third, no one supports Windows 98 any more. Microsoft dropped support a long time ago. You can still search the Microsoft Knowledgebase, but don’t expect any phone support. That means whatever ails your Windows 98 PC is what will probably kill it.

My advice is to buy a replacement PC. Buy one now, before you lose more than your data. Your sanity is at stake!

This Week’s Event Dept. This week is the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Lots of new gizmos being announced or just hitting the market. It reminds me of the early day sof COMDEX, the big computer expo that’s still there but no longer as relevant. Read about the latest gizmos from CES on my favorite gizmo web site, Gizmodo.

Video Moment Dept. You might have already seen this Bill Gates video. It’s making the rounds on the e-mail circuit. This is a ficticious video of Bill Gates’ upcoming “Last Day at Microsoft.” Just gander at the celebrities and politicians who made guest shots. Golly!