From TechRepublic:
From Tuesday, Microsoft will no longer issue security updates or provide support for Windows 98 and Windows ME, which are still being used by more than 50 million people.
Eight years after launching Windows 98, Microsoft is finally washing its hands of updating and plugging security gaps in the aging operating system.
The software giant originally planned to pull the plug in January 2004, but decided to extend support because of the increasing competition from Linux.
This time round, Microsoft is hoping that the remaining users of Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition will upgrade to Windows XP, according to Peter Watson, chief security advisor, Microsoft Australia.