January 14, 2020, was the day when we said our goodbyes to Windows 7 as it stopped receiving any further security updates. However, the German government is still not ready to let go of Windows 7 so it has to pay 800,000 Euros ($887,000) for the Extended Security Updates (ESUs).
Microsoft gave more than enough time, about a year, to users to opt for Windows 7 alternatives. However, according to Handelsblatt, a German newspaper, the German government is still using Windows 7 on 33,000 computers.
Microsoft provides End-Of-Life support for operating systems for a maximum period of three years. Although, organizations opting for the Extended Security Updates(ESUs) have to pay a hefty sum to Microsoft. In the first year of ESUs, each organization has to pay $25/device to Microsoft for security updates; the price will double every year.
Switching to Windows 10 is easy for home users. However, for governments and organizations, switching requires a lot of work, especially updating all the hardware.
It’s not like the German government wasn’t trying to migrate to Windows 10. Back in 2018, the government launched a program for the same purpose. Thirty agencies participated in the program to switch entirely to Windows 10. However, the switch wasn’t that easy as they hoped.
When it comes to paying for Windows 7’s End-Of-Life support, the German government is not alone. As reported by Business Technology, Ireland’s Health Service Executive will pay a substantial sum of $1.2 million in 2020. Reportedly, out of a total of 58,000 computers, they still have 46,000 computers running on Windows 7.
Via –Â Softpedia News
