Internet Explorer 7 solves some of these issues if you haven't already converted to using Opera or Firefox.

However, Internet Explorer 7 only runs on Windows XP and Windows 2003. No Windows 2000 or earlier, no Windows NT. Microsoft forces you to upgrade to Windows XP if you wish to use a good web browser.

A web browser is a generic tool that everyone uses in all homes. By making Internet Explorer 7 only run on Windows XP or Windows 2003, Microsoft forces everyone to upgrade. When websites no longer render or work properly in Internet Explorer 6, Microsoft will simply stated "please upgrade to Windows XP and download IE7".

Is this a big deal? Kind of, because many people find Windows 2000 will last them at least a few more years - since I don't want to upgrade to XP.

There are still those times when you need to fire up Internet Explorer for some banking websites or sites designed heavily around MS technologies which Opera or Firefox does not work with. Plus, Firefox is a bloated slow browser, IMO, and not a solution for me). So some of us still need IE and Opera combos, and some of us need Firefox and IE combos in our toolbox.

But that combo won't include IE6 in a few months - when web designers decide IE6 is obsolete and all websites are designed around IE7. And in order to own IE7, you had better upgrade to XP - because Microsoft is locking you in. No continued support for Windows 2000 will also be another upcoming event.

This is all normal, for a company who is in the business of selling software. I am just warning you - to not attach yourself too closely with Windows 2000. And you should be prepared to upgrade your hardware, because IE7 and Windows XP/Vista will definitely not run at reasonable speed on some older computers.

The OS/Browser market has become just like the video game market. In order to play video games you had to have a fast processor. In order to run your web browser or your word processor you need to have a fast CPU. Yes, fire up your 5Ghz typewriter. Remember how much a word processor really does for you, and ask why you need 5Ghz.

Remember back to the person who invented the typewriter. Will a pen, whiteout and an old fashioned typewriter still be faster than my 5Ghz word processor on my LCD screen running Windows Vista with some .NET web browser based ASP driven word processor? Be prepared for the future.