Mozilla’s open-source Firefox web browser will no doubt get a boost in the number of users, at least according to a recent article from CNET’s News.com which reports that Internet Explorer 7 will not be available on Windows 2000 or older operating systems.
Many users of Windows 2000 have felt that Microsoft has never really given the operating system the attention it deserves. Released in February of 2000, the OS brought lackluster sales from corporate users unconvinced that the time was right to upgrade the legions of Windows 95 machines many companies relied on.
The release of Windows XP on October 25th, 2001 did not help matters, effectively making Windows 2000 a lame duck within the Windows development branches, leading to little real support, both from Microsoft itself and from third-party hardware and software developers.