As outlined in a blog post last week Microsoft have quietly updated their Windows support terms as it pertains to new CPU silicon. Under the pretext of 'embracing silicon innovation', the post by Terry Myerson, Executive Vice President of the Windows and Devices Group, outlines to Enterprise customers of Microsoft's Windows OS that Microsoft will restrict support for future (i.e. post-Skylake) CPUs to the most current OS (i.e. Windows 10 at this time).

Touching on the fact that the kernel of Windows 7 was designed in an era prior to x86/x64 SOCs, the post makes the argument that incorporating new hardware features such as Credential Guard into the Win7 codebase would introduce unacceptable 'churn' to that codebase (i.e. have wide implications). As a result providing Enterprise-level support for multiple OS verions on new hardware platforms as well as older established ones simply isn't practical.



The key issue of this policy for Enterprise users will be on-going support for new hardware which can operate legacy applications that aren't compatible with newer Windows versions. IT forums are rife with stories from support personnel who are reluctant to push for an OS upgrade for fear that it would break business-critical software they've been using for years, and this policy update will reinforce the worry as well as retard the purchase of new platform (i.e. CPU + motherboard) hardware.

Although critical for core Enterprise business, the impact of the policy change is less predictable for individual consumers. Part of that is the classification of 'support' - will new platform hardware still functionally operate with older Windows installers, and will Windows Update for older Windows installations supply up-to-date third-party drivers? It's possible, although highly unlikely, that older versions of Windows will refuse to work at all with post-Skylake hardware depending on the feature set of the new silicon; this eventuality would hike up the price of a CPU & motherboard upgrade by the cost of a copy of the most recent Windows version.

The takeaway from this policy is that, to a greater extent than previously admitted, users of cutting edge platform hardware may see their performance and feature-set (including security and power-saving features) restricted if they haven't upgraded to the latest version of Windows. Most enthusiasts should have long-since come to terms with this, but this policy makes the concept pretty oblique for everyone.

By implication, in the near future Microsoft will switch their legacy support process so that it focuses on ensuring the smoothest transition to Windows 10, rather than continuing to make Windows 7/8/8.1 experiences the best they can be.

Certainly a policy to keep half an eye on, and one that's unlikely to improve ailing worldwide PC system sales.

SOURCE: Microsoft