Windows 8.1 is under extended support until January 10, 2023.[0] Why can Microsoft still support that system up to that date, but not let anyone else?

[0] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/faq/windows#what-...

Because they intentionally want to kill it, to force people into buying the new windows version.

The win10 update is still free.

Windows Server 2012 R2 is impacted. Upgrades are not free. Upgrading the server necessitates updating Client Access Licenses (either purchased per-device or per-user) as well. Costs could be significant. If you've got a dependency on a driver that can't pass WHQL and you need an update, post July 2021, your only choice will be to dump Windows Server 2012 R2.

I have at least one customer who is stuck on Server 2012 (not even R2). I hope they will be able to upgrade their servers soon. In the meantime, if I need to update my driver, I'll have to replace my HCK test suite with the HLK test suite, learn the new process, and hope the driver passes.

Why someone should install a new version of system that introduces all kind of spying and data harvesting just to use it as they used to? It's like saying oh you need to change the oil, why don't you buy a new car while at it?

And a UI that threw away a decade+ of desktop user experience metrics for a half baked not quite tablet UI on the desktop that still to this day is sub-optimal to the UI they had in win95.

Windows Server 2012 R2 is in support until 2023. Businesses have planned lifecycles and budgeting around that date.

That likely requires more in depth regulatory approval than just updating the driver for things like medical devices.

Read the article through for a much more comprensive view of the problem. It's not that simple.