Microsoft pulls support agents for Windows 7, 8 and other unsupported products in forums

Microsoft’s Answers forums are one of the first lines of defence for users searching for resolutions to issues about their Microsoft product.

If an issue was big and widespread enough, one would expect Microsoft users to create threads, and Microsoft support staff to chime in with technical support and fixes to bugs.

For some relatively modern products, that stops now. Microsft is discontinuing support for Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 RT (so, Windows RT in general), among others.

The full list of products can be found below:

• Windows 7, 8.1, 8.1 RT
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Internet Explorer 10
• Office 2010, 2013
• Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, Surface RT, Surface 2
• Microsoft Band – this topic will be locked. Users are invited to participate in Microsoft Band 2 topic.
• Mobile devices forum – Microsoft support will continue in “Other Windows mobile devices” topic
• Zune – this topic will be locked, but will remain available for browsing

Naturally, it makes sense that these products are discontinued as Microsoft no longer supports them regardless. Nonetheless, as Windows 7 and 8.1 still enjoy vast saturation in the general public, one can only imagine this is Microsoft’s way of telling the hangers-on to move or lose support.

While Microsoft still keeps Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 in extended support, it’s clear that the firm is shifting support scope to mainline supported devices shifting forward.

Source: Microsoft, via Ghacks.