> > [Win32] Drop DirectX 8 support and add DirectX 10 (and possibly even DirectX 11.x) > - > > Granted, this will require a switch from DirectInput to XInput (for gamepads and > > joysticks) and the Windows message loop (for keyboards), but it removes one last > > vestigal reason to support Windows 9X/ME/2000, it will get us in line for the end > of > > support for Windows XP in April 2014, and it will allow Direct2D support > > Why does it matter about the lack of Microsoft's support for Windows XP? Just because > Microsoft drop support for XP doesn't mean that everyone will stop using it between > now and April 2014, it isn't like the old days where Windows 98 really was outdated, > bug-ridden and with severe limitations when it came to modern software.
Just because people won't stop using between now and April doesn't mean we should encourage bad habits. Besides, this will be a good thing, as this will allow us to support newer and better things, like DirectX 10/11.
> Also, MAME cabinet owners might get shitty if they have to pull everything out and/or > reinstall another OS just because their newly updated MAME crashes on load or errors > out back to the desktop (in fact, they are probably more likely to just revert to the > last version which worked with XP - assuming the up-to-date ones and not that > cobweb-ridden Slot 1 (Pentium 2/3) board running DOS MAME and a handful of "golden > era" games).
To be honest, most of these people using Windows XP who can't update their PCs to a decent version will likely jump ship to some form of Linux, preferably a distribution with a rolling release.
For the rest who are either unable or unwilling, I recommend this handy little graphic: