Microsoft Continues to Retire Outdated Functions and Leave Windows Cleaner
Microsoft is steadily cleaning house, removing outdated features from Windows. While some removals are ignored by most users, this year’s scrub revealed some forgotten functionalities that will leave Microsoft’s legacy behind.
## Farewell to Tiny Keys and Unsecured Systems
One of the first victims this year were short RSA cryptographic keys used for TLS authentication.
These underpowered keys, measured at less than 2048 bits, fell short of recommendations from internet standardization authorities, who recommended using keys of at least
2048 bits over a decade ago.
Clearly, Microsoft was behind the curve. However, keeping older technologies around solely for compatibility reasons, while not ideal, sounds about right when talking about a behemoth product like Windows.
Another security feature headed for the recycle bin is the outdated NTLM authentication. This technology used to form the bedrock of logging into older versions of the operating system.
While Microsoft acknowledges this doesn’t stop functioning, it was shockingly easy to crack – as even our own writers demonstrated 14 years ago – so its removal is more than overdue.
Interestingly, Microsoft states that, for now, NTLM Authentication will stick around to accommodate the specific needs of businesses.
However, it will not be getting any further development. This essentially means that anyone who chooses to stick with this insecure method
is knowingly putting themselves at risk.
## Fonts Fade and 3D Dreams Die
Beyond security features, some less-used functionalities are being retired as well.
Adobe Type 1 fonts, like digital dinosaurs of a bygone era, are being put out to pasture.
While Adobe itself stopped supporting them long ago, it seems Microsoft held on for longer than most, likely out of compatibility considerations.
Let’s be honest, the only people these outdated fonts will affect significantly are those using legacy graphics software or tools. TrueType
and OpenType are far more common these days, leaving Type 1 gathering dust.
But perhaps the most heartbreaking goodbye goes to Microsoft Paint 3D.
Once touted as the future of Windows creativity, this app struggled to catch on. While some may have dreamed of pixel
pushing with ease, most creatives stuck with established software like Photoshop or Affinity. Paint 3D was quietly retired throughout last year and vanished entirely from the Store in November, leaving its 3D dreams
unfulfilled.
The only question is, why stop at Paint 3D?
Might we see attempts to retire some of the legacy virtual surfaces – for example those associated with Microsoft’s “old-school”. Finally someone
is staring the death knell for those boring old silverlight startup menus?
## Broader Implications
This year’s retirement of several functionalities highlights a necessary, ongoing process. Maintaining a massive
software ecosystem like Windows requires difficult decisions.
While some see these updates as incoming changes, others may have been surprised to discover forgotten features they never
knew existed. This definitely proves the old adage holds true – the older I accompany this, the more we need to embrace the concept of “initial release.”
While they often lead to another onslaught of bugs and exploits for safety-conscious users. The
more mature, the better. And potentially,
they are more satisfying. Maybe they
would be satisfied with cleaning up the older generation and
Introducing something truly fresh and innovative, rather than just polishing up existing systems.
But we don’t.
We still have some spiderwebs,
but at least those that show
that
What are the potential downsides for users with this streamlining of Windows?
## Interview: Microsoft Cleans Up Windows, Retires Outdated Features
**Host:** Welcome back to Tech Talk. Today we’re discussing Microsoft’s recent move to remove outdated functions from Windows. With us is tech analyst Sarah Jones, who’s been closely following this development. Sarah, welcome to the show!
**Sarah:** Thanks for having me.
**Host:** So, Microsoft is streamlining Windows by removing old features. What are some of the notable removals, and why is Microsoft making these changes?
**Sarah:** Well, one big change is the removal of weak RSA cryptographic keys used for TLS authentication. These keys were simply too short to be considered secure by today’s standards. Microsoft is catching up to industry best practices here. They’re also retiring NTLM authentication, which was used for logging into older versions of Windows. As our listeners may recall, NTLM was notoriously easy to crack, so this removal is long overdue.
**Host:** Interesting. Sounds like a good mix of security and modernization. What about features that aren’t directly security-related?
**Sarah:** Absolutely. Microsoft is also dropping support for Adobe Type 1 fonts, which have been largely obsolete for years. While it might seem like a minor change, it reflects a broader trend of Microsoft moving away from legacy technologies.
**Host:** So, is this just about deleting old code and making Windows lighter?
**Sarah:** It’s certainly about that, but there’s more to it. Keeping legacy systems running, even if outdated, requires significant resources. This streamlining allows Microsoft to focus on developing and improving current and future features.
**Host:** Makes sense. But what about compatibility issues? Won’t this cause problems for some users?
**Sarah:** There will likely be some
compatibility challenges, particularly for users relying on very old software or hardware. However, Microsoft seems committed to providing ample notice and support for these transitions.
**Host:** Sarah, any final thoughts?
**Sarah:** I think these changes are positive. Microsoft is demonstrating a commitment to security and modernization, ultimately creating a cleaner and potentially more efficient operating system. It’s important for them to stay up-to-date in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
[[1](https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/list-of-changed-or-removed-featuresfunctionalities/1151c688-462a-4579-9164-8d11c78652c8)]
