Windows 10 Upgrade: Day Light Robbery

In ancient Greek mythology, Sisyphus was condemned to an eternity of rolling a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down. The guy couldn’t catch a break. The ATM industry it seems, if things continue as they are, is destined to suffer a similar fate when it comes to their operating systems.

From January 2020, the ATM industry will absorb the death of Windows 7. En masse, it will migrate to Windows 10 – assuming the  ‘general delay’ to its adoption is manageable.

It is estimated the move will account for about 85% of all ATMs running the Microsoft OS. This time, though, the upgrade will require ATM deployers to upgrade both software and hardware. Bearing in mind it wasn’t long ago Microsoft announced the sun was to set on support for XP – this is a unwelcome move. But, when you’re the dominant vendor in a niche industry, you can afford to make these moves even if it leaves a sour taste behind.

The cost of this upgrade-to-upgrade model for financial institutions and ATM deployers is high, both in terms of the actual spend, but also when it comes to their confidence and patience. What the palpable advantages of moving to Windows 10 are is less than certain at this point, but you can bet the gains are not anywhere near as high as the capital outlay.

Split the Infinitive & Boldly Go

With another Microsoft upgrade looming, it looks like the industry is then set to be hammered by a Windows tax, yet again.  The time has come for financial organisations to look very, very closely at their options and be prepared to walk away. Moving to an operating model outside the Microsoft product range is an option we endorse.

The industry has reached a fork in the road. One path leads to an expensive repeat of an all too familiar trend. The other – to a better, less disruptive, less expensive future. A possible third? Do nothing, wait three or four years, and see what happens.

The disruption of the incoming Windows 10 upgrade is going to be significant. Not surprisingly, many institutions are far from willing to meekly embrace the anticipated upheaval. If you look to India, for example, it has taken a mandate from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to enforce the change from XP to Windows 7. Otherwise, the country's central banking authority would impose regulatory sanctions.

Live Long and Prosper

Our advice? Board up your Windows, remove yourself from the burden of Microsoft’s OS tax ruse for good and select a vendor that lets you choose Linux or Windows. It is time that you, the long-suffering ATM deployer, is able to boldly go where no deployer has gone before.

Follow Captain James T. Kirk’s frame of mind, split the infinitive, explore new territories. That will enable your business to live long and proposer.

Some people will disagree. They will argue the gains to be had from Windows 10 are worth the expense. But where's the proof? If you have that proof, we’d welcome it. It’s 2019, it isn’t too long until 2020 – deployers need technology that is malleable, adaptable, and risk-free if they are to respond to the rate consumer demands are evolving. Can Windows 10 offer that dynamism?

At Renovite Technologies, we believe that choice is everything. When it comes to your operations and how you run your business, you should be the one in the driving seat, not your vendor. Cloud-native technology offers an intelligent way out of this saga. It would allow FIs to keep the stone they’ve invested so much time and effort rolling up the hill at the top.