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As June 30th approaches, are you stocking up on Windows XP licenses?
Microsoft may be cutting off Windows XP sales on June 30th, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to walk into a store and pick up a PC running the venerable operating system over the July 4th holiday weekend. That's because there are a whole bunch of loopholes in the cutoff date. PC World has a rundown, but here's an overview: - If you're a PC maker with a bunch of Windows XP licenses lying around, nobody's going to stop you from putting them on any computers you sell from now to eternity
- If you're a PC maker selling computers with Windows Vista Business or Ultimate, you can offer customers a "downgrade" option
- Microsoft has made an exception through 2010 for PC makers selling low cost desktops and laptops meeting strict requirements (the hard drives can't be too large, the processor's can't be too fast, etc.)
But we're going to assume that a whole lot of people aren't paying much attention to the deadline and will wind up downloading bootleg copies of Windows XP if they need to reinstall their PC operating system sometime this fall.
Comments
15
Subscribe to commentsLaneJun 5th 2008 4:39PM
I'm not. Vista works just fine. I've never had it crash since I got it.
Eli GundryJun 5th 2008 4:58PM
My question is: Will Newegg have to stop selling the system builder's pack? If not, I'm not really gonna freak.
bradwjensenJun 5th 2008 5:13PM
People can always happily and legally move to GNU/Linux for free. :)
westudiJun 5th 2008 7:28PM
Not happily. I've tried the switch three times now, and always work my way back to Windows.
alienvenomJun 5th 2008 5:13PM
It is not necessary to "stock up" on XP licenses as Microsoft's EULA states that users have downgrade privileges. Simply buying a Vista equivalent to XP Pro (Vista Business or greater) you can downgrade to XP by using the same license. This has always been the case with Microsoft products.
From (page 3): http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4f4b3cfd-7f4e-46cb-8117-8275f7683d3f&DisplayLang=en
Q: If I have Windows Vista Enterprise, what can I downgrade to?
A: Downgrade rights in the Volume Licensing programs provide customers with the right to downgrade to any prior version of the same product. Windows Vista Enterprise is a new type of product and does not have a prior version. However, customers licensed for use of Windows Vista Enterprise are licensed for Windows Vista Business, and it can be downgraded to the Windows XP Professional...
alienvenomJun 5th 2008 5:17PM
Actually, to amend my previous comment, the downgrade rights may only apply to Volume License and/or Select/Enterprise agreement licenses. I am not sure if the same rules apply to retail licenses as obtained by Newegg (as mentioned in comment #2.
Anyway, people are making a big fuss about not being able to buy XP Pro for no reason. While I absolutely will not touch Vista with a 10 foot pole, I am not worried because I will continue to use XP until 2014 or whenever Microsoft will stop supporting it.
velocitySTRIKEJun 5th 2008 5:25PM
Oh noes! June 30th is my birthday! I guess I'll just have to get Vista...
kingkool68Jun 5th 2008 9:35PM
Wow that OEM version of XP I got with a custom laptop 5 years ago sure has come in handy.
JamesJun 6th 2008 10:59AM
This is why I like that my laptops all have XP license stickers physically attached to them -- even if I go to Vista, I can always go back.
dhowseJun 6th 2008 12:40PM
As a PC user from the beginning (DOS 2.0) my answer to the Vista/XP situation is to go OS X.
I bought a new, full power, Thinkpad X61 Tablet in January W/Vista Business. Pretty yes, but too many limitations/problems. "Downgraded" to XP. Now I'm down to just the normal XP problems.
After seeing the "Vision" for Windows 7 I'm ready to jump ship. Apple MacBook here I come.
I just want a computer that works without a lot of hassle.
conorJun 6th 2008 2:58PM
vistas fine on a modern pc
suckithardJun 6th 2008 3:10PM
Vista works fine. Why would anybody stock up on an os?
Steve GJun 6th 2008 4:34PM
I agree Vista is fine on a new PC, given that you need a faster CPU and more memory for the same performance as XP.
On the other hand, if you've got XP, there aren't really any compelling reasons to upgrade to Vista.
JimJun 10th 2008 2:23PM
Ah, yes. Downgrade rights. One of the biggest farces out there.
Yes, you can "downgrade" to XP Pro from Vista. So you source yourself an XP Pro CD to install from. Then you are asked for your product key. And then you are stopped. Because unless you have a valid product key for the version of XP you are using, you can't install it. And no, the install key for Vista won't work.
Downgrade rights are not the same as "Microsoft will provide me with a working XP install CD and key to use instead of Vista."
The same issues apply to Windows Server 2008 downgrading to 2003.
So while you may not need to "stock up" on XP media and licenses, you might want to get at least one.
ShamundaJun 10th 2008 3:10PM
Stick with Vista. No need to go back to XP, no need to go forward with Linux unless of course you want to use Linux, but not because you HAVE to.
OS X? Is that even an OS :P
Simply stick with Vista.
Not saying anything about one being better than the other, but it's not going to change, and certainly MS is not going to say f the billions we spent making Vista let's go back to XP.
Not happening now, not happening later..
Stick with Vista.