Scripps Employees Called 'Hackers' For Exposing Massive Security Flaw
Suspected PayPal Hackers Seek Deal To Stay Out Of Prison
Windows XP gets another stay of execution
Windows XP, also known as the operating system that will not die, looks like it could be around a bit longer, making it just a bit more likely that you can upgrade directly from Windows XP to Windows 7 in a year or two and skip Windows Vista altogether.Microsoft instructed retailers to stop selling copies of the operating system to consumers this summer. But there's a loophole that lets customers purchasing new computers running certain versions of Windows Vista request a free downgrade to Windows XP. That option was set to expire on January 31st, 2009. Now Microsoft has extended that date through July 31st, 2009.
That means you may not be able to pick up a standalone copy of Windows XP from your local computer store, but you will be able to get Windows XP with a new computer until the middle of next year. Unless, of course, you pick up a low cost ultraportable machine like the Asus Eee PC, Dell Inspiron Mini, or Acer Aspire One. Microsoft has made an exception for that class of laptop and will support Windows XP through 2010.
For anyone keeping track, the operating system was first introduced in late 2001. It's already nearly 7 years old, and at this rate, you may still be using it in another 2 or 3 years. Which is to say that either this is the best operating system Microsoft has ever produced, or Windows Vista is really just that bad.
Comments
29
Subscribe to commentsJash SayaniOct 4th 2008 8:29AM
Why cant M$ just move the Vista Source-code to Trash/Recycle Bin and start back from the XP Source-code...? Win7 will be an enhanced Vista, so Its going to have the same problems......
However, I'll be waiting to see Windows Cloud !
MarkOct 4th 2008 11:42AM
You'll always be able to buy a copy of Windows XP. You can still buy new sealed copies of MS-DOS on eBay for heaven's sake.
HazeOct 5th 2008 4:25AM
i thought microsoft said that they r going to support xp until 2014
what happened now all of sudden
this really sucks
Brad LinderOct 4th 2008 1:57PM
They'll support it for existing customers. But they won't offer it for sale or downgrade after 2009/2010.
nickOct 4th 2008 4:45PM
I built my PC for the sole purpose of moving to vista 64 and I have no problems. Sure I get a crash every once and a while but I got them on XP too. If you have the proper hardware to support Vista there aren't that many problems with it. If you try to upgrade your old PC then yeah you are going to have problems, it's like moving from 2000 to XP you always have to upgrade your hardware.
At work we are still upgrading from 2000 to XP so I don't see us moving to Vista any time soon but we also run software that was made in the late 90's and barely works on XP.
Although dell ships our PCs with both vista business and XP which I find strange.
boeOct 4th 2008 6:34PM
Vista is just that bad.
HazeOct 6th 2008 4:48AM
so wht MR.Brad Linder
xp deserve more upgrading since its the best windows out there it shouldnt end here for xp.
at least create more logic for faster boot , and all.
Microsoft won't , will not , never , gonna win this with either win 7 or even sh!@#ty vista ..
ashoOct 6th 2008 1:12PM
"[E]ither [Windows XP] is the best operating system Microsoft has ever produced, or Windows Vista is really just that bad."
These are not mutually-exclusive propositions. WinXP is indeed the best OS Microsoft has ever produced, and Vista really is that bad.
Phoenix WomanOct 9th 2008 12:11PM
Here's the problem: The limits of current technology are making themselves felt.
Hard disks are just about as capacious as they can get, and while solid-state memory may soon be replacing them, it's going to be another two to three years before that is cheap enough to be used in most machines. The processor situation is even worse: They are already maxed out in terms of speed and clocking, and there are no ready-for-market alternatives on the horizon. Throwing in RAM sticks won't cure an overtaxed processor -- in fact, doing that might end up making things worse in terms of processing speed and functionality. (Besides, you can't readily add RAM to many laptops, and laptop sales are growing even as desktop sales decline: http://preview.tinyurl.com/arstechnica-laptop-sales)
Software makers that don't realize that they can't just keep shipping bloatware will soon find themselves in dire straits -- and if Windows 7 is just more bloatware, it will meet Vista's fate faster than Vista did. If the folks at Redmond keep thinking that the way to fix a bad line of code is to write a thousand lines of code to smother it, they will have to resign themselves to either selling XP or watching as their customer base goes elsewhere.