Windows XPiration is at hand

[Woodmonkey]

As of Monday, Microsoft will offer operating system on a limited basis

Windows XP, R.I.P. — at least for most buyers of new PCs.

On Monday, Microsoft will stop selling copies of the operating system to retailers and computer manufacturers. There are exceptions: Until June 2010, manufacturers of limited and lower-cost computers can place Windows XP Home on the machines, and small businesses that custom-build PCs will be able to install XP on computers through Jan. 31, 2009.

"We've spent more than a year consulting with our customers and industry partners to ensure that we're doing the right thing," Microsoft says at its Web site, "The Future of Windows XP." (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal).

"We understand that not everyone may agree with our decision — just as not everyone was happy to see Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME retire (OK, perhaps not ME)."

Well, credit the company for a sense of humor and for recognizing that the operating system before Windows XP was as loathed as the one that followed it, Windows Vista.

Vista, released early last year, has been scorned for several reasons. It runs better on newer computers with faster chips and more memory than on older or economy-scale PCs.

Many consumers and businesses have not wanted to spend the money to buy new PCs and the software and peripheral equipment needed to work with Vista. Also, all the drivers, or software programs, needed for Vista have not been available, something that is starting to change.

“It’s not a huge surprise that just over half the enterprises we surveyed don’t yet have Windows Vista deployment plans,” said Forrester Research in an April report. “Others are simply taking a wait-and-see approach.”

Even Intel, which makes the processor chips for PCs and Macs, is apparently staying away from Vista. The company has decided not to upgrade its computers to Vista, finding “no compelling case” to do so, according to “a person with direct knowledge of the company’s plans,” The New York Times reported this week.

'Tough choices'
InfoWorld, a publication geared to information technology professionals, also found that IT managers and chief technology officers have not been eager to move to Vista.

In January, the publication launched an online petition drive, “Save Windows XP” that has now garnered more than 209,000 signatures. Eric Knorr, InfoWorld editor-in-chief, said the petition drive continues, "sort of a stay-of-execution plea" with hopes that Microsoft will listen.

On its site, Microsoft acknowledged the petition effort and the e-mails it has been receiving about keeping Windows XP in circulation, but said “commitment to innovation sometimes means making tough choices. This is one of them.”

Businesses and individuals that buy a new PC with either Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate on it have the option of “downgrading” to Windows XP Professional through Jan. 31, 2009, according to Microsoft.

Computer maker Dell, which had planned to stop selling Windows XP earlier this month, recently declared June 26 as the final day to purchase a Dell desktop PC with a Windows XP license, in order to meet Microsoft’s “last-day-to-ship” deadline of June 30.

“Extended by popular demand,” Dell’s site says in promoting its Inspiron models loaded with Windows XP Home.

Stores that carry XP can still sell it if they have it in stock.

“We still have some limited inventory” of Windows XP, said Jeff Dudash, national spokesman for the Best Buy retail chain. As far as PCs, “We stopped selling systems pre-loaded with XP in February 2007,” shortly after Windows Vista came on the market.

Microsoft, which last month released Service Pack 3 for Windows XP, with various operating system fixes, will continue to provide mainstream support for it through next April.

Extended support, including security updates, will continue through April 2014.

As of June, Windows XP, which was released in 2001, had 72 percent of the operating market share, with Vista at a little more than 15 percent, according to Net Applications.

Microsoft says it has sold more than 140 million copies of Windows Vista, “making it the fastest-selling operating system in Microsoft history.”

“The death of Windows Vista has been greatly exaggerated,” IDC Research said in a report earlier this year. The operating system has “compelling features for consumers and for business users. These features will see acceptance —and potentially love — over the longer term.”

Love might be too much to ask for; acceptance — maybe. Microsoft is taking steps to do some damage control by continuing to offer Windows XP Home on lower-end, lower-cost PCs for another two years, while trying to speed up delivery of its next operating system, now called Windows 7, to late 2009.

Low-cost PC market
Lower-cost PCs, which sell for between $300 and $500, represent a growing market, one that originally was aimed at new PC users in developing countries, as well as students, but now includes those who simply want a basic computer, or a second or third PC for the household.

The computers have few audio and video bells and whistles, but are considered adequate for basic tasks such as e-mail and surfing the Internet.

Many of the devices — sometimes referred to as nettops, netbooks or ultra-low-cost PCs — generally come with little memory, storage and small screen sizes of 7 to 10 inches. Many come with Linux operating system installed.
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Microsoft said earlier this month it is looking to expand its role in the market, and is working with more than 20 manufacturers, including Asus, which makes the low-cost Eee PC, as well as Dell, HP, Lenovo and Quanta, to provide both Windows XP Home and Windows XP Starter Edition on such computers.

In a recent letter to Windows customers posted on Microsoft’s site, Bill Veghte, senior vice-president, explained “important progress” that has been made with Vista.

When the operating system went on the market, “many hardware drivers and applications needed to be updated, and while the majority worked well when we launched Windows Vista, some key applications and drivers were not yet available,” Veghte wrote. “Since then, Microsoft and its industry partners have been hard at work to address compatibility issues and now the situation is fundamentally different.”

He also noted Vista Service Pack 1, released this spring, provides improved “performance, compatibility and reliability.”

The Source

[leobold1]

This is actually hurting Microsoft, as new companies are starting to buy Apple's instead of PC's, thanks to the fact that Vista is a pain in the ass to operate, lack of supporting software/drivers, updating prefirales, and the fact that to purchase a new computer, which is made to use Vista, cost 10-20% more, when you factor in inflation, thanks to the needed higher components.

I'm still using XP, and there are tech sites that have been set up in advance of the drop off of Microsoft's tech support for XP. I'll use those, like I have in the past.

[Woodmonkey]

When do you think they'll get the message about Vista?

I like my XP and don't know why they would scrap it. It wasn't broken.

[Scrappy]

good statement, XP was not broken.

Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

When do you think they'll get the message about Vista?

I like my XP and don't know why they would scrap it. It wasn't broken.

Here's a brief history of Microsoft OS's in my not humble opinion

Dos. Woohoo!!!! I finally can type correctly!!!!!!

Menu driven dos. Outstanding, now I don't have to type so much.

Windows 3.1 What's a fatal error!!!!! Am I dead?

Yep were done here.

'95. Dang I can play warcraft, woohoo!!!! Why's the screen freezing? Oh crap [ctrl-alt-dlt] Reboot in safe mode.

'98 Woohoo!!! starcraft much less "safe modes"

ME Where's the freaking video driver? Hours later... Where's what port? It's freaking "plug and play" I'm reinstalling 98.

XPHE Dang program shut down, lets see if there's any up dates. No updates, well then I'll be error reporting for the next hour

XPMC Let's keep on error reporting.

XPPro I want my home edition, they fixed that, and when it screws up, my router doesn't need to be reset.

Vista New fixes everyday. Can't play crap on it because I don't have a video card for it, but everytime it locks up I can take the battery out, and it forgets that it had a problem

Btw, vista's on my laptop, and the last laptop I had used dos. If it aint broke don't fix it. XP had some issues, but it wasn't broken (maybe the "pro" was). Vista seems like a complicated MacOS.

I'll say this about OS's if you don't want the ability to fine tune or alter your OS or would ever need that capability, use an Apple. If you want to have the ability to recover your system without spending half what it cost, use a PC. Apple's are where Microsoft wants to be or should have been. Microsoft is where Apple wants to be but won't allow people the freedom to tweek the system the way some of us do.

Remember, know enough knowledge to know when you don't know what you're doing. Oh yea, then don't do it, that part I forget sometimes

[daniels116]

I don't think I could have said it better. I know that I don't have any troubles with XP and my wifes laptop with vista crashes daily and forgets how to use the web cam

[leobold1]

If I hadn't been using PCs since my first one, I probably would have gone with an Apple.

How does "Error in {EDK83LF-833SBSI}" help me figure out what the problem is? That's my only real complaint about Windows as a whole.

I used Vista on a trial, and its good at what its for...business use. You put in the programs you use at home, and you're screwed before long. Its made to interconnect everything with everything else, not to play WOW or COD.

I'm keeping my XP until the wheels fall off, then I'll install it on a new computer.

This is actually giving more sales to Apple (depending on your source), thanks to the ease of use combined with stability.