XP'S End of Life

The latest news comes from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, reacting to criticism at a recent news conference, who said "XP will hit an end-of-life. We have announced one. If customer feedback varies, we can always wake up smarter, but right now, we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments."

As now the June 30 deadline stands, but PC makers may be encouraging Microsoft to get "smarter" by taking the rare step of openly combating Microsoft's direction that vendors move from XP to Vista. HP, Dell, and Lenovo have all said they will downgrade operating systems on new machines from Vista to XP at customer request and will continue to do so until 2009 (specific ending dates vary).

Note that no one's breaking the law here. Legally, anyone with a volume license or an OEM license for Vista can downgrade to XP without having to pay extra for the OS. The only exception is for those who purchased "full packaged product (FPP)" editions, which do not include downgrade rights. Whether XP drivers are available is another issue.

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They need to stick with one OS and perfect it. I am waiting on a non-apple and non-linux based os that will give MS a good run for their money.

 

so how does the consumer tell that they got a downgradable version before buying a vista pc?

As it is I'm already going to purchase a xp licence for my bf,and then myself sometime before end of june,as i really need to upgrade to a better laptop but really dont want vista.
I've considered swapping to a macbook pro and duel booting with xp..

I reckon if there was a non apple non linux and WIN OS that did things better than apple and windows i'd buy it in a heartbeat.

too bad apply couldnt just become right click friendly..imagine the swarms of users to apple lol

 

If you think a tried and tested OS like BSD/OS X or Linux can't give Windows a run for it's money, what chance does some random OS have?

 

well,imo a new OS would have to take the good bits from all systems and meld into something usable and totally stable. Ease of use is another factor.
price would have to be cheaper than windows and apple
ease of upgrade...
amongst other things..

i tried to get into linux..but buggered if iwas gonna pay for the linux windows lookalike and then end up hating it.
Now if that flavor was free..chances are i would be using it right now.
.or..the only other way to outdo MS is educate users..
many common people don't even know about linux. I only heard about linux around 2003 when i got my first computer hooked up to internet at home.
The key to get linux more mainstream is marketing and educating ..

 

xp was the best thing microsoft did... my opinion is that they should continue to give support to xp.... vista is not gold enough to pass xp

 

Why "non-apple and non-linux"?

Both have extremely efficient operating systems and give MS and run for their money - if not better it.

 

Here is some info from Microsoft on Windows XP's life cycle and free support for SP3 installation and compatibility issues:

http://www.iaps.com/blog/2008/05/free-windows-xp-sp3-installation.html
http://www.iaps.com/blog/2008/05/two-reasons-not-to-install-windows-xp.html

XP will be available after June 30th from the pc manufacturers (as a Vista downgrade).

 

Vista is still slightly better than XP just not worth upgrading XP to it...

 

Urrr?

Agreed. Tired of all these varies OS with Microsoft. Stick to one and improve it. And not meaning by changing its name either. 95, 98, 2000, millineum, xp, vista et cetera. C'mon Microsoft what are you thinking really?

 

...you're waiting for something that will never happen.

 

Microsoft is in the business to make money. They are good at it, they know people will buy their licenses no matter how crappy it is,.

 

Dur. Even Apple is doing the same thing. People buy the product just for the fact they have the Apple logo on it.

My point is not that I dont understand the concept of money making but for the fact of just improving on 1 OS and keeping it. But that also avoids the evolution of a business as well.

 

Flippin' stupid Microsoft.

Vista is full of bugs, and WAAAAY overpriced to consider upgrading. I know that they HAVE to know this with all the complaints. If people don't want to upgrade, then they have no one else to blame but themselves.

 

I don't even use a computer! I text with carrier pigeons

 

In essence they are improving on an OS. Just, everyone has different ways of how to improve something. Both Windows XP and Vista utilizes the Windows NT kernel.

If they were to create a solid OS distribution, like polishing up XP, than who would spend the money on upgrading to Vista?

I also think people buy Apple products, not only because it's Apple, but moreso because Apple does a good job of hyping features of their product, as if it were groundbreaking.

Ditto

 

I must be one of the few and far between who have no problems with Vista, lol. I've been using it for quite a while now and other than the UAC which I turned off. Vista suites me just fine.

 

I read in a PC magazine recently that Microsoft is considering to ditch Vista, and they already have a new OS in the works. Should be interesting.

 

its true. its in the works.

 

XP SP3 is more liable than Vista.