Windows XP to be retired in 2008 (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

Windows XP will stop being available on new PCs from the end of January 2008.

Microsoft is keeping to a plan to stop selling the operating system even though surveys show a lukewarm response to Windows Vista among consumers.

A poll by US market research firm Harris Interactive found that only 10% of those questioned were planning to upgrade to Vista in the near future.

All versions of XP, including those made for media centre or tablet PCs, are affected by the decision.

System shock

Microsoft has confirmed that from 31 January 2008 large PC makers, such as Dell, HP and Toshiba, will no longer be able to buy licences for the software so they can install it on new machines.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6551429.stm

You WILL buy Vista. You WILL be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

('Cause, otherwise, you're stuck with what ... Mac OSX, Linux, Solaris ... )

[Beelzebud]

1. So what is new here? Even Mac doesn't sell the old version of their old OS...

[Renew Deal]

11. That's correct.

Apple phased out OS 9 in a hurry when OS X came out.

[eppur_se_muova]

21. Worse -- I can't find System 8.1 on their site anymore, it used to be free.

Apple let you download older System software without any real restrictions. Now that's gone, as is a lot of documentation for older Macs (most recent is G3).

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. "trust me." Damn that sounds just like Dana Perrino at WH press briefings

My mac intel runs mac (bee you ti fully) as well as xp (which two clients require). Vista? not within my foreseeable vision.

[Tom Joad]

3. I think the most important date is when will they stop *supporting* windows xp

[hobbit709]

5. Their "non"support you mean

Windows support is pretty much useless in my experience. They sound like George-It's never their fault, it's the fault of your nonMS aplication or hardware.

[file83]

6. Yes - My guess is that date will be somewhere in mid 2009.

What's your guess?

[nolabels]

16. I feel sad for all them third party ad on vendors

MS must of been able clone or lift enough third party fixes to make Vista finally viable. It was really funny when MS came out with 98. I couldn't tell the difference from 98 and what was already on the hard drive in third party fixes for 3.1.

[hobbit709]

4. I'll stay with 2000 and XP

and run some variation of Linux. I have one application that needs XP, everything else works fine on 2000 including an old Win3.1/DOS app that works fine on 2000.

[SayWhatYo]

14. Curious, did you say the same thing about NT 4 when 2k came out?

Or perhaps windows 9x when XP came out? I know a lot of people who did and they ended up switching within a year....

Nothing wrong with linux though. I used that as my primary OS for about a year, but now I leave it to running servers so that I don't have my windows machine running a bunch of services...

[hobbit709]

17. Never used NT

I'm not a game player nor are the people who want me to keep their computers running. For the majority of people who only surf the internet, email and word process the extra eye candy and bells and whistles are superfluous at best and a PITA at worst.

[muriel_volestrangler]

20. NT was aimed at businesses, not home users

2000 was basically a new release of NT - it had slightly more bells and whistles than NT.

NT was the first reliable operating system Microsoft produced. 2000 and XP were evolutions of it; I'm not sure of the provenance of Vista.

[Lerkfish]

7. getting stuck with MacOSX or Linux is not a bad thing...

a lot less viruses and better security, frankly.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. Linux is ok, if yer a freakin genius

Making changes, like adding a wireless network card, is a piece of cake on windows. On linux it's a nightmare. Not exactly plug-and-play.

[SayWhatYo]

15. That's the fault of the hardware manufactures though.

Linux isn't that bad if you take the time to learn how to use your computer... :D

It took me a little longer to get my wireless card working on a linux box I had.... It wasn't freaking rocket surgery, but it sure in hell wasn't simple as brain science.

[Renew Deal]

12. Less Viruses, yes

Better Security, no.

[whistle]

9. I heard Vista has even more bugs and vulnerabilty than XP had

[napi21]

13. You hit the nail on the head by using the word "HAD".

I remember when XPP first came out, EVERYBODY hated it! Everyone I talked to said "I'll NEVER install that piece of junk!" Almost every complexop system hasbuggs when it's first released, but they get worked out. By the time 2008 arrives, most of the problems with Vista will be worked out too.

[Renew Deal]

10. This makes some sense.

It's just for new PC's. This only really affects consumers because corporations handle licenses and images differently. Most new machines have Vista installed already from what I've seen.

[LTR]

18. MIcrosoft does this with all thier OS's

Just so long as they keep supporting it with security updates and whatnot.

I have an older system and I highly doubt it can do well with Vista. And I don't really like Vista much. I've heard way too many horror stories about it.

[Warpy]

19. Maybe Linux coders will get their acts together

and produce a completely user friendly version that people who can barely use email and play solitaire can cope with.

Pleasepleasepleaseplease.