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One Year Later, "Dead" XP Still Going Strong

Posted by kdawson on from the killed-the-wrong-one dept.

snydeq writes "Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows XP a year ago today, no longer selling new copies in most venues. Yet according to a report from InfoWorld, various downgrade paths to XP are keeping the operating system very much alive, particularly among businesses. In fact, despite Microsoft trumpeting Vista as the most successful version of Windows ever sold, more than half of business PCs have subsequently downgraded Vista-based machines to XP, according to data provided by community-based performance-monitoring network of PCs. Microsoft recently planned to further limit the ability to downgrade to XP now that Windows 7 is in the pipeline, but backlash against the licensing scheme prompted the company to change course, extending downgrade rights on new PCs from April 2010 to April 2011."

8 of 538 comments (clear)

  1. Windows 7 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This trend will stop when Windows 7 is introduce.

    Mark it on the wall.

    1. Re:Windows 7 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes, the Windows 7 theme really makes Vista much better.

    2. Re:Windows 7 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes, this throws me off too, but IMO it's more logical because everything else in the control panel is a Noun and not a Verb.

      However, when technically adept users get tripped up by a Windows control panel being renamed, it's really no wonder that Linux isn't taking off on the desktop.

  2. Zombie XP by geekgirlandrea · · Score: 5, Funny

    Clearly, Microsoft used worcestershire sauce as an embalming fluid.

    1. Re:Zombie XP by Abreu · · Score: 4, Funny

      And ketchup instead of bat blood...

      Now they have to wait until the moon is in the Eighth House of Aquarius again to attempt the resurrection

      --
      No sig for the moment.
  3. It's dead, Jim by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    XP is going to die rather quickly once one or more of the following happen: 2.5TB or bigger hard disks drop below $100 (no GUID partition table support in XP), applications make good use of more than 4GB RAM (XP64 driver support "could be better"), USB3 devices become available in mass quantities (no USB3 support in XP), IPv4 addresses run out and major ISPs offer IPv6 access (IPv6 support in XP is incomplete and lacks a UI), Duke Nukem Forever is released for Windows 7 only.

  4. Re:Count me in by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know what amazes me. Back in the days when Windows 95, the OS constantly ate itself. Blue screens were common. Rebooting was a constant need when things started going south. Reinstalling the OS became habit for even the least technical of computer users.... and you know what? For whatever reason, they didn't complain nearly as much as you people do. You have a piece of shit software firewall that isn't playing nice with your Vista and *BAM* that's it. The OS blows and that's that. Back in my day we wrote init strings to our modems over a serial connection AND LIKED IT! Now if the newfangled cheap-as-dirt wireless card doesn't plug in, magically know which network is yours and your password without asking, and give you theoretical limits in speed then you BREAK OUT THE PICKFORKS and demand the head of a virgin.

    I'm out of beer.

    I'll be back.

    --

    "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
  5. Soon to be dead by gmuslera · · Score: 4, Funny

    According to unofficial sources, the planned "End of Life" for Windows XP will be in December 21 of 2012.