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Microsoft Pulling the Plug On Windows XP In Three Years

An anonymous reader wrote in with an article from myce. Microsoft will be discontinuing all support for Windows XP in Spring 2014. Coinciding with the announcement, Microsoft released a 1,000-day countdown gadget to help XP users pass the time until their IT departments get into gear. Maybe.

6 of 315 comments (clear)

  1. Ummm by The+MAZZTer · · Score: 5, Funny

    It can't help XP users pass the time since it requires Vista or 7!

    1. Re:Ummm by RiscIt · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's just the killer app they need to get everyone to upgrade!

  2. Not a moment too soon! by Afforess · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How many other companies are expected to maintain 10+ year old software, even after TWO new releases (Vista, Win7) are available?

    --
    If our elected representatives no longer represent us, do we still live in a Democracy?
    1. Re:Not a moment too soon! by Afforess · · Score: 5, Informative

      Ubuntu does not maintains Long Term releases that long. Apple is notorious for dropping support for previous OS X versions (um, talk to the people trapped on OS X 10.4 due to the intel switch).

      Sorry buddy, your facts are wrong.

      --
      If our elected representatives no longer represent us, do we still live in a Democracy?
    2. Re:Not a moment too soon! by 0123456 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      How many other companies are expected to maintain 10+ year old software, even after TWO new releases (Vista, Win7) are available?

      Hmm, perhaps companies that were still selling that 'ten year old software' on new systems last year?

  3. Plenty! by sjbe · · Score: 5, Informative

    How many other companies are expected to maintain 10+ year old software, even after TWO new releases (Vista, Win7) are available?

    Off the top of my head:

    • Every aerospace company that makes software
    • Every military contractor that makes software
    • Most banking software
    • Lots of software that runs on a mainframe (AS/400, etc)
    • Point of sale systems
    • Healthcare equipment
    • CNC machining equipment
    • Accounting systems

    Just to name a few. There is software out there which demands support periods measured in decades. LOTS of companies are expected to maintain support for old software.