PC makers stockpile Windows XP
What's going to happen after June 30, when Microsoft - after a stay of execution - officially removes Windows XP as an option for new PCs? (The formal wind-down beyond that is quite an extended process: volume customers will still be able to buy XP on licence until January 2009; live and warranty support will end April 2009 and all support - including patches and updates - will end April 2014. We're talking minor patches. The recently-released XP SP3 will be the last major update.)
I was at an NEC notebook and desktop launch last night (see our Hot Products blog for more), where a rep for the company was asked how his company was going to deal with the kill date.
"We're being like every other PC maker and stockpiling as many Windows XP PCs as we can ahead of June 30," he replied.
Dell has fashioned a more tricky workaround, exploiting a licensing loophole that will let it factory-install Windows XP as a "downgrade" after June 30, at least for Vista Ultimate and Vista Business buyers (read about it here).
The more secure, stable and multimedia-friendly Vista remains our OS of choice at the NZ PC World Test Centre. But if you're one of the mob who wants the option to keep buying Microsoft's previous OS, then sign the petition on our sister publication Infoworld's increasingly bolshy Save Windows XP blog.
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Comments
I don't see what all the fuss is about. Clearly, all the myriad problems with XP are fixed in Vista, right? No viruses, no DRM hassles, no brain-dead security model, no system or driver incompatibilities, performance issues, unnecessary costly upgrades, no hobbled performance unless you pay extra. Uh-huh.
It's interesting that with the abject failure of Vista to create self-sustaining demand (an unfamiliar force in this market that instead relies on MS's monopoly influence to railroad its resellers into rewringing more money out hapless users through unwanted "upgrades").
Even Microsoft is now trying to distance itself from Vista, trying to sell poor Windows using suckers that its current vapourware next release - Windows 7, I believe they're calling it, as christening releases by years has been too embarrassing in the past when deadlines slipped by a couple years - which will address all the (many) shortcomings of Vista.
Funny thing is, I remember hearing exactly the same propaganda when XP was introduced. And Windows 2000 and ME. And Windows NT and 98 before that...
I guess Microsoft are the masters of understanding market forgetfulness - that's why they wait 5 years between releases - so that the buyers remorse from the last time has faded to a distant memory. I've been watching it all with bemusement from my Linux desktop and, oddly enough, have no regrets. What I enjoy most, however, is that the trend setters of the next generation have made the switch too, and are watching it with me - visit your local University and ask what the technical students use for development... You might be quite surprised. If I was Microsoft, I'd be trying to make hay out of my captive audience while the sun shines, too!
Cheers,
Dave
Posted by: Dave Lane | May 17, 2008 2:42 PM
Touché
Posted by: Adrian | May 17, 2008 12:51 PM
And I find OS X even better! :D
Posted by: Chris Mahoney | May 16, 2008 4:24 PM
I don't see why people want to stick with XP - I find Linux absolutely fine.
Posted by: Adrian | May 16, 2008 12:33 PM
I don't see why people want to stick with XP - I find Vista absolutely fine.
Posted by: Alex | May 15, 2008 4:49 PM