Microsoft Windows XP has one year to live

[Bino]

One year from today, Microsoft will terminate "Extended Support" for Windows XP. 

Along with other services, security updates will not be available unless a "custom support relationship" has been negotiated.

Microsoft Support Lifecycle page about Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?c2=1173

Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy

[Skuzzy]

The "Extended Support" was only intended for commercial businesses.  However, Microsoft still appears to be offering complete support to anyone with XP and SP3 until the above mentioned date.

Best grab Windows 7 while you still can.

By the way, Dell still offers Windows 7 on its laptops.  Go figure.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The "Extended Support" was only intended for commercial businesses.  However, Microsoft still appears to be offering complete support to anyone with XP and SP3 until the above mentioned date.

Best grab Windows 7 while you still can.

By the way, Dell still offers Windows 7 on its laptops.  Go figure.

Windows8 seems to have some issues with touchpad equipped laptops. It recognizes gestures meant for touch screen when you use the touchpad and this is not what most people want. Of course you can turn gestures off but it's enough to cause deep whine on user base.

[Randy1]

. . .
Best grab Windows 7 while you still can.

By the way, Dell still offers Windows 7 on its laptops.  Go figure.

NewEgg was offering free downgrades to W7 with their computers.

[Masherbrum]

One year from today, Microsoft will terminate "Extended Support" for Windows XP. 

Along with other services, security updates will not be available unless a "custom support relationship" has been negotiated.

Microsoft Support Lifecycle page about Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?c2=1173

Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy

Windows 7 is superior imo.

[2bighorn]

Windows8 seems to have some issues with touchpad equipped laptops. It recognizes gestures meant for touch screen when you use the touchpad and this is not what most people want. Of course you can turn gestures off but it's enough to cause deep whine on user base.

That's not the reason Dell is selling machines with Win7

[BaldEagl]

Best grab Windows 7 while you still can.

   I just switched from Win98 SE to XP five years ago.  Think I'll just wait for Windows 9... or 10... or 11.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

That's not the reason Dell is selling machines with Win7

Yeah business users are the reason. I just pointed out one possible downfall on using Win8 on a laptop. Speed and functionality wise it's equal or superior to Win7.

[Torquila]

Whats wrong with you people?

Windows 8 is basically 7 with added security and metro...

If you don't like it, don't buy it.

Why do we have to make a religion out of the difference?

[Skuzzy]

Yeah business users are the reason. I just pointed out one possible downfall on using Win8 on a laptop. Speed and functionality wise it's equal or superior to Win7.

Except for the fact it has more problems than Windows 7 does, at the moment, and, in my opinion, it is more cumbersome to use for a desktop platform. Windows 8 also has more compatibility issues than Windows 7 does.

Now that Microsoft has released an update to Windows 7 to allow it to use the native Windows 8 drivers, the performance is nearly identical.  So much so, it goes back and forth between the applications being run.

Microsoft also released an update to DirectX, on Windows 7, which gives it the same performance as Windows 8.  Unfortunately, that update introduces the same problem Windows 8 has with dual video card systems implemented in laptops.

At this moment, Windows 7 is more stable, with fewer problems than Windows 8.  Windows 7 also affords more privacy than Windows 8, although most people do not care about that.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Except for the fact it has more problems than Windows 7 does, at the moment, and, in my opinion, it is more cumbersome to use for a desktop platform. Windows 8 also has more compatibility issues than Windows 7 does.
..

At this moment, Windows 7 is more stable, with fewer problems than Windows 8.  Windows 7 also affords more privacy than Windows 8, although most people do not care about that.

This has always been the case when a new OS version is introduced. It was so even with Windows XP - people used to hate it with passion in the first two years. But as time goes on you'll find support for the older OSes vanish, old versions will be more vulnerable to attacks and manufacturers stop supporting them.

With Win7 this is still many years ahead of course. But Win8 is still very finished product with far less problems than XP had on its initial release.

[Skuzzy]

This has always been the case when a new OS version is introduced. It was so even with Windows XP - people used to hate it with passion in the first two years. But as time goes on you'll find support for the older OSes vanish, old versions will be more vulnerable to attacks and manufacturers stop supporting them.

With Win7 this is still many years ahead of course. But Win8 is still very finished product with far less problems than XP had on its initial release.

If one has to resort to comparing Windows 8 to the original release of Windows XP in order to establish a baseline for stability, then there is nothing else left to say. 

For what it is worth, I'll agree that Windows 8 is in better shape than Windows XP was when it was released.  I certainly hope that does not make anyone feel better about Windows 8, considering Windows XP had over 65,000 documented bugs/issues when it was released.

I am certain the issues with Windows 8 will be addressed, eventually.  That is how it is with Microsoft.  As it stands, at this moment, Windows 7 is the better operating system, overall.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

If one has to resort to comparing Windows 8 to the original release of Windows XP in order to establish a baseline for stability, then there is nothing else left to say.  

For what it is worth, I'll agree that Windows 8 is in better shape than Windows XP was when it was released.  I certainly hope that does not make anyone feel better about Windows 8, considering Windows XP had over 65,000 documented bugs/issues when it was released.

I am certain the issues with Windows 8 will be addressed, eventually.  That is how it is with Microsoft.  As it stands, at this moment, Windows 7 is the better operating system, overall.

Resort? I was comparing Win8 to the pet toy of yours and many others here. XP has been the benchmark Vista was compared to. Windows 7 is nothing but a service pack to Vista.

Win7 may be more compatible operating system at the moment but overall Windows 8 contains technological advancements such as a rewritten kernel which make it clearly superior to Win7. If Windows8 would have been shipped without the change in the interface everyone would be smitten over it by now.

[Skuzzy]

I have yet to find anything from Microsoft that states the kernel for Windows 8 has been rewritten.  As I look at the kernel modules, I see a lot of commonality with Windows 7 and its predecessors.  I see new API's, and old API's.  I see the memory management has not changed from Windows 7 64 bit either.

Mind sharing a Microsoft link where they state it is a rewrite?  I cannot find one and I would like to read about it.  I see a lot of guesses about it on the Internet, but nothing from Microsoft.

Regardless, there is also nothing that states a rewrite would be of any benefit anyway.  It is just your opinion that it is better, which flies in the face of facts.  It is still buggier than Windows 7 and that is a fact.

By the way, Windows XP is not my "pet toy".  Microsoft created it.  I, and a few million others, used it.  My home computer is running Windows 7, and my work computer is getting ready to run Windows 7.  I go with what does the job the best.  Right now, that is Windows 7.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I have yet to find anything from Microsoft that states the kernel for Windows 8 has been rewritten.  As I look at the kernel modules, I see a lot of commonality with Windows 7 and its predecessors.  I see new API's, and old API's.  I see the memory management has not changed from Windows 7 64 bit either.

Mind sharing a Microsoft link where they state it is a rewrite?  I cannot find one and I would like to read about it.  I see a lot of guesses about it on the Internet, but nothing from Microsoft.

Regardless, there is also nothing that states a rewrite would be of any benefit anyway.  It is just your opinion that it is better, which flies in the face of facts.  It is still buggier than Windows 7 and that is a fact.

By the way, Windows XP is not my "pet toy".  Microsoft created it.  I, and a few million others, used it.  My home computer is running Windows 7, and my work computer is getting ready to run Windows 7.  I go with what does the job the best.  Right now, that is Windows 7.

Oh come on, you posted multiple posts on this UBB on how you were sticking to your tweaked XP long after Win7 was already established on the market. And there's nothing wrong with that, XP was a great OS especially if you overlook the security problems.

Here's one example of changes made in Win8: http://cloud.dzone.com/articles/windows-kernel-dev-discusses