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January 14th, 2008

Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 10:28 am

Categories: Channel, Corporate strategy, OEMs, Resellers, Service Pack, System builders, Vista, Windows XP, Windows client

Tags: Microsoft Corp., InfoWorld, Microsoft Windows XP, Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows, Software, Mary Jo Foley

In a thinly-veiled publicity stunt, Infoworld is seeking sign-ups for an online petition to “help save XP” by sparing it the fate of “being discontinued on June 30, 2008.”

There are a couple of problems here. First, Windows XP is not being “discontinued” on June 30. Instead, as of that date — unless the software maker issues another reprieve like it did in September 2007 — Microsoft will no longer make XP available to OEMs for preloading and/or via retail sales.

Users still will be able to get XP preloaded on new machines from white-box vendors/system builders through January 31, 2009. And Vista Business and Ultimate customers with volume-license contracts can still get XP via their “downgrade” rights (as far as I can tell from attempts to decipher Microsoft’s fairly convoluted documentation around this issue).

Another point worth mentioning: Microsoft isn’t pulling the plug on XP support this year. Mainstream (free) support for XP from Microsoft ends in April 2009. Extended support (free for security fixes and paid for other help) ends in 2014.

Infoworld is advocating for Microsoft to continue to offer XP indefinitely. Fat chance. Why would Microsoft give customers more incentives not to upgrade to Vista — beyond the ones it has inadvertently provided by delivering a first-generation product that had driver and application compatibility issues; performance problems; and reliability glitches?

Some Microsoft watchers have predicted Microsoft might extend again the preload deadlines for XP, but I think that’s even wishful thinking.

Microsoft’s motto (which won’t be appreciated by Reverend Ken Hutcherson): Vista’s here. SP 1 is near. Get used to it…

Update: Whatever you think of Infoworld’s post, you have to love the XP countdown clock!

Mary Jo FoleyMary Jo has covered the tech industry for more than 20 years. Don't miss a single post. Subscribe via Email or RSS. You can also follow Mary Jo on Twitter.

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 220 Talkback(s)
XP
I detest Vista and do others that have exprrienced both XP and Vista. Some things are hard to find compared to XP.I will go without a computer if I have to have Vista... (Read the rest)
Posted by: stylistbarb Posted on: 06/08/09  (Edited: 06/08/09 @ 02:40) You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
The "reverend" is a piece of work ....  kd5auq | 01/14/08
Same old, same old: Nothing  Jeremy W | 01/14/08
I beg to differ ....  kd5auq | 01/14/08
Same old, same old: Nothing  GuidingLight | 01/14/08
Sorry. I was wrong.  Jeremy W | 01/14/08
Don't worry PapaBloat,  rtk | 01/15/08
You are so right  Boot_Agnostic | 01/16/08
Nope  Jeremy W | 01/21/08
There aint no Wow Now.  jbaviera@... | 03/17/08
Microsoft themselves...  lawryll@... | 01/14/08
...to finish...  lawryll@... | 01/14/08
If XP works for you then stick with it. That doesn't make...  ye | 01/14/08
Why spend the money?  Joe_Racer | 01/14/08
More than 550  boed | 01/14/08
I'm not against spending money  boed | 01/14/08
What makes Vista a dud? (nt)  ye | 01/14/08
What makes Vista a DUD  boed | 01/14/08
This comes as a surprise to you?  ye | 01/14/08
XP was no more demanding than 2000  boed | 01/14/08
But XP was more demanding the 98. And 95 more than 3.1  ye | 01/14/08
Yes XP was more demanding than 98  boed | 01/14/08
Then don't buy it. It really is that simple.  ye | 01/14/08
A response to boed  itpro_z | 01/15/08
Comments to all above  I am Gorby | 01/15/08
What part of: If XP works for you then stick with it.  ye | 01/14/08
Vista troubles  boed | 01/14/08
Perhaps because they're grossly overblown by the ABMers?  ye | 01/14/08
You have to understand  Kid Icarus-21097050858087920245213802267493 | 01/14/08
Yep, big cheerleader here:  ye | 01/14/08
I Surf the web, I have broadband internet access,  windozefreak | 01/16/08
Why spend the money?  morph000 | 01/15/08
Vista is an abomination  boed | 01/14/08
What part of: If XP works for you then stick with it.  ye | 01/14/08
$550  boed | 01/14/08
Again: What part of: If XP works for you then stick with it.  ye | 01/14/08
Are you joking about those network speeds?  Leria | 01/14/08
$555 box  cavlosnap@... | 01/16/08
Sell me on Vista then.  Joe_Racer | 01/14/08
What are you using now? (nt)  ye | 01/14/08
Don't go confusing him with logic  boed | 01/14/08
LOL! Nothing like a personal attack when you have nothing else.  ye | 01/14/08
re: Don't go confusing.....  Badgered | 01/15/08
re: Sell me on Vista then.  Badgered | 01/15/08
Selling you on Vista - a case study  Ben_E | 01/16/08
You are so right Mister Ye, Vista is not a train wreck .  AdventTech67 | 01/14/08
(NT) Hindenburg, lol :o)  Jack-Booted EULA | 01/14/08
Wow! That was clever.  ye | 01/14/08
wow, that was so clever  rtk | 01/15/08
Hardware costs highlight Vista lack of value  Chad_z | 01/14/08
I don't feel I've been reamed. I feel I got a great deal.  ye | 01/14/08
Whatever happened to your Windows Vista capable COMPUTER ?  AdventTech67 | 01/14/08
Sold it for $375. Why?  ye | 01/14/08
Vista costs more without adding value.  Jeremy W | 01/14/08
To me both are full of useless  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
My question is...  lawryll@... | 01/14/08
Well said  boed | 01/14/08
What part of: If XP works for you then stick with it.  ye | 01/14/08
This article...  lawryll@... | 01/14/08
We heard the same complaints about XP.  ye | 01/14/08
Maybe you should read this line  voska1 | 01/14/08
Where can I buy a new Mac without Leopard?  ye | 01/14/08
This is directed at Mister Ye, the clueless one .  AdventTech67 | 01/14/08
@AdventTech67: Yeah, your dad came over and paid me $375.  ye | 01/14/08
@AdventTech67  rtk | 01/15/08
Sniff, sniff  MGP2 | 01/14/08
Yes, that's what your post is.  ye | 01/14/08
If Xp works.........  cavlosnap@... | 01/16/08
Oh, my.  UserLand | 01/17/08
You do realize  rtk | 01/17/08
Upgrade and Use XP  ceh4702 | 01/24/08
Well this issue has been around since the DOS Days  mrOSX | 01/15/08
same speed, because it's 4x the number of things being processed at a time  shryko | 01/15/08
I've Got An Unlimited Business License For XP  itanalyst | 01/14/08
LOL.  James T. Kirk | 01/14/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30  stonefingers | 01/14/08
DRIVERS ARE NOT MICROSOFT'S DOMAIN  Leria | 01/14/08
Well they are responsible for providing ...  mrOSX | 01/15/08
Do you have any facts supporting poor documentation?  ye | 01/15/08
Well my evidence is based on the fact....  mrOSX | 01/15/08
So you have no facts. Just supposition.  ye | 01/15/08
Well then please explain to me why not ...  mrOSX | 01/15/08
I don't have to explain it. (nt)  ye | 01/15/08
It's not incompetence...  rtk | 01/15/08
Two things...  mrOSX | 01/16/08
Programming is not that simple  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
Message has been deleted.  jkane@... | 01/16/08
They should discontinue support for Vista and keep XP  boed | 01/14/08
Vista is not damaged goods  Leria | 01/14/08
Haha!  thungurknifur | 01/15/08
The anti-VIsta/pro-XP crowd have an identically weak argument!  Ben_E | 01/16/08
MS doesn't want to force Vista over XP ...  bjbrock | 01/14/08
Are you kidding??  DarthRidiculous | 01/14/08
Not with a recession looming.  bjbrock | 01/14/08
Vista will negatively impact MS market share  boed | 01/14/08
Here's a tip on forum posting...  rtk | 01/15/08
That boggled my mind when I read it, too (laughs) (NT)  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 01/17/08
Wow - just listen to all the bleating about Vista  Confused by religion | 01/14/08
I know a lot people who hate Vista  voska1 | 01/14/08
Just curious...  itpro_z | 01/14/08
At some point, you have to move on  Ole Man | 01/15/08
Count me among the "removers"  MGP2 | 01/14/08
and for every one of you.  rtk | 01/15/08
Wrong....So Wrong  itanalyst | 01/14/08
Wow, 20 people!  itpro_z | 01/14/08
Lets do some math....  mrOSX | 01/15/08
Or it just means people are more cautious about Vista.  ye | 01/15/08
Well now your splitting hairs....  mrOSX | 01/15/08
It's an important distinction.  ye | 01/15/08
I wasn't talking sales figures  itpro_z | 01/15/08
Not moving to Vista  jmorgus@... | 01/15/08
This is a vendor issue.  itpro_z | 01/15/08
Since you use Microsoft's techniques to compute  Ole Man | 01/15/08
Yes. I purchased Vista last year.  I am Gorby | 01/15/08
Author really is clueless!!  techboy_z | 01/14/08
Can I laugh at your posting?  Leria | 01/14/08
Sorry, Leria  itpro_z | 01/14/08
windows vista  rebelxhardcore | 01/15/08
Credible???  thungurknifur | 01/16/08
Yes, credible!  Ben_E | 01/16/08
Like I said...  itpro_z | 01/16/08
The problem is  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
Interesting  itpro_z | 01/17/08
Just because your users didn't  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
I totally agree.  itpro_z | 01/17/08
Wow!!!  MGP2 | 01/15/08
Yours is another perfect example  Ole Man | 01/15/08
And you are the epitome of trollish ABMer  rtk | 01/15/08
The words for a reply escapes me  Ole Man | 01/16/08
Thanks Ole man,  rtk | 01/16/08
I'd like to make a correction please  laura.b | 01/16/08
Obviously, you haven't used  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
Locked in  jmorgus@... | 01/15/08
vista vista vista...  philip luhanjo | 01/14/08
Great grammar!  thungurknifur | 01/16/08
Maybe, you ought to re-check your own grammar (NT)  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
come on alaniane  rtk | 01/17/08
Pathetic.  kraterz | 01/14/08
Actually, the pirate industry  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
The inevitability of an upgrade...  Spîkeý | 01/14/08
That's more or less what was done here  bportlock | 01/15/08
Face the Facts - Windows XP is Obsolete!  cnfrisch | 01/14/08
LOL  boed | 01/14/08
Vista - Windows ME - those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.  boed | 01/14/08
Speaking as someone who actually used ME...  itpro_z | 01/14/08
Speaking as someone who ACTUALLY used ME rather than simply claiming he did  bmerc | 01/16/08
Oh ignorant one  itpro_z | 01/16/08
Another problem associated with ME  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
Change is never without problems.  itpro_z | 01/17/08
What I would like to see them come out  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
Alaniane  itpro_z | 01/17/08
ignorant me  nicemann2002@... | 04/02/08
Then there are at least two of us.  Sagax- | 01/18/08
Repeating history?  Ben_E | 01/16/08
If you want XP, get it now. Wait too long, it's your own fault.  PB_z | 01/14/08
XP will be around for quite awhile.  itpro_z | 01/14/08
Flip flopping is your specialty  Ole Man | 01/15/08
Poor OleMan, confused again.  itpro_z | 01/16/08
buy yourself a boxed copy of XP now  Ole Man | 01/15/08
Calm down.  itpro_z | 01/16/08
The Crown goes to you  Ole Man | 01/17/08
I'm removing from anyone who wanted Vista in the past  boed | 01/14/08
I would ask you to install it on my machine  Leria | 01/14/08
Interesting  itpro_z | 01/14/08
To boed and itpro_z  Ben_E | 01/16/08
Very well, actually  itpro_z | 01/16/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  stu_jer@... | 01/15/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  green alien | 01/15/08
June 30, 2008 will have no affect on me  TechExec2 | 01/15/08
Ah, a longer listing of a load of crapola  Confused by religion | 01/15/08
I see this FUD going away only when Microsoft releases the next...  ye | 01/15/08
"...Repeat something often enough and soon..."  TechExec2 | 01/15/08
The Ballmer lemming chant  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 01/17/08
XP or Linux  tmccorm | 01/15/08
Short and SWEET. TY!!! grin But,  btljooz | 01/15/08
KUBUNTU (NT)  rebelxhardcore | 01/15/08
XP will stop...  itpro_z | 01/16/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  Hameiri | 01/15/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  DrMicro | 01/15/08
Then switch them to OS X or Linux where I'm sure...  ye | 01/15/08
Something that every young snot must learn  Ole Man | 01/15/08
This isn't anything new.  itpro_z | 01/16/08
Vista's Hidden Agenda  paul.racicot@... | 01/15/08
Have 64 bit OS can you aford 64 bit Apps?  madrucke@... | 01/15/08
now it's time?  Ole Man | 01/15/08
32 bit processors are not less  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
Windows XP: What's really hapeening on June 30, 2008  atari8bit@... | 01/15/08
I already have...I got a Mac Pro and Dell Ubuntu computer  mikifinaz1@... | 01/15/08
Linux or Mac  atari8bit@... | 01/16/08
Evaluating Linux?  Sagax- | 01/18/08
PCLinuxOS  Ole Man | 01/18/08
You have to understand software marketing  jgessing1@... | 01/15/08
This is all too true  Ole Man | 01/15/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  ss327 | 01/15/08
I voted  John Musbach | 01/15/08
When has Microsoft EVER...  GoodmanCPA-IT Tech | 01/16/08
You all know that Vista is the penultimate OS...  Roc Riz | 01/16/08
yup, we've all read the doomsayers predictions.  rtk | 01/16/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  GrahamDCox | 01/16/08
the only reason to upgrade is 64bit. the reasons to NOT upgrade are so more  wessonjoe | 01/16/08
There's little advantage in upgrading to 64 bit  alaniane@... | 01/17/08
What software?  itpro_z | 01/18/08
If MS really wants 100% Vista adoption they need to ditch DRM  james.faction | 01/16/08
More like james.fiction  rtk | 01/16/08
He was taking about consumer's homes systems, not businesses (NT)  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 01/17/08
Funny  rtk | 01/17/08
Your right...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 01/18/08
I'll just settle for ditching WGA alltogether...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 01/17/08
Thanks for clarifying the FUD  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 01/17/08
You can be sure of one thing.  rtk | 01/17/08
Depends...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 01/18/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  mustang457@... | 01/17/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  jfroom@... | 01/18/08
Because...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 01/18/08
Dont need another 32 bit OS  ceh4702 | 01/24/08
How Many Games RUN in 64-bit Mode?  Sinbad713 | 01/31/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  jdsd6@... | 02/04/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  slyedwards@... | 06/11/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  geofroberts@... | 06/18/08
RE: Windows XP: What's really happening on June 30, 2008  clyman | 12/09/08
XP  stylistbarb | 06/08/09

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