As of April 14, 2009 Windows XP is on life support — or, as Microsoft calls it, “extended” support. This means we’ll see only security updates until April 14, 2014, at which point Microsoft doesn’t even want to hear about Windows XP anymore. If you need actual Windows XP support from Microsoft during this five-year, “extended” period, you’ll have to cough up for a support contract.
Update: This all assumes you are up-to-date, which means Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). If you are still running Service Pack 2, Microsoft officially forgets you exist on July 10, 2010.
So, big deal. Who calls Microsoft support anyways?
Well, the real significance of this is that it portends a rapid erosion of XP support generally. Third-party hardware and software manufacturers will lose interest in supporting an operating system being prepped for that big bit bucket in the sky, especially if there’s a need to coordinate with Microsoft during product development.
It’s time to cut the cord. Unless you have a mission-critical need, buying a new system running Windows XP at this point is ill-advised.
From → Operating Systems, Software
