In a historically unprecedented move, Microsoft has announced that it will continue to support Windows XP through the year 2014!  Traditionally, Microsoft discontinues supporting an operating system less than ten years after it is released.  However with poor sales in the business sector as well as droves of people downgrading their systems to Windows XP, Microsoft is hoping to avoid the low-end computer manufacturers from shipping their consumer machines with Linux installed instead. 

Over the past decades of Microsoft operating systems, support is typically downgraded from actively making updates and patches for new software, hardware, etc. shortly after a new OS is released.  For example, Windows 2000 was put on “extended support” just a few years after Windows XP was released - it is also currently scheduled to be discontinued in 2010.  Extended Support means that there are no major updates or service packs released for an operating system, just taking care of security issues that arise over time.  Previously, Windows XP was scheduled to be axed by 2011 in favor of Windows Vista, however with sales plummeting a stay of execution for XP has been issued and they have extended support into 2014 - more than thirteen years after it was originally released.

I find this announcement to be rather ironic, especially since I wrote about this two years prior in my recently published book - Introduction to Computer DJing & CPS.  Specifically I mentioned the facts that Vista had a number of major security issues before it was even fully released as well as detailing the operating system as being quite the resource hog as well as being processor intensive.  All of which means to DJs everywhere using a Vista-based CPS that there would be some serious limitations placed upon even the newest computer the moment it is turned on.  This is also part of the reason that big business has been in no hurry to upgrade their computers, all of which is ultimately costing Microsoft millions of dollars in lost sales.  And if Microsoft forced the Vista issue by discontinuing support for XP, consumer-grade computers would have no choice but to install Linux, resulting in the loss of market share.

For those folks who have Vista already installed on one or more of your computers, all is not lost - thanks to a little-known loop hole in Microsoft licensing of their software, you can easily (and for free) downgrade your system to Windows XP!  Microsoft has even gone so far as to make the public fully aware of this option in hopes of bolstering sales for XP until June 30, 2008 - when it will no longer be available to come pre-installed on computers that you buy from the likes of Dell, Gateway, HP and so on.

So set off some fireworks, blow on that party noise maker and breathe a sigh of relief - Windows XP will be with us for a few more years.  Heck I celebrated the news by buying a 64-bit version of XP Pro myself, which will be getting installed in my CPS replacing Windows 2000 Pro as my OS of choice.

Tags: 2000, computer djing, laptop dj, microsoft, mp3 dj, vista, windows, xp

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 at 19:40 and is filed under Computer DJing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.