Death Knell Sounds For Windows XP

Windows XP users have 999 days from today before Microsoft casts them off.

On April 8 2014, security patches and hotfixes for Windows XP will no longer be available for the venerable Microsoft OS. Windows XP is  apparently still the most-used operating system in the world, and Microsoft is keener than ever to push the reported 200m XP diehards around the world to adopt Windows 7.

Erwin Visser, senior director, Windows commercial product marketing, wrote on Microsoft’s business blog: “Windows XP served us well, but in the ten years since it launched, the world has changed.

“It’s time to retire Windows XP and move to Windows 7 to take advantage of the last decade of innovation in areas such as security, performance and more natural, intuitive interface.”

Windows 7 banishing all memory of Vista

Almost all newly purchased PCs and laptops will already have Windows 7 or maybe Vista pre-installed, which has seen the vast majority of Windows’ consumer base move on from XP.

However, enterprises have been hanging on to XP in the face of costly, time consuming and disruptive large-scale upgrades – but they will soon have their hand forced.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said yesterday in a keynote speech at Microsoft’s annual Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles that Microsoft had sold 400m licenses for Windows 7 in less than two years.

But with Windows 8 apparently just around the corner Tami Reller, corporate vice president and chief financial officer of Windows and Windows Live, said at the same event that Windows 7 was the path to Windows 8.

“We see a future with a heterogeneous enterprise environment of Windows 8 devices and apps alongside Windows 7 PCs and apps,” she said.

“At the heart of our ability to deliver Windows 8 is the flexibility Windows has consistently shown; its ability to adapt over time is what ensures Windows will continue to be highly relevant in the future,” Reller added.