ELM Bulletin - July 23, 2010
Microsoft Extends Windows XP Support to 2020
Although Windows Vista has been available for several years and Windows 7 is steadily gaining in popularity, Microsoft has just this week announced that it will be extending support for Windows XP until 2020. What does this mean for you? Read on and find out.
First released in 2001, Microsoft anticipated a significant migration of Windows XP users upon the release of Windows Vista. When that failed to happen (largely due to highly overhyped Vista “problems”) Microsoft decided not to pull Windows XP from store shelves and instead implemented the Windows XP Downgrade Program. Essentially, Windows XP Downgrades enable users to downgrade Windows Vista Professional and Windows 7 Professional to Windows XP Professional.
What has changed is that Microsoft has decided not to discontinue Windows XP in 2011 but to extend Windows XP support until 2020. This means that:
- Windows XP Professional will be a downgrade option for Windows 7 Professional until 2015
- Windows XP Professional will be a downgrade option for Windows 7 Ultimate until 2020
- Windows XP will continue to receive updates and security patches until 2020, but only if Service Pack 3 has been installed
Although Windows XP is a reliable opeating system, it does lack the advanced usability and security features of Windows Vista and Windows 7; but now, at least, you can keep using XP if you want to without worrying that it will become increasingly irrelevant.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about this or any other issue.
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Peter Rhebergen Telephone |
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