• Windows XP No More after June 30

    Windows XP No More after June 30

    Techtree News Staff, May 13, 2008 1850 hrs IST

    Windows XP won't be available to OEMs and general retailers from June 30.

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Come June 30, Microsoft will pull the plug on its very popular Windows XP operating system. This -- despite last month's widely-reported speech by Microsoft Chief Steve Ballmer wherein Ballmer famously said the company could re-consider phasing out Windows XP beyond June 30 if customers so wish -- and despite the 'Save XP Web' petition that garnered wide-spread support mainly from XP fans hankering after the system, should it meet with a sad demise!

It was in September last year that Microsoft said it would stop licensing Windows XP to computer makers, ending retail sales by June 30. Prior to that, the software maker had said it would take XP off of the market by Jan 2008. Now with June 30 fast approaching, it's becoming increasingly clear there are going to be no more fresh leases of life for the operating system.

Talking to a leading business daily, Microsoft India Windows Client Business Group Director Prasanna Meduri said Windows XP would "cease to exist" and that though there's a policy in place for specific segments, Windows XP wouldn't be available to OEMs and general retailers from June 30. System builders would get an extension of six months while new-market segments like low-cost PCs (priced below Rs 20,000) would get an extension till June 30, 2010.

Put simply, this means that if you're about to buy a new computer, you'll get Windows XP only if you happen to buy an unbranded or low-cost machine. In case you should settle for a branded machine costing anywhere above Rs 20,000, you'll have no option but to go with Windows Vista. Meanwhile, it might be interesting to note that low-cost PCs (the kind that will get Windows XP on them for long after June 30) constitute less than 5 percent of the existing market.

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Discussion Board
(20) Comments
Manoranjan Pand
,Rourkela, on Jun 01, 2008 09:40 AM
wINDOW XP, SP-2 IS MERVELLOUS, I WORK MORE THAN 8 HOURS BOTH AT OFFICE & HOME WITH THIS MIRACLE OPERATING SOFTWARE. I HAVE USED Win-98, Win-NT,Win-2000 & NOW THIS ONE FACING NO PROBLEM.
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Vish
,MSN, on May 30, 2008 07:48 PM
The best is Windows XP-2 than other
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T.Abhay Rm Sing
,Hyderbad, on May 27, 2008 08:49 PM
MS Best Operating system in windows xp.Windows xp is good but the vista is not good i`m using the windows xp.
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black bat
,Dil, on May 23, 2008 06:32 AM
MS best operating system is Windows XP. MS should continue the win xp because the vista is not a good os at all, it is lac of simple user interface lac of stability and lot of other things. We are prying to MS to continue the win xp and wish to see SP4.
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Ramesh
,Shillong, on May 19, 2008 07:36 AM
XP will continue to survive as a Pirated Version. But SW and HW manufacturers will develop applications that will run only on Vista! Bill Gates order - "Fall In Line"
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Chiradip Das
,Bangalore, on May 15, 2008 12:03 AM
Out of all MS OS the XP was the best. Now MS withdrawing this to push their VISTA (still not stable) and wants to recover the cost of research back. This is not fair from the customer view. They would have continued XP for five more years at least in the country like India. However, piracy will continue and rule.
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Chinmay
,Kolkata, on May 14, 2008 07:17 PM
Socked about it.
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velly
,Mumbai, on May 14, 2008 02:17 PM
Its TOTALLY not fair, Microsoft PLUGGINNG OFF XP....JUST TO BOOST VISTA SALES as still its ALIVE in the market providing a good COMPATIBILITIY, STABILITY & a allround systems support in.... It only gonna add more probs further....
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Anant Bhushan
,Bangalore, on May 14, 2008 12:50 PM
With my little experience with the way that Vista functions, by phasing out XP windows will only be alienating its retail customer base pushing them towards the open source systems already gaining wide popularity due to the unpopularity of Vista.
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naveenchaudhary
,meerut, on May 14, 2008 12:20 PM
truly a disastrous decision, time will tell, either they should sell lisences to any other company for updates or further development of xp, that will be good for customers, but discontinuation of xp is a mistake. well lets see if they iron out vista.
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Nitin
,Pune, on May 14, 2008 10:36 AM
good going Microsoft
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SivaKrishna Ber
,Hyderabad, India, on May 14, 2008 09:26 AM
we have to pay more for system configurations if we are forced to use Vista. Otherwise, the system performance will be low with lower RAM and Processor speed. XP will not be having these constrains.
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Vinod Beri
,Delhi, on May 14, 2008 10:31 AM
By discontinuing XP against the wishes of market, Microsoft will have to bear the wrath of the consumers as company's this act is creating lot of negative mind-equity for Microsoft. Almost every IT professional is talking against this decision. It is certainly going to adversely affect Microsoft's image and business in the mid to long terms if not in the short term. Now consumers will start looking around for using even distant alternative to MS products.
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Sirish
,Hyderabad, on May 14, 2008 07:40 AM
XP or Vista both are bad enough i have already shifted from MS OS to Linux Fedora... its simply awesome.
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Kreig
,Aztec, NM, on May 14, 2008 06:48 AM
So where can we get a copy of xp until June 0?
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Marun
,Chennai, on May 14, 2008 05:56 AM
A foolish thing MS is doin. They are not hanging XP, hanging themself.
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ralph dsouza
,mumbai, on May 14, 2008 02:20 AM
this is some thing foolish...that microsoft is doing...it depends upon the customers what os they want to use and the cust would decide whether they wanna use xp or vista..i think microsoft is pushing on vista...i prefer xp..
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MN RAVI
,Bhadravati (Karnataka), on May 13, 2008 08:45 PM
Windows XP is quite popular and efficient in handling various tasks. More than anything else, it doesn't ask for huge resources, like Win Vista. A common man is forced to upgrade or buy a new PC just to accommodate Win Vista, many times which may be quite unnecessary. This is only a ploy to make you buy something even though you may not need it.
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saurabh
,bangalore, on May 13, 2008 09:23 PM
True, Microsoft is thinking that computer world will go as it wants. This will be the biggest mistake of Bill Gates
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Joshua
,Goa, on May 13, 2008 09:29 PM
Windows Vista is actually a box of unwanted stuff if you would ask me!i mean, why would anyone want to go through 3 steps in vista, where the same can be finished in just 1 in XP?Makes sense doesnt it? Its just the "extra" security factor that Vista platform offers and the graphics that some people would love to get their hands upon. A few 3rd party security apps work best for me on my XP. The panorama of the "VISTA" is good, but not to the likes of many who work on it day in - day out!
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