AfterDawn: News

Net Applications: 66 percent of Windows users still running XP

According to data released by research firm Net Applications, users of Microsoft's Windows operating systems still predominately use Windows XP. The data showed that XP had a market share of about 60.03 percent, down from 60.89 percent the previous month. Windows 7 gained 1.25 points to 17.10 percent while Windows Vista dropped from 14.00 percent to 13.00 percent.

Of all machines running Microsoft's Windows operating system software, approximately 66 percent were still running Windows XP, down from 76 percent before Windows 7 launched. During September, Windows Vista had a share of 14.66 percent among will Windows users, down quite a bit from its peak at 20.35 percent. Windows 7 has a 19 percent share among all Windows users.



The results are not very surprising, but it does show that the overall decline in Windows market share (albeit slight) is not being made up by the growth of Windows 7. It also shows that computer users are probably reluctant to invest in a new computer to support Windows 7 if their XP machine works just fine, or even if they could upgrade, are unwilling to risk running into compatibility and other issues.

Net Applications' data showed that MacOS X stayed stable at around 5.03 percent market share in September, and so did Linux installations at 0.85 percent. The only other operating system showing gains is Apple's iOS, at 1.18 percent.

As usual, different firms have different figures. StatCounter reports Windows XP market share at 53.99 percent, Windows Vista's market share at 16.59 percent and Windows 7's market share at 22.04 percent. The overall trend of StatCounter's figures generally reflects that of Net Applications' data.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 7 Oct 2010 22:00

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• 25 comments

• KillerBug

  It will just keep dropping...XP is a very old OS, and these computers won't be around forever.

  7.10.2010 22:36 #1

• biglo30

  They will get there soon enough but it won't be until a fews years till we see a noticeable difference.
  

  7.10.2010 22:55 #2

• Morreale

  I just upgraded to Windows 7 from XP right now lol
  
  Only because I was bored though...
  

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  7.10.2010 22:56 #3

• anonymuos

  Windows 7 is dumbed down OS taking away many features and customization from the user. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fea...ed_in_Windows_7 and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fea..._Windows_Vista.

  7.10.2010 23:58 #4

• Amak

  Seems a lot of people are hell bent on holding on to that dated OS. You can't tell me that this 66% cannot run Windows 7.
  

  8.10.2010 00:16 #5

• ROMaster2

  At least with the right tools, XP isn't bloated as all hell can get out like Vista and 7.
  
  But that's just me.

  8.10.2010 00:43 #6

• patrick_

  and no matter how bloated you may consider 7, it's still faster than XP ;)
  

  8.10.2010 04:29 #7

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by biglo30: They will get there soon enough but it won't be until a fews years till we see a noticeable difference. I think we were already at the failure point for many XP boxes; people used these systems long beyond usefulness simply to avoid the Vista that would come with the new systems.

  8.10.2010 05:22 #8

• Interestx

  Quote:KillerBug
  
  I think we were already at the failure point for many XP boxes; people used these systems long beyond usefulness simply to avoid the Vista that would come with the new systems.
  
  Well personally I'm a happy XP SP3 user.
  I have yet to have a single compatibility issue (which is my biggest worry with switching).
  I get security updates and with a decent anti-virus and malware set-up I don't get problems there either.
  For now I see no real reason to change.
  
  However.
  I do have a copy of Windows 7 (bought at a bargain price in the deals they were doing pre-launch).
  Once the SP1 for it comes out I'll probably move on.....and hope that I don't hit any problems.
  
  But it'll not be because of any real pressing need.

  8.10.2010 14:04 #9

• NHS2008

  The reason why people are holding up to XP..the fact XP is still good enough for them..most of them probably don't know how to upgrade the OS or how to install the New OS..Or just can't be bothered by the learning curve associated with it.
  

  
  
  Join my FB Group.
  If you want Android on Samsung Wave!

  9.10.2010 02:41 #10

• Baccusboy

  Well, as long as they keep selling netbooks with XP....

  9.10.2010 06:08 #11

• Baccusboy

  Well, as long as they keep selling netbooks with XP....

  9.10.2010 06:08 #12

• YellowTrucker

  Has anyone first upgraded their XP machine to Vista and then upgraded from Vista to Windows 7 in one sitting? It would seem to me to be a way to preserve what is installed on the XP machine without having to unload and reload everything into Windows 7.

  9.10.2010 13:36 #13

• YellowTrucker

  Has anyone first upgraded their XP machine to Vista and then upgraded from Vista to Windows 7 in one sitting? It would seem to me to be a way to preserve what is installed on the XP machine without having to unload and reload everything into Windows 7.

  9.10.2010 13:50 #14

• KSib

  I figure the percentage of people who bought the newest Office are similar as well. There's no pressing need to upgrade for most businesses and people. However, I'm starting to see a lot more organizations accept my resume in DOCX now so that at least means they have the latest office DOCX viewer.
  

  10.10.2010 01:35 #15

• SomeBozo

  I too am a happy WinXP user. I'll use WinXP for as long as i can mainly because it is the easiest to get around in and do the work i need to. Prime example of fail in the newer OS's networking, it use to be clear and easy, now it is just a convoluted and very disorganized.
  
  The only appealing thing Win7 has is 64-bit, to which many friends say 64-bit WinXP :) Funny i bought a copy of Win7 from the company store before i left the Borg just in case, it is still sitting in the box :)
  
  

  10.10.2010 11:16 #16

• Interestx

  Quote:YellowTrucker
  
  Has anyone first upgraded their XP machine to Vista and then upgraded from Vista to Windows 7 in one sitting?
  No way.
  I plan on a nice new hard drive and a fresh install.
  I've read countless times that the upgrading method is a real PITA, doing it twice would just be begging for trouble, I think.
  

  10.10.2010 18:46 #17

• ebocious

  The reason XP dies so slowly is largely because of a country with ten times the population of the United States, and just over half the GDP. Most Chinese users don't have brand, spanking new rigs with Core i7 processors and 6-12 gigs of RAM. They have single-core units with a gig of RAM or less, machines not particularly well-suited to Windows 7 or Vista.
  
  They certainly don't have money to throw away just for aesthetics and an aluminum unibody, so Apple isn't big over there; the Mac's total market penetration in China is 0.44 percent. And Linux's is even lower; the Chinese would rather bootleg XP than acquire a fully legal Linux license for free. Microsoft understood their situation, and the $3 Starter Edition was born. Some people wouldn't drop the functionality of XP Pro Corporate just for the sake of legality, but MS still got a nice chunk of change out of that deal.
  
  Windows XP is the best operating system that will run on 10-year-old hardware, and likely still the most versatile operating system of all, taking into account third-party application support. For users with medial incomes in developing countries, it's pretty much the bleeding edge. Windows 7 is selling outside the U.S., but slowly.

  12.10.2010 22:55 #18

• gilboa

  I have a dual boot XP Win7 machine. I cannot think of anything I can do with Win7 that I cannot do with XP. However I have to return to XP so frequently to do something I can't do with Win7 I tend to just use XP. I do Audio and Video work and Win7's lack of a sound mixer and inability to run Vegas video editor leaves me using XP most of the time.

  16.10.2010 06:34 #19

• patrick_

  You're serious?? Even Vegas v8 works perfectly with Windows7 (and we're at v10 now)
  
  Also, it does have a volume mixer, and a much better one than XP (you can set volume per-application).
  

  16.10.2010 16:54 #20

• gilboa

  Originally posted by patrick_: You're serious?? Even Vegas v8 works perfectly with Windows7 (and we're at v10 now)
  
  Also, it does have a volume mixer, and a much better one than XP (you can set volume per-application). Originally posted by patrick_: You're serious?? Even Vegas v8 works perfectly with Windows7 (and we're at v10 now)
  
  Also, it does have a volume mixer, and a much better one than XP (you can set volume per-application). I cannot get it to display images on the time line. Any suggestions?

  16.10.2010 18:04 #21

• patrick_

  Do you mean images used as video, or frames? Is your timeline completely empty, or can you see an image at the start/end of it?
  What version are you using?
  

  17.10.2010 03:38 #22

• gilboa

  Originally posted by patrick_: Do you mean images used as video, or frames? Is your timeline completely empty, or can you see an image at the start/end of it?
  What version are you using? I am using Vegas Movie Studio HD 9.0 and there are no thumbnails of still pictures or video on the time line with Win7. XP no problem.

  17.10.2010 05:02 #23

• patrick_

  Probably it isn't a windows, but a .NET related problem. Make sure it's up to date, as well as your graphics drivers.
  You should contact Sony about this problem.
  

  17.10.2010 13:20 #24

• SomeBozo

  This thread is about WinXP not video editors...?
  

  17.10.2010 13:36 #25