Microsoft reminds customers of impending end of support for Windows XP

Microsoft has reminded its customers this week of Windows XP's impending end of life.

Support for Windows XP SP3 will be dropped on April 8th, 2014, as will support for Microsoft Office 2003.

Marketing director Stella Chernyak says the end-of-life means Microsoft will kill off all security updates, non-security hot-fixes and technical support after that date.

Says the director: "Windows XP and Office 2003 were great software releases in their time, but the technology environment has shifted. Technology continues to evolve and so do people's needs and expectations."

Microsoft has always supported a policy of a minimum of 10 years of support and has given Windows XP extra time despite the release of Vista, Windows 7 and soon, Windows 8.

If you are an enterprise, the company recommends switching to Windows 7 and Office 2010 rather than waiting. To help the move, the company is offering free deployment toolkits.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Apr 2012 12:40

hearme0

Hack away!!!

Any loser sticking with this old antiquated system deserves to be hacked into oblivion after support ends.

No doubt someone will make the case "If it works.......why get rid of it?" blah blah blah.

And I'll say "If you own a total P.O.S. car and it works........would you take it across country for a road trip knowing it's garbage?" Any reasonable person would not.

11.4.2012 14:44 #1

wiimatrix

Quote:Says the director: "Windows XP and Office 2003 were great software releases in their time, but the technology environment has shifted. Technology continues to evolve and so do people's needs and expectations."
What will be the comment for Vista then!!!!,might be an apology!!!

11.4.2012 15:04 #2

ThePastor

I see the problem being with the many numbers of XP computers being used as single purpose machines. Re-purposed to do some task with minimal updates and such.
For example: I have an old XP computer which maintains my usenet usage... It's always on and working.

No more XP updates may not hurt me, but there are valid reasons for still have XP.

11.4.2012 18:58 #3

aldan

bad analogy hearmeo.you are assuming xp was a piece of shit.just old,thats all.ive driven lots of old cars on long trips and never had a problem so whats your point? since you have such a low opinion of xp i assume you are a linux user and probably dont know jack shit about windows operating systems anyways.yes i use windows 7 and yes i like it but like the pastor i also have an old p4 on xp and have no plans to change that.the only real pain i see is if one has to do a clean install of xp it wont be quite as easy to find the updates as it is now.if this sounds harsh it should.i get real tired of being called any number of non techie expletives.since you obviously have no connection whatever with the reasons some people still use xp,i tend to value your opinion about that much.

11.4.2012 19:41 #4

rulisky

Originally posted by hearme0:
And I'll say "If you own a total P.O.S. car and it works........would you take it across country for a road trip knowing it's garbage?" Any reasonable person would not. CHILL!! OK. XP is an aging OS. But it is NOT a POS!! Unlike the car it continues to be what it is; and does not wear out merely from age.

Technology moves on (stumbles, ie. Vista) and eventually XP will be a fond memory. However, right now it does all that I need and does it well. Thank you.

I have tried Windows 7 and found it lacks the ability to run some programs necessary for me - even WITH the available XP emulation. I first tried 7 for a game that does not run on XP. Set up a dual boot machine with XP and 7. The game blew. Got rid of it. Kept 7 for a while and actually went back to a single boot for XP.

Right now my wife has a 7 machine and when she needs a program that will not run on it, she borrows my XP system.

Someday I may move on to 7, 8, or something else. Everything in it's place and time. Peace.

11.4.2012 19:44 #5

ivymike

XP may be old but so is a 1970 Chevelle. Both run great compared to modern vehicles. Perhaps M$ will allow XP to be open sourced for those who don't like Vista, W7 or W8 but that's just a pipe dream. One can only hope

11.4.2012 22:37 #6

hearme0

Originally posted by aldan: bad analogy hearmeo.you are assuming xp was a piece of shit.just old,thats all.ive driven lots of old cars on long trips and never had a problem so whats your point? since you have such a low opinion of xp i assume you are a linux user and probably dont know jack shit about windows operating systems anyways.yes i use windows 7 and yes i like it but like the pastor i also have an old p4 on xp and have no plans to change that.the only real pain i see is if one has to do a clean install of xp it wont be quite as easy to find the updates as it is now.if this sounds harsh it should.i get real tired of being called any number of non techie expletives.since you obviously have no connection whatever with the reasons some people still use xp,i tend to value your opinion about that much. Great analogy and nope......you never could have been more incorrect with your take on my statement. Referring to a P.O.S. car would typically lead people to believe it's OLD and outdated (by current standards and technologies). You just choose to misinterpret for yourself. XP is a P.O.S. by TODAY'S techno standards.........PERIOD. It's insecure and slow regarding productivity. Sure.......it's kinda quick when clicking around..........because it's a stripped down OS with nothing to it. 7 is benchmarked faster, has a viable 64 bit release and is easier to find files without "digging".

Defend XP all you want.....I'll hack yo ass 6 months after updates and security patches cease.

12.4.2012 15:40 #7

hearme0

Originally posted by ivymike: XP may be old but so is a 1970 Chevelle. Both run great compared to modern vehicles. Perhaps M$ will allow XP to be open sourced for those who don't like Vista, W7 or W8 but that's just a pipe dream. One can only hope Good GOD..........you did NOT just use a 70 Chevelle as an example of a "great running" car. Yeah.........with new engine, new struts and control arms and a new 8 track. Sheesh!

12.4.2012 15:42 #8

Kannz

thats why I triple boot xp,win7 and lin. why the hell would you want to use just one os? I guess people just like limiting themselves... they all have their advantages and disadvantages. But there is ALOT of old ass software and hardware that is still useful and fun to use and doesn't work on the new OS's or at least isn't supported.

12.4.2012 17:42 #9

aldan

hearme0,i see you know as much about cars as you know about operating systems.70 chevelle did not have mcphereson strut suspension.as i said before many have legitimate reasons for using xp.dont feel bad,i thought i knew everything when i was younger.i found out,just like you will,i didnt.i think i am done with your brand of crap for now.

12.4.2012 18:13 #10

ivymike

I use 64 bit XP and it runs much smoother than 64 bit W7. XP is a KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) type of operating system. Anything you don't need or don't want is easily removed as opposed to W7. I do have W7 on one machine and it tends to crash and freeze up much more frequently even though it has 4 Gb RAM, a Core 2 Duo CPU and SLI. Hopefully Microsoft will compile all the bugfixes for XP into a final rollup like they did with W2K....

12.4.2012 22:12 #11

ddp

i use both xp & win7 on different machines with xp on this machine i'm posting with.

12.4.2012 22:26 #12

aldan

i will say that win7 runs much faster on this old celeron d.also there are many ways to get to the same place so to speak.right now its just too much of a pain to get the old p4 to win7.

12.4.2012 22:57 #13

Mr-Movies

13.4.2012 14:36 #14

gryphon1

as a person who works out in the real world at manufacturing facilities i have to say that if it still works you'll find it on the shop floor, some of the equipment i deal with is 20+ years old and still going strong. only a few years ago i was dealing with a DOS based control system. it is impossible to find hardware or software upgrades compatable for Vista and Win 7 that will communicate with the equipement out there. Not to mention all the great older programs that still will not run in XP mode, VMWare for me! if I had to update all my software i would be rivaling the national debt! XP still has it's place.

13.4.2012 16:29 #15

Mr-Movies

Originally posted by gryphon1: as a person who works out in the real world at manufacturing facilities i have to say that if it still works you'll find it on the shop floor, some of the equipment i deal with is 20+ years old and still going strong. only a few years ago i was dealing with a DOS based control system. it is impossible to find hardware or software upgrades compatable for Vista and Win 7 that will communicate with the equipement out there. Not to mention all the great older programs that still will not run in XP mode, VMWare for me! if I had to update all my software i would be rivaling the national debt! XP still has it's place.
Which is why the PLC industry needs to wake up and either write drivers that will work in the new world or upgrade their equipment. POS systems had to do just that although there are still plenty of RS232C or 422 systems still in use.

13.4.2012 16:49 #16

gryphon1

Which is why the PLC industry needs to wake up and either write drivers that will work in the new world or upgrade their equipment. POS systems had to do just that although there are still plenty of RS232C or 422 systems still in use. new equipemnet, no problem, going ethernet based. swapping out existing multi million dollar lines running current production for new ones or re-vamping the controls is just cost prohibitive with the engineering and manpower involved. cheaper to modify. keeps me working!

13.4.2012 17:12 #17

Mr-Movies

Originally posted by gryphon1: Which is why the PLC industry needs to wake up and either write drivers that will work in the new world or upgrade their equipment. POS systems had to do just that although there are still plenty of RS232C or 422 systems still in use. new equipemnet, no problem, going ethernet based. swapping out existing multi million dollar lines running current production for new ones or re-vamping the controls is just cost prohibitive with the engineering and manpower involved. cheaper to modify. keeps me working! That's life....

13.4.2012 17:42 #18

keno777

Thanks for the great ride with Windows XP.
For the last 4 months I have been running
LINUX. LINUX the best system I have ever ran.

It's great to have a stable and fast
running computer again. I don't like
window's 7 or the new 8 that's going
to send more people to LINUX.

Ken

13.4.2012 19:34 #19

Mr-Movies

No, most people will not wast their time with Linux, it still is far from a user friendly system, even with some of the improvements they have made.

People will go to Mac before Linux which is starting to happen just through the brainwashing the schools provide these days and the iCrap frenzy.

13.4.2012 20:20 #20

WierdName

To address one of the larger elephants in the room, XP is far from a POS system. Making such claims is incredibly ignorant and/or poorly stated. While the time to move on will inevitably come, it certainly still has it's place; at least right now. I have a laptop with a 32-bit Core 2 Duo at 2.1GHz, 3GB RAM, and an 256MB NVidia 8400M GT GPU. It runs Windows 7 just fine. But if I dare try loading any games or whatnot the framerate is so poor (even on lowest settings) that it becomes completely unplayable. I have XP Pro as a secondary boot and it runs WAY better because it's built with YAGNI in mind and not loaded with tons of extra OS processes.

Maybe the original instigator doesn't have a problem, but there's a decent amount of us that can't afford more modern systems with better specifications. Ranting about how crappy XP is and saying us users should be "hacked into oblivion" is the sort of ignorant, troll comment one would expect to see on YouTube, not a tech site...

Doesnt expecting the unexpected make the unexpected expected and therefore mean youre expecting the expected which was the unexpected until you expected it?
"Opinions are immunities to being told were wrong." - Relient K

13.4.2012 21:57 #21

getanacct

Originally posted by Mr-Movies: No, most people will not wast their time with Linux, it still is far from a user friendly system, even with some of the improvements they have made.

People will go to Mac before Linux which is starting to happen just through the brainwashing the schools provide these days and the iCrap frenzy. Even with the Mac, with the news that even they can have spyware should give those considering a Mac for their new PC a slight pause, because it shows that no OS or PC is immune to talented virus/trojan writers.

13.4.2012 22:09 #22

Mr-Movies

Originally posted by WierdName: To address one of the larger elephants in the room, XP is far from a POS system. Making such claims is incredibly ignorant and/or poorly stated. While the time to move on will inevitably come, it certainly still has it's place; at least right now. I have a laptop with a 32-bit Core 2 Duo at 2.1GHz, 3GB RAM, and an 256MB NVidia 8400M GT GPU. It runs Windows 7 just fine. But if I dare try loading any games or whatnot the framerate is so poor (even on lowest settings) that it becomes completely unplayable. I have XP Pro as a secondary boot and it runs WAY better because it's built with YAGNI in mind and not loaded with tons of extra OS processes.

Maybe the original instigator doesn't have a problem, but there's a decent amount of us that can't afford more modern systems with better specifications. Ranting about how crappy XP is and saying us users should be "hacked into oblivion" is the sort of ignorant, troll comment one would expect to see on YouTube, not a tech site... You really are off base, as usual, as a lot of stores run their POS's on XP and that is a fact! You want to talk about ignorant, WOW you have it in spades!

Enough said!

14.4.2012 00:38 #23

Whisperer

Originally posted by hearme0: Originally posted by ivymike: XP may be old but so is a 1970 Chevelle. Both run great compared to modern vehicles. Perhaps M$ will allow XP to be open sourced for those who don't like Vista, W7 or W8 but that's just a pipe dream. One can only hope Good GOD..........you did NOT just use a 70 Chevelle as an example of a "great running" car. Yeah.........with new engine, new struts and control arms and a new 8 track. Sheesh! You are arrogant and rude. How old are you? Do you make great money? The recession has hit may people very hard. Many people can't afford to upgrade to new machines that will handle the overhead of newer versions of windows. How about a little grace in your comments.

Regards,
Whisperer

14.4.2012 03:16 #24

Bill5.0 (unverified)

hearme0

I would like to stress the fact that Windows XP is a excellent choice for an OS regarding security as long as Microsoft pushes security patches. Once they stop then users should abandon the OS. Security Guru's like Steve Gibson have said that Windows XP was a more secure choice when Windows 7 was still a couple years young since hackers & attackers have tried practically everything on Win XP. This means that exploits are known and fixed. With Win 7 being in it's infancy, exploits were still being found. This means that "hearme0" could be the first to get hit with a "zero day" infection on Win 7 and you're screwed.

I think that Win 7 has great security features like a user based drivers versus kernel based drivers in XP. But Windows XP has a huge advantage in the fact that it is tried, tested and successful.

I think "hearme0" comment about it being antiquated and a POS is an ignorant comment. Have you heard of the term "Bleeding Edge Technology". This means that when a new OS is put out there are many flaws that will be exploited. After a while they are fixed and the OS become more hardened.

I recommend win 7 to all of my clients and most of them are there. But I disagree with the comment about "Losers using XP etc etc"

14.4.2012 18:52 #25

Mr-Movies

XP was horrible until SP1 came out so you are right on about new OS's. The merger of 98se and NT was a big step in the day and XP was very buggy at first. Win7 is really what Vista should have been so it was a leg up from the start although it still has issues but they have made much improvement over Vista. To bad that they will go backwards again with Win8 but MS never seems to learn their lessons. I doubt that Seven will last as long as XP has but it is time for people to move to it from XP.

14.4.2012 20:19 #26

WierdName

Originally posted by Mr-Movies: You really are off base, as usual, as a lot of stores run their POS's on XP and that is a fact! You want to talk about ignorant, WOW you have it in spades!

Enough said! A) "Off base, as usual"?

B) So stores running crappy computers with XP makes XP crap?

14.4.2012 20:29 #27

ps355528

XP has been pretty good.. for once microsux actually made something which worked reasonably well. Fista.. no comment.. win7.. should have been aborted before it was birthed.. it's a mess..

I love people slagging off linux.. people who have obviously NEVER USED IT .. most works right out of the box these days.. unlike crapdoze which usually needs all kinds of drivers and shit digging up and installing before it works at all.. I love these people quoting the same old bullshit "user unfriendly.. doesnt work" crap they have been spouting as their microsux apologist line for the last 15 years.. yes linux wasn't very user friendly in 1995.. was windows95 any better?.. not in my memory.. it was also a load of virtually unusable crap.. and networking was a nightmare.

Keep paying for turd polish guys, because thats all you will ever get from microsux.. and it will never belong to you (even tho you pay for it) because they only let you borrow it.. and call you pirates and thieves for the privelege.

I'm going to enjoy my blazing fast sabayon machine now.. cutting edge in every way except it's hardware.

ARR! Them pesky Navy! Get out of my sea!
irc://irc.villageirc.net/afterdawn http://www.pirateparty.org.uk/

14.4.2012 20:42 #28

dos2k6

So MS security is the only thing keeping you from hacking???
BWHAWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

14.4.2012 21:12 #29

aldan

Originally posted by ps355528: XP has been pretty good.. for once microsux actually made something which worked reasonably well. Fista.. no comment.. win7.. should have been aborted before it was birthed.. it's a mess..

I love people slagging off linux.. people who have obviously NEVER USED IT .. most works right out of the box these days.. unlike crapdoze which usually needs all kinds of drivers and shit digging up and installing before it works at all.. I love these people quoting the same old bullshit "user unfriendly.. doesnt work" crap they have been spouting as their microsux apologist line for the last 15 years.. yes linux wasn't very user friendly in 1995.. was windows95 any better?.. not in my memory.. it was also a load of virtually unusable crap.. and networking was a nightmare.

Keep paying for turd polish guys, because thats all you will ever get from microsux.. and it will never belong to you (even tho you pay for it) because they only let you borrow it.. and call you pirates and thieves for the privelege.

I'm going to enjoy my blazing fast sabayon machine now.. cutting edge in every way except it's hardware. you know i kinda thought i worded my post a little harshly.didnt mean to dis linux.never used it but know people who do and they wouldnt go anywhere else.

14.4.2012 22:28 #30

ddp

WierdName, i think Mr-Movies is talking about Point Of Sales which is the long form of POS & is not critising xp but is at hearme0.

14.4.2012 23:06 #31

Mr-Movies

ddp, That would be 100% correct and was used with stores as a reference in the rebuttal which should be a big clue but WierdName would rather slander and point reference to ignorance when in fact he is the one conflicted by his slanderous reference.

You got to love it.... LOL

I use Linux and say it is not user friendly still, it's not that is still a fact even after 1996 for whatever that is worth.

14.4.2012 23:27 #32

WierdName

Originally posted by ddp: WierdName, i think Mr-Movies is talking about Point Of Sales which is the long form of POS & is not critising xp but is at hearme0. Originally posted by Mr-Movies: ddp, That would be 100% correct and was used with stores as a reference in the rebuttal which should be a big clue but WierdName would rather slander and point reference to ignorance when in fact he is the one conflicted by his slanderous reference.

You got to love it.... LOL

I use Linux and say it is not user friendly still, it's not that is still a fact even after 1996 for whatever that is worth. You misunderstood me. I was addressing Hearme0's comment about XP being a piece of s*, which couldn't be more wrong. Given the stance of my post I'm not sure how it was read as an attack on XP being a point of sales system. Apparently I should have directly quoted Hearme0's comment to avoid any confusion. The only conflict here is if I should pay any attention to the subtle "as usual" reference from a random stranger I never communicate with. I'm assuming said stranger threw it in as a random insult to a perceived attacker of them so I'm just going to ignore it.

From my point of view, I addressed a claim about XP being a POS (piece of s*) system as ignorant and was then referred to myself as ignorant. My apologies if the context strongly implied the claim of ignorance to the wrong person but I think the content itself was enough to strongly imply who the comment was directed at.

14.4.2012 23:53 #33

ddp

if you had used lowercase for pos instead of uppercase for POS, then we might have understood correctly & i know you were critising hearme0.

14.4.2012 23:58 #34

WierdName

Originally posted by ddp: if you had used lowercase for pos instead of uppercase for POS, then we might have understood correctly & i know you were critising hearme0. I generally capitalize acronyms, names, and stuff like "I". I blame the schools.

15.4.2012 00:02 #35

FredBun

Originally posted by hearme0: Hack away!!!

Any loser sticking with this old antiquated system deserves to be hacked into oblivion after support ends.

No doubt someone will make the case "If it works.......why get rid of it?" blah blah blah.

And I'll say "If you own a total P.O.S. car and it works........would you take it across country for a road trip knowing it's garbage?" Any reasonable person would not. quote: Any loser sticking with this old antiquated system deserves to be hacked into oblivion after support ends.
This to me is Blah Blah Blah, tried 7 and it sucked, never had issues with XP, everything works just fine, people went on to pay some pretty big bucks for 7, now 8 is coming along even when 7 is still a rookie, who really is the loser.

22.4.2012 10:00 #36

ddp

not me!!!

22.4.2012 16:05 #37

Mr-Movies

Me either!

22.4.2012 16:22 #38

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