What Microsoft's extended XP support means to IT
- 14 April, 2009 05:24
- Comments 1
Microsoft is trying to ease the confusion about Windows XP support, and so the company is circulating on Monday details about what will change and what will remain the same.
Let's start with the brief but noteworthy changes. Microsoft confirms that XP is now entering the Extended Support phase, where it will reside for five years. What that means is that IT shops will need to have a Premier support contract with Microsoft to get non-security hotfixes, and those will carry a fee.
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Microsoft also noted what stays the same. Until April 2014, customers will still get security patches delivered for free. Customers will also be able to get paid incident phone and Web support, Microsoft said. As part of its Get Genuine program, however, customers having trouble installing Windows as they aim to get genuine will get free phone support, Microsoft added.
The company explained that its support lifecycle consists of three levels. Mainstream Support stands for the first five years an OS is available, Extended Support covers the next five years, and Custom Support spans the five after that. Microsoft stated that Extended Support will be available until April 8, 2014.
These clarifications come on the same day that Dimensional Research published the results of a study commissioned by systems management appliance company KACE that found 83 percent of IT managers do not plan to upgrade to Windows 7 this year, citing current economic conditions and Vista's compatibility problems as chief reasons not to migrate to the OS.
And just last week, a memo leaked out of Hewlett-Packard suggesting that Microsoft is giving customers more downgrade options to opt for Windows XP rather than Windows Vista or potentially even instead of Windows 7. Microsoft, however, did not confirm rumors in the stories that OEMs, including HP, were granted permission to sell Windows XP preinstalled through April 2010.
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Comments
Anonymous
Thanks for this article. Lol don't worry MS will still support Xp for security update, and OEM manufacturer will still support you for both (security and optional updates). I think we may just need them only, even my friends offlince PC havent got any update for years (except Xp SP3 offline install) without any problem at all, especially since Xp has been pretty stable after SP2 and SP3 and some latest optional updates. You'll still be able to get Xp for years forward i.e from ebay, some remaining stocks (believe me, there are many!), or use downgrade rights, netbook etc. It's the most popular OS ever! Even in illegal way if you really wanted it bcoz MS doesnt give us more options by selling it legally lol sorry kidding (but it's still a fact). There are still many 3rd party softwares and hardwares which will support it for years forward while some people and companies will still keep it (as i've seen the same i.e for Windows 98 and 2000 nowadays), considering large Xp users.
Btw if you want to enhance Windows Xp so it will serve you as well as Vista and Windows 7, longer and better, alternatively just visit and read the entire article here:
"List of Vista and Windows 7 Applications Features for Xp or 2003":
http://www.winmatrix.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20480 and
http://www.winmatrix.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21246
, very worthy article imo, hopefully useful for Xp or 2003 users even you can get some original Vista applications ported to Xp etc! Personally i'll keep Xp longer, even maybe 2014. Anyway good luck and long live Xp! - The best Microsoft operating system, again fact. Cheers!
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