Windows XP transitions out of Mainstream Support phase
By Donald Melanson 
posted April 14th 2009 1:47PM
posted April 14th 2009 1:47PM
It may only be a footnote in the long history of Windows XP, but Microsoft has confirmed today that, as planned, the venerable OS has finally and officially transitioned from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase. This, of course, follows a number of extensions to the Mainstream Support phase (which normally only lasts five years), although most users likely won't notice much of a difference as XP moves into this new, more wistful period of life, as they'll still be getting regular security updates and occasional hotfixes (depending on their support plan) all the way until April 8th, 2014 -- or who knows how much longer if the demand is there.
Upgrade your PoS computer and get on Vista already. Or do you like living in the past?
I'm gonna try to low rank your PoS comment until I can't see it anymore
Your comment is the stupidest comment in this post. Vista:
Vulnerabilities
Incompatibility
Sluggish
Trojans and
Adware
David:
Deluded
Asinine
Vapid
Idiotic
Dismal
Although, in fairness, the original comment was rubbish.
And I'll keep right on using it until I can't get drivers any more...
Windows XP Pro is great. Microsoft should just give up development of any new OSs and just keep adding Service Packs to XP. WinXP will be around long after Vista and Win7 are gone (probably in a few years). I hope it becomes the longest active Windows version ever. Windows XP forever. Booyah!
I tried Vista Ultimate. Okay, but a resource hog. I'll try Windows 7 when it comes. I'll give it a fair shot. But if it turns out to be Vista Revisited, I'll chuck it so fast, it'll make Steve Ballmer duck for cover. One thing that might be good about Windows 7. I might be able to get away with using the lowest Windows 7 version possible to run and it might have a smaller footprint than Windows XP. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I don't care if it can only run two apps at a time. Fine with me.
Thank you for your wise words "iphonerulez". My life is so much better now.
Windows 7 Beta blows the doors off of XP. FYI. Try it out.
That's some great FUD you produced there, iPhoneRuz.
But why? I'm not opposed to change, and I'm sure 7 is fine, but what is the compelling reason to switch, other than MS no longer supports XP? I don't play games on my PC, (I have an Xbox for that) I use it for work, and I run 4 or 5 core apps plus some browsers and MS Office. The benefits need to be great enough to make me want to invest the effort to learn 7.
I used to like messing with the OS and learning about it, and tweaking it - now I just want to do my work and move on. As I've said before, I like doing work on my computer, not working on my computer. I work with many languages and frameworks, and I don't have enough time to keep up what all the new version of that stuff as it is, and a lot of people in business have the same issues. There really is no compelling reason for businesses to upgrade 1,000s of machines for Windows 7, even if it's just the OS. The expense to upgrade 6,000 workstations (the number in my company) just isn't worth it, even at $100 a copy with labor and lost productivity during the upgrade you're looking at well over a million dollars.
I've paid for many copies of XP over the years - as long as XP still has decent support I see no need to upgrade. I'm not here to support Microsoft's planned obsolescence of its software. The day when current versions of my apps need stuff in Windows 7 to function, and the no longer run on XP is the day I'll upgrade.
@iphonerulez
You're an idiot.
@CraigJ
This is going to be long, but here goes...
There is no 'compelling' reason to switch for a satisfied user. Just like there is no reason to switch from OS X 10.4 to 10.5, or from Ubuntu Hardy to Jaunty. It's the same reason someone will drive a 20 year old Honda when they could buy a new car. A satisfied user is a satisfied user and they have no reason to invite change or variables into their environment.
Simple facts and statistics, however, remain the same. If you want the MOST out of current and future hardware and if you want the latest features on a software platform, you will have to upgrade. While I don't like the idea of planned obsolescence, the simple fact is that Windows NT 5 is almost 10 years old and that the best available is going to be designed for NT 6. That doesn't necessarily mean NT 5 OS's won't be supported, but people aren't going to be designing software with the express intent of running on it.
Many people still run NT 4 because they don't need new features or software, what works works. But for those who DO , we need software designers to keep the progress train moving. I don't think any OS is designed with the express intent of forcing comfortable people to upgrade. It most likely won't be cost efficient for large scale deployments of Windows 7, but it won't be any more cost ineffective than it was when corporations upgraded from NT 4 to NT 5.
I'm a Systems Administrator and a Power User, I need to get the most out of my hardware. I will upgrade my Vista SP1 box to Windows 7 for the same reasons I moved from XP to Vista SP1. NT 6's release was a sham of a thing, no one will doubt that. It broke a lot of people's faith in upgrading. But with Windows 7, I think performance tests will show that it's been done properly if you have the right hardware.
Those of who expected to be running the latest software on 10 year old machines had their nasty surprise coming. I think one of Microsoft's cardinal mistakes was letting NT 5 last as long as it did. NT 3 had a life span of 6 years with a huge change in the middle, NT 4 had 4 years, NT 5 has had 7. Now of course it's Microsoft's own mismanagement which has caused these various issues, and the blame for that rests squarely with them; but new software can't be designed around old hardware, and if you look at other consumer software makers it's the same. Leopard isn't designed to run on a Pismo Powerbook and Jaunty isn't designed to run on a K6-2. As far as I can tell nothing has changed in consumer computing. Perhaps things are moving forward a bit faster but at it's center nothing is really...different from the last 15 years? I think that Microsoft's debacle has simply garnered attention from the mainstream. Unix users have called Windows decedent and inefficient for years.
I operate under the philosophy that all operating system's suck and will try to shaft you in one way or another, you simply have the choice of where it goes. Sorry for the text block, and I hope that made as much sense as it did in my head...
You know, I actually thought that IPhoneRulez was making a very witty sarcastic comment until I took a look at his history and realized the the YouTube comment law. Now I'm just praying to god that he's a troll instead of actually that stupid.
I though I was gonna be a die-hard XP user until 2014.. happily 7 is pretty good.
indeed: I disliked vista for its bloated use of my resources, but W7 handles everything pretty damn good.
Yup, Vista is still a big bag of hurt, but Windows 7 is greasing my wheels.
vista blows xp out of the water if you have the hardware to run it, but if you dont then stick with xp till 7 comes out.
Translation = your new support reps will have even thicker Indian accents, just when thought that couldn't be possible. Thankyoucomeagain.
All I wanna know is where are my USB drivers for DOS 3, MS??? HMMMMM?????
Heres hoping 7 will make the need for XP over......
Dude, the need for any version of Windows is over. It's called OS X. Stable. Secure. Fast. Intuitive.
qa
...expensive (you'll need to buy a whole new computer from Apple) and it won't play bluray..
Hahah @ qa.
Tell that to the vast majority of companies that still have some VB6 and VB3 applications involved in mission critical aspects of business.
If Windows instantly disappeared, the world would come to a crashing halt.
If OSX instantly disappeared, Apples stock would drop.
People should move to windows 7 once it get released, my 6 years old PC runs much much smother/faster on windows 7 than XP
And when i bought my laptop it came with windows vista+SP1 and to be honest vista is cool and everything with SP1 but it feels heavy and use so much ram compared to windows 7
Try Windows 7 beta and you wont regret it "My p4 2.4/512 DDR Ram pc" run it so smooth with only 300 Ram used after clean install !
Didn't take long for the trolls to get here, did it?
I'd rather hang myself from the testicles than downgrade to vista.
Then upgrade to 7.
Only in Beta form still, but already the best OS on the planet, bar none.
The RC is imminent now.
...speaking of trolls
Hey hamidxa, your misguided and badly informed opinions are fact now? When did that happen? Seriously, only a moron would say that an OS that's still in beta is "the best os out there, bar none". You realize that is exactly what everybody said about Vista when it was still called Longhorn, right? And how well did that work out for you?
I hope Win 7 is better than Vista, because you know it's probably about time MS came up with something that's actually better than XP, but "best os bar none" is just stupid. If you're familiar at all with Microsoft, you know that there is no end to their ability to churn out complete shit over and over and over again. Or at least you SHOULD know it by now. I don't know, maybe you've been on Mars, in a cave, with your eyes closed and your fingers in your ears.
I know, you want so much to believe that THIS time Microsoft will get it right. And frankly, I hope they do get it right, I use Windows too. But it's still in BETA. Have you learned absolutely nothing from what happened to Vista between the time it was announced and the time it was released? Stop drinking the kool-aid and be objective for once.
Awe crap, Zac and skidmarks are awake, I'm going somewhere else.
Zak, quit yer bitchin'
@Zak
"Stop drinking the kool-aid and be objective for once."
Wow. Where to start there.
Oh, watch out Zak! you've got all teh fanbois feathers ruffled with your truthiness!
stfu skeeze you zak wanna-be... you aren't even worthy of a low rank you insignificant douche with an annoying picture that makes me want to crawl through my computer and punch you right in your smug little face.
I so wish you could try you sorry excuse for a pats fan. Would be the last punch your spaghetti arm threw, you mamas boy! Now go eat a bag 'o dicks like you usually do for lunch.
"feathers ruffled"
*looks at patriotsn1's post...*
Yup. They're ruffled alright!
HA HA HA! This is fun! No wonder you Balmer Boys comment in every Apple post!
Trolling rocks!
and MS blows!
HAHAHA. All the pissant comments and low ranking, yet not one of you could come up with an argument against what I said.
That's fantastic. No no, I'm sure you guys are right. Win 7 is ALREADY the best OS in the universe, even though I'm sure Microsoft would never change anything between beta and release. I mean what does a track record really mean anyway? You guys are right to ignore it. Keep the faith! Bow to the altar of Gates and have faith, brothers! Win 7 is the answer!
Again!
wow a homophobic mac user..maybe unicorns do exist.
"Stop drinking the kool-aid and be objective for once."
- Zak
The 2009 Engadget Quote of the Year.
BTW, thanks for posting in a Microsoft thread - helps keep the post count nice and high.
I must admit...I too have wanted to punch skeezle's nose. He's just asking for it.
@zak....
The reason we don't bother responding to you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJJA1vvMc4I
Just playing your game true fanbois!
Isn't it awesome when people, people you know that don't care about the topic, come into the thread just to post negative crap & stir things up? I mean, Microsoft history will point out that 7 is going to be a disappointment, like all other Windows versions, so this is just too easy! Remember the weeks before the release of Vista, and how AWESOME it was going to be? How about Windows ME? 95? Ha ha ha! MS will continue to lose marketshare, be it to Linux or Mac because people are wising up finally! MS owes 90% of its installed base due to legacy, lack of choice & ignorance.
You do know that if there were to be a version of Mac OSX licensed out to hardware manufacturers it would be equal to Windows home users market share withing 5 years, right? You do realize that Dell would be all over that, as well as every other PC maker, right? Of course you do because you are all soooooo smart!
Oh, and for the easily riled feebs who want to punch me, go ahead. Wind up & punch my avatar on your screen as hard as you can! That will show me!
"wow a homophobic mac user..maybe unicorns do exist."
Anyone care to explain to me where homosexuals were bought up in this conversation? Seems to me like someone had a Freudian Slip here.
Well andur, when someone tells a guy to "eat a bag of dicks" in an insulting manner, that would indicate that the act of eating said dick is a bad thing. Since when one man eats another man's dick it is considered a homosexual behavior, this would indicated that the original poster has an objection to men eating dicks.
Sorry I had to spell it out for you, you'll catch up someday.
Well, honestly, in 1995 Windows 95 was pretty good actually, especially compared to Windows 3.1.
Hah, I totally glazed over that comment. Shame on me. Guess my mind wasn't in the right place to read it.
@Zak:
Vista's problem was hardware support in terms of drivers, the low power machines that were allowed to be released with Vista installed on them, and too many people that were already happy with XP.
The OS itself was fine in terms of its code, stability (when not factoring driver related issues), and asthetics. SP1 was released as a symbolic gesture due to the fact it contained many already released updates.
The launch of Vista was a disaster. Yes, Microsoft is partly to blame, but so are the hundreds of hardware makers who waited till the last minute to get ready for it.
Windows 7 does not have that handicap, since Vista drivers are ready to be used on Windows 7. Windows 7 is also slightly faster than Vista, and with a release gap of 3 years since Vista, you can be assured the machines that "just" ran Vista well will be more than enough to run Windows 7. There will not be the same launch issues that plagued Vista.
And lets not forget the comparisons upon launch. Vista was compared to XP, which was matured. No one wants to transition from stability (as described above) to instability (due to shaky drivers and potential program issues). Windows 7 will also have to face a bit of that from companies, who will no doubt refuse to upgrade their employees machines to Windows 7, since any move from stability to instability is never good for business. 7 will be compared essentially to Vista, which already has a history of hatred. It is seen as the savior of Microsoft, and that alone is enough to make it a massive success.
Windows 7 does not have that issue now. Programs for the past 3 years are written for Vista, which in turn mean they are written for 7, due to the similarity of the core OS.
It WILL have a very successful launch. And if Vista in a few months was able to surpass OSX's sales throughout its entire life, imagine what 7 will be able to do.
Screw Microsoft's crappy support. I'll be using XP till something better shows up.
A lot of businesses have no need for anything more complex than XP so I don't see them getting rid of it any time soon.
Absolutely right. There is NO need to pay for another license. They won't budge until absolutely necessary. Heck, a lot of businesses just moved to XP recently.