The Life and Times of Windows XP
The first drama-filled decade of the operating system that wouldn't say die.By Harry McCracken | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 10:44 pm
March 29th: Microsoft, which has been forced to comply with the European Commission’s demand that it release a version of Windows XP without Windows Media Player built in, agrees to call the new version Windows XP N. (Its preferred name had been the aggressively unappealing-sounding Windows XP Reduced Media Edition.)
July 22nd: At an Atlanta sales event, Microsoft announces that Longhorn, XP’s upcoming replacement, has a name–Windows Vista. It explains the moniker thusly:
Today, we live in a world of “more” — more information, more ways to communicate, more things to do, more opportunities — and at the same time, more responsibilities. Increasingly, we all turn to our PCs to help us with that. At the end of the day, what you’re after is a way to break through all the clutter to focus on what you want to focus on, what you need to do. What you’re trying to get to is your own personal Vista — whether that is trying to organize photos, or trying to find a file or trying to connect and collaborate with a number of people electronically.
March 9th: At Germany’s CeBIT show, Microsoft unveils Ultra-Mobile PCs–smaller-sized touch-screen PCs that aren’t exactly the same thing as Tablet PCs. According to Bill Mitchell, a Microsoft VP:
UMPCs are a new category of mobile PCs designed to support our increasing mobile lifestyles. They support mobile-tuned user interface features such as touch, pen and dedicated buttons as well as keyboards for convenient access to Windows-based applications on-the-go. The extremely mobile nature of these devices, together with the richness of Windows PC technology, combine to create a powerful platform for mobile communications, entertainment, gaming and new scenarios such as location-based services as well. The “Origami” project is really our first step toward achieving a big vision. We believe that UMPCs will eventually become as indispensable and ubiquitous as mobile phones are today. We are working toward that goal with a sequence of advances in hardware and software. Our next step along the roadmap will take place in the Windows Vista release timeframe. But today’s UMPCs are a great choice for all those situations when you’re on the go, but need to keep informed, entertained and connected via the full functionality of a Windows PC
In short, the UMPC is very much like an iPad, and it beats the iPad to market by almost four years–except Windows XP is the wrong operating system and very few people care.
March 21st: In what becomes perhaps the most famous blown deadline in its history, Microsoft announces that while some corporate customers will get their hands on Windows Vista in November, consumer availability is being delayed until January 2007–which means that the holiday-season PCs will still be packing Windows XP.
April 5th: Apple announces Boot Camp. All of a sudden, Macs are capable of running Windows XP natively, something they’ve never been able to do with any previous Microsoft operating system. Remarkably, pigs don’t fly.
January 24th: Microsoft extends support for the consumer versions of XP–which was originally supposed to end in January 2009–until 2014.
January 29th: The Windows XP era ends. Or at least Microsoft hopes so. At a New York event, the company announces availability of Windows Vista (and Office 2007) to consumers, and…well, it pretty much says that a new epoch has begun for humanity:
The launch marks the achievement of an unprecedented collaboration between Microsoft and its customers and partners, and ushers in an era in which personal computing is easier, safer and more enjoyable than ever before.
“Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 will transform the way people work and play,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “Personal computers have become a key part of the daily lives of almost a billion people worldwide. Millions of consumers had a hand in helping us design, test and create the most exciting versions of Windows and Office we’ve ever released. Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 squarely address the needs and aspirations of people around the globe.”
Microsoft’s expectations for Vista run high–among other things, it says that it should contribute $10 billion to the California economy alone in 2007.
The early reviews of Vista aren’t all glowing, but most are reasonably favorable. Even those that aren’t raves tend to assume that it’s the new operating system’s birthright to replace the old one in relatively short order.
March 2007: PC World (my employer at the time) surveys a thousand early Vista adopters. Slightly over a third are downright pleased; the rest are lukewarm or unhappy. It’s a more grumbly response than we’re used to seeing for new versions of Windows.
July 23rd: Gianfranco Lanci, the head of Taiwanese computer giant Acer, does what few heads of giant PC companies are willing to do: Complain publicly about a Microsoft product. “The entire industry is disappointed by Windows Vista…And that’s not going to change in the second half of this year,” he grouses, saying that Microsoft shipped the OS before it was really ready.
September 11th: Retail research company NPD says that Windows Vista isn’t selling anywhere near as fast as Windows XP did in the comparable period in its history–standalone sales are down 59.7 percent. “It’s just not doing well,” says analyst Chris Swenson, who notes that Vista’s benefits are hard to explain and it only runs well on newer computers.
September 27th: After originally planning to force large PC makers to stop preinstalling Windows XP by January 31st, 2008, Microsoft reacts to popular demand by permitting them to continue providing XP until June 30th, 2009. Nobody wants to just plain admit Vista isn’t doing well: “”We believe the additional time will help some customers to prepare for the transition from XP to Vista,” says Dell in a canned statement. And Microsoft VP Mike Nash still sounds optimistic:
It’s early days still, but if things continue as we’re expecting, Windows Vista will be the fastest selling operating system in our history. And while that’s gratifying on one level when you consider all the architectural changes we introduced, it also suggests we’ve done a lot of things right in delivering value to our customers. But we want to be sensitive to how our customers’ needs and experiences continue to evolve, so we’ll continue to listen and look at how we can help our customers through the transition to Windows Vista.
October 18th: The parent company of British computer merchant PC World (no relation to the magazine) blames its poor financial results on disappointing Windows Vista sales.
January 2nd: InfoWorld launches Save XP, a last-ditch effort to convince Microsoft to continue selling and supporting Windows XP indefinitely. It eventually Fedexes Steve Ballmer a thumb drive containing a petition with 210,000 signatures. Microsoft listens politely but takes no immediate action.
April 3rd: Microsoft introduces another loophole to its plans to do away with XP: Makers of a kind of new laptop that the company calls “ULCPCs” (that’s short for “Ultra-Low Cost Personal Computers”) can continue to use XP until June 30th 2010 or one year after Vista’s successor is released. The rest of us call ULCPCs by a different name: “netbooks.” And Microsoft doesn’t have much of a choice but to allow continued use of XP on these machines: Vista is too much of resource hog to run well on many of them.
How about other sorts of PCs? Sorry, Microsoft says: Windows XP will go away on June 30th. No reprieves, no stays of execution.
May 6th: Microsoft introduces Windows XP Service Pack 3, a week after detecting a last-minute compatibility glitch and delaying its release. It’s the final major update to XP. Unlike SP2, it’s not a very big deal–but it is XP’s final major update. From then on, the OS will get only essential security patches.
June 23rd: Dell says that customers don’t want it to stop selling Windows XP PCs. So it’ll continue doing so–for one extra week.
June 30th: Windows XP officially dies. Sniff!
July: Convinced that Windows Vista’s bad reputation is unfair, Microsoft conducts a bizarre experiment: It shows Vista to a bunch of XP users and tells them that it’s an upcoming version of Windows, code-named “Mojave.” And then it releases videos of these folks saying how impressed they are by it.
October 3rd: Microsoft, who had told PC makers they could only provide XP “downgrade” discs with Windows 7 machines through January 31st, 2009, extends the deadline until July 31st, reports the Register. It also says that manufacturers would like the deadline pushed even further to please customers who don’t want to move to Windows 7 anytime soon.
October 28: Microsoft’s Vista recovery begins in earnest as the company releases a technical preview of Windows 7. It’s Vista’s successor–and, really, what Vista should have been in the first place.
December 22: Despite having supposedly killed XP at the end of June, Microsoft says it’ll continue shipping copies for sale in shrink-wrapped form and on new PCs through May 30th, 2009.
April 28th: Assuaging the fears of corporate customers, Microsoft announces Windows XP Mode, an optional downloadable feature of the upcoming Windows 7 that will allow it to run a virtualized copy of XP, thereby permitting businesses to run old apps that would otherwise be incompatible with the new OS.
April 30th: Microsoft’s Mike Nash confirms that netbooks (which he doesn’t call ULCPCs) will be allowed to come with Windows XP preinstalled for a year after Windows 7 is available.
August 17th: As Windows 7’s release nears, Technologizer (hey, that’s us!) and PC World survey almost 5,000 Windows XP users. They say they’re still comfortable with XP and really dislike Vista–but that they like the looks of Windows 7.
October 22nd: At another New York launch event, Microsoft rolls out the final Windows 7, hoping that XP users find it more alluring than they did Vista. The event isn’t too splashy and the company makes surprisingly modest claims for the upgrade, avoiding the declarations of epoch-shifting amazingness that accompanied the Vista introduction. (The festivities include an appearance by Kylie, the little girl from a popular series of commercials for Windows.)
February 12th: A Microsoft security patch seems to trigger XP Blue Screens of Death, although Microsoft later says the real culprit is a rootkit that’s leveraging a 17-year-old bug.
July 12th: Bowing to worried corporate customers, Microsoft tells them they’ll be able to “downgrade” copies of Windows 7 into Windows XP licenses for the entire support cycle of Windows 7–currently scheduled to end in January 2020, more than eighteen years after Windows XP’s release.
September 16: Microsoft says that its upcoming browser upgrade, Internet Explorer 9, will never run on Windows XP–a fact that might nudge some XP users to upgrade to Windows 7, but mostly seems to leave them irritated that they’re being deprived of an intriguing new piece of software.
October 22nd: Microsoft stops allowing XP to be pre-installed on netbooks, the last class of retail-oriented computer that had gotten an extension.
September 13th: At Microsoft’s BUILD conference in Anaheim, Windows chief Steven Sinofsky provides the first in-depth look at “Windows 8,” which remains a code name for Windows 7’s successor. With its simplified touch-screen interface, it shows the influence of the iPad and has little to do with anything that was on Microsoft’s mind when it created Windows XP a decade earlier. Yet it gives XP holdouts one more reason to skip Windows 7 and wait for yet another future Windows release.
October 13th: According to Web research firm Statcounter, Windows 7 finally overtakes XP as the Internet’s most-used operating system. However, some other companies that track OS usage still show XP in the lead.
October 20th: Computerworld reports on the state of XP and Windows 7 in corporate America. It’s still everywhere:
In a September survey of Computerworld readers, 88% of respondents said they have begun or are planning a move to Windows 7. Of those who said they have already moved to Windows 7, or will, some 82% say their organizations are still running XP — down from 93% in our January 2010 survey — and 73% say they’re running Windows 7.
But 55% of those still running XP expect to fully transition to Windows 7 by the end of 2012, and 34% said they would transition some time before Microsoft ends extended support for XP in April, 2014. And 11% said they would continue to run XP after that date. (During extended support, no-charge incident support ends, warranty claims won’t be honored and design changes and feature requests aren’t available.)
According to Microsoft, about one in four enterprise machines runs Windows 7 today. Erwin Visser, senior director of the Microsoft Client Commercial Group, says enterprise adoption is growing fast. But as Computerworld’s survey shows, many large IT organizations are taking their time.
What’s next for Windows XP? Nothing much. That’s kind of the idea–most of the individuals and businesses who continue to prefer XP do so precisely because it’s so predictable. The word “bulletproof” comes up a lot when I talk to them about it. This software is as stable as it’s ever going to be. It’s never going to get new capabilities that might cause unanticipated problems. It’s going to continue to work with older devices. It’s just going to continue being the same Windows it always was–a quality that appeals to millions and is the exact opposite of the radical reimagining that the OS will undergo with Windows 8.
Officially, Microsoft stopped selling Windows XP on June 30th 2008 (although there were, and are, plenty of ways to get it after it was supposedly gone) and ended “mainstream” support on April 14th, 2009. It says that it’ll stop supporting it, period on April 8th, 2014. At that point, corporate customers will be allowed to downgrade to XP, and will be permitted to continue doing so until January 2020. Even that long-off deadline isn’t going to make everyone happy.
If there’s one thing that Windows XP’s continued popularity in the Vista and Windows 7 eras has shown, it’s that Microsoft’s deadlines–be they fungible or firm–have very little to do with XP’s fate. Redmond doesn’t get to decide which version of Windows people use; people do. It’s a refreshing reminder of who’s in charge. The world will get rid of Windows XP when it’s good and ready–and for now, the world thinks that it’s anything but obsolete.
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October 24th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
I work for a large government department in Australia. We update our desktop systems every three years. In the last update we moved to an entirely virtual-machine based environment, but we still run XP. I guess in the next update, we MIGHT move to Win 7 (or 8, if it's out). I wouldn't bet on it, though.
January 9th, 2012 at 5:24 am
I'm also working on Windows XP at work. It's absolutely crazy that it's 11 years old! It works fine, not as pretty as windows 7 but it works.. Funny stuff (:
January 26th, 2012 at 4:47 pm
Awesome post! You guys have really put alot of time in to creating this post thats why I love this site! windows 7 tablet
January 9th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
I hear you man, we are still using Windows XP here too. I hope we will soon move up to windows 7…
October 24th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
You know, after reading this article and seeing some of the forgotten tech that Microsoft has developed over the years, I'm beginning to get the feeling they're just ahead of their time. Living room PCs, tablets, and smaller form-factors that look kind of like smart phones. I guess it was just too much, too soon. I guess this next decade will show us the real caliber left in the company, and lets hope they make it through
November 24th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
There are two ways to be in front of the pack: Leading the way (being where people want to be in a few years) and striking out for yourself (being in front, but in a place no-one wants to go). Sure as **** MS was way in front, and many of the concepts MS created spurred other manufacturers to perfect them.
IMNSHO, MS really has never understood the end user. It's sights have been set on two (diverging) paths: Making OEM's happy (creating new OS's to speed up hardware sales) and keeping corporate ICT staffers happy. Subsequently usability has never been a top priority and Vista's immense flop can be attributed to rising tensions between the two central stakeholders (the OEM's wanting to create sales, and the CIO's wanting stability and controlled evolution).
I'm also still running XP, although admittedly as secondary OS on my Apple hardware. Simply because XP does everything I need to do – there's no compelling reason to upgrade (pay the price and climb the learning curve). Along the years XP has replaced W2K as my OS of choice.
I think MS is somewhat in trouble, because they still expect the community to become excited by a new OS – something they got used to with W95 and W98. Though therein lies a paradox: If an OS is supposed to be something which works – does what it's supposed to and keeps out of the way, how can you get excited by that? Running water is something we take for granted – as we should – and can only excite someone who's not used to it.
October 24th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Well done, Harry (I especially enjoyed the tablet thread).
I made as little use of XP as possible (and on the Mac at that). I got a Vista laptop early on (CompUSA fire sale) and had essentially no trouble with it.
I've forgotten what little I knew about how to do things in XP…if asked at our user group I divert the question to others (who increasingly also have trouble answering).
That said, I'm 72. I'm pretty sure I'll die before XP does.
January 12th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
I have recently upgraded to Windows 7, I am very pleased with it. Much simpler and more modern than XP. Vista to me has just got too much going on.
October 25th, 2011 at 12:13 am
In the 1990s, there was work being done on a next generation operating system at Microsoft, code-named "Cairo". In Greek, Chi looks like an X and Rho looks like a P.
January 5th, 2012 at 10:15 am
I'm a programmer with several different win 7, vista, server 2008 machines but I still use my xp laptop the most
October 25th, 2011 at 6:20 am
XP SP2 worked. For most people, there was no reason to spend $ to change what was working. MS was a victim of its own success with that OS.
January 6th, 2012 at 4:54 am
I think that Windows is what it is today because of the leadership strategy and the differentiation in the market.
October 25th, 2011 at 7:25 am
In a way, the survival of XP I think reflects the values of the other 99% who don't have an annual budget for upgrading their technology.. They are trying to pay off a mortgage, raise kids, take at least one vacation and have a normal life. How is spending money on stuff that keeps you tied to a screen 24/7 useful to those basic goals? I wish Microsoft would actually listen to the mass everyday customers in the first place not their techie fans or nay sayers, Who are they making this stuff for anyway? Why not start out building something to last? Or is that just too anti American?
October 25th, 2011 at 7:30 am
XP was such a key OS, merging the consumer and the enterprise OSes. If you weren't around when you had to make the decision between rock-solid, but resource-intensive and application-starved Windows NT Workstation, or the more popular, but crash prone Windows 9x, then you missed out on some a time where there were real pros and cons to choosing an OS. As time moves on, the desktop OS matters less. We use our browsers for work and home along with a couple key programs, like Word. Other than that, most people don't care how they get it. XP is fine for that. MacOS is fine for that. iPads are fine for that.
January 11th, 2012 at 9:00 pm
One more issue is a win7's "Start menu" what is a simply cr@p. Don't persuade with your ridiculous arguments
October 25th, 2011 at 7:49 am
How long must we wait for an OS that we can install without having to completely reinstall every single program that I now use, and make sure they run reliably. This is the key, why folks will upgrade a browser frequently but won't touch an OS upgrade. Can you imagine finding programs and passwords from 10 years ago, some on floppy disks. A smarter decision might be to get a second computer with Windows 8 and gradually use it for most day to day work, saving the XP computer for those programs that would be tough to install. Still, I have until 2014? Hmmmm
October 26th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Wish I could give this comment a dozen thumbs up. There are quite a few of us, numbers growing by the day, that don't have the money to blow on constant upgrades. I'm still using Autosketch 5, and was using Money 3.0 until I decided I should move on. And the Quicken 2010 I switched to sucks in comparison.
I'm planning to upgrade to Windows 7 in the next year, but I expect the total experience to be an expensive PITA, even if the OS works well.
October 25th, 2011 at 8:50 am
The death knell for XP is realizing that it's so full of security holes that nothing can protect it from malware. If Vista had had a killer feature or two people would have overlooked it's shortcomings, but with nothing but incremental changes, why bother? Win7 is the same way but now 5,6,7-year old hardware is starting to die, so Win7 will be a success as people replace PCs.
January 10th, 2012 at 11:09 pm
How long must we wait for an OS that we can install without having to completely reinstall every single program that I now use, and make sure they run reliably. This is the key, why folks will upgrade a browser frequently but won't touch an OS upgrade
October 25th, 2011 at 9:01 am
"In an event today on the Microsoft main campus, Bill Gates and Jim Allchin presented the final Windows XP “gold code” to representatives from six major PC manufacturers."
I bet there is a 20-foot tall fine-art painted depiction of this event at Microsoft HQ.
October 25th, 2011 at 10:01 am
"In an event today on the Microsoft main campus, Bill Gates and Jim Allchin presented the final Windows XP “gold code” to representatives from six major PC manufacturers."
I bet there is a 20-foot tall fine art painted depiction of this event at Microsoft HQ.
October 25th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
The XP really changed how we are using our PC and after the 10 years it's not even that outdated to retire. Of course there are many fancy features in win 7 that makes your life a bit easier but still I think the real dead end for this OS will be only after Microsoft will announce Win 8 with even greater functions and less resource consumption for low price
January 16th, 2012 at 10:00 am
g term users have learned to avoid costly mistakes and tweak XP's performance over years, and
October 25th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
REALLY? I never got any malware while using XP. But, I understand the subject. Most don't…
October 25th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
I'm a programmer with several different win 7, vista, server 2008 machines but I still use my xp laptop the most. I wish microsoft would listen and make an interface to windows 7 that looks and feels exactly like xp.
October 26th, 2011 at 6:03 am
And can be customised to look as much like 98 as XP can…
November 23rd, 2011 at 10:38 am
That's what everybody wants! The only thing the should change is the color of the start button…so we can tell it's not XP! I sure wish they would use public some research and ask us…just like politicians—I've NEVER gotten a survey from Microsoft asking what interface changes should be made. They seem to be on a mission to drive most of us crazy with Change For No Good Reason!
October 25th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Another aspect of its longevity is that long term users have learned to avoid costly mistakes and tweak XP’s performance over years, and so know how much there is to learn about any replacement.
The one historical point left out is that between the reliable Win 98SE and XP, came the utter failure Windows ME (Millenium Edition) – the “current OS” at XP’s launch. ME was the reason for initial skepticism about a brand new XP, and also the reason there was no excuse for Microsoft to offer the bolix of Vista prematurely, since it’s obvious W7 is just Vista the way it should have been offered.
XP has been great for me – on the Inspiron 8100 I bought initially running 250MB RAM, and on my first netbook. Running W7 on a netbook is an exercise in discovering how many glitzy features can be disabled to try to achieve decent performance.
January 16th, 2012 at 10:00 am
vhe XP really changed how we are using our PC and after the 10 years it's not even that outdated to retire
October 25th, 2011 at 6:24 pm
wonder if anyone in Microsoft ever conceived that about 10+ year’s back 99.9999% of their customers purchasing a WINTEL machine viewed and used it like a simple appliance, say your refrigerator. And when was the last time anyone looked for a user’s manual on how to use a refrigerator?
October 26th, 2011 at 11:12 am
OK, folks, let's set the record straight here!
1) Apple sued Microsoft in 1988 for stealing GUI stuff. Apple lost.
2) Xerox sued Apple in early 1989, again, for stealing GUI stuff. Xerox lost.
3) Apple "hired" (stole) many Xerox PARC staff, of which includes Larry Kenyon (orig Mac Finder programmer), my step_Dad's cousin.
4) Fast-forward to 1999 and Apple intro's Mac OS X. The "X" is a general moniker for unix; e.g, HP/UX, AIX, etc., as Mac OS X is Unix-based
5) Jump to 10/2000 and Microsoft intro's Windows XP, of which Microsoft bills "XP" as meaning "eXPerience".
TRUTH:
A) Apple was quietly admitting it's GUI was stolen from Xerox by putting "X" in the name of its OS: Mac OS X
B) Microsoft's way of saying "Look, we're being honest here. XP = Xerox Plagiarized."
'nuff said!
It's that simple. Really!
October 27th, 2011 at 10:30 am
Why are cowardly, Apple fanbois anonymously downrating this true comment?
November 24th, 2011 at 11:43 pm
X (in OS X) for Xerox, UniX or just 10
'Though I appreciate your humour 🙂
October 26th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
> 2011
I still use it on 2/4 of my machines.
XP still stands against the time.
No other OS will ever be so good.
January 16th, 2012 at 10:01 am
eally changed how we are using our PC and after the 10 years it's not even that outdated to retire
October 26th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
A MAJOR curse of Win 7 is its file search which cannot search only for file and folder names. I hate it.
October 26th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
I agree 100%. I absolutely loathe Win 7's search functionality.
October 26th, 2011 at 1:01 pm
XP has been around a long time but I think it's finally meeting it's end.
January 25th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
XP will always be a firm favourite for some people no matter what os revolution happens. Windows 7 is quick becoming the better option tho for most people now. Plumber Newcastle
January 28th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
Well said. Now comes the pinguin 🙂
October 27th, 2011 at 12:03 am
Agree absolutely with long live of XP – it's simple and WORKING system. No tricks, no workarounds, no annoying "security" messages, no compatibility issues (HW & SW). I never believe M$ has talented programmers to rewrite XP from scratch. But if you didn't rewrite it, you just BREAK it! As a result, Vista and 7 became a dog – incompatible, but still weak security OS on old "message passing" paradigm.
I installed Win7 FIVE TIMES. And all the times I replaced it with XP – I cannot work in system, which "protects" me from normal work. Despite M$ lie about "good sales" of 7, I'm sure many people return back to XP – “Microsoft’s Best Operating System Ever.” And that's true.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:45 am
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October 27th, 2011 at 1:28 am
One more issue is a win7's "Start menu" what is a simply cr@p. Don't persuade with your ridiculous arguments, it's just ugly, inconvenient piece of hindu art. I never ever will use such "improvement".
Much better solution is old, well developed 'TrueLaunchBar', just see: you have MANY "start buttons" each with its own program list – whoa! And every submenu can have its own design and categories, simply look: http://i40.tinypic.com/2dcesdw.jpg M$ couldn't copy even this simple idea.
January 16th, 2012 at 10:02 am
with long live of XP – it's simple and WORKING system. No tricks, no workarounds, no annoying
October 30th, 2011 at 8:12 am
I've tried Seven with a little fear, but it convinced me fast. I've changed to a lower PC, and upgraded RAM to be nice with Seven and not fall on XP. With HTPC you have DXVA2 native support, so you install XBMC or any player and it plays everything really smooth, and dont have to deal with modified program versions or touch anything. Just enable DXVA2
I've buyed a laptop and installed Seven. It's quite slow than with XP, but i like much more. Even when i have an English copy and i'm from Argentina 🙂
XP was really good, but it's time to let it sleep
November 1st, 2011 at 6:00 am
There is a beauty in the simplicity of XP. My wifes laptop has 7 on it, our desktop has Vista, my old IBM laptop is still running XP, and my little netbook has Linux on it. Bells and whistles may look impressive but that doesn't make a program a good one. My choices for OS's – 1. XP 2. Linux 3. Win 7 4. Vista. I'm going to hate to loose XP when it finally dies.
November 1st, 2011 at 6:54 am
I upgraded my main machine with WIN7 in Dec. 2010. Transfered all the software from the XP machine. Then found I needed to upgrade to the Pro version of Win7 to run a few programs in the XP virtual mode. Of course later found out I could do that with out the upgrade to Win7 by running in a virtual box from other providers. My XP machine is used as part of my radio hobby, and will still be running long after I'm gone. Makes one wonder if Win7 or 8 will last as long?
I doubt it. As stated by someone above, "MS is a victim of there own success with XP"
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January 25th, 2012 at 9:53 am
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December 15th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
The primary reasons for XP's longevity?:
1) Windows Vista — a half-baked piece of crapware that MS thought that it could foist upon an unsuspecting public ('The Market' in corporate-speak). Microsoft thought that they could release another unfinished product (as they have repeatedly done in the past) and that mindless Windows users would just slurp up whatever Redmond released to be the 'latest & greatest'. They would then release 'updates' to fix what should never have been broken in the first place. The 'Wow' didn't Start Now…
2) Windows 7 — what Vista should have been out of the gate; At the time, the press had been relentless about Vista's 'shortcomings' ('sh!tiness': let's not mince words), and Apple had been kicking the sh!t out of MS's Zune with the iPod. MS felt that they needed to get a hot product out of the door and into consumers hands. Burned by the 'Vista experience', consumers were still too reluctant (some may say 'gun-shy') to let go of XP, no matter how compelling '7' may have sounded.
3) Windows 8 — Complete and total interface redesign. In an attempt to be 'The Single OS for All Platforms' (Desktop, laptop, net-book, tablet, smartphone & X-box), it will become the Jack-of -all-trades and the Master of None. Unfamiliar UI and product dilution will confuse users and force them to continue to hold onto XP for their PCs and watch from the sidelines as Windows 8 flails about as an OS in search of a purpose.
Before the flames begin: I am a Windows user and I personally own 3 windows machines that I use daily. I am CompTIA certified and a Microsoft Certified Professional. I also run Windows XP Pro on all my machines and have no plans on changing that until MS gets its head out of its collective a**. Or until Steve Ballmer gets fired; whichever comes first.
December 20th, 2011 at 4:18 am
The event isn’t completely serious though, and, like most Windows launches, it isn’t trouble free.Top Directory
January 24th, 2012 at 10:48 am
Window XP was a complete good system and the other complete good OS after Window XP is Window 7.
December 21st, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Now where's my hammer? I've got a Sharepoint server waiting for me in my office…
December 27th, 2011 at 1:58 am
Before the flames begin: I am a Windows user and I personally own 3 windows machines that I use daily. I am CompTIA certified and a Microsoft Certified Professional. I also run Windows XP Pro on all my machines and have no plans on changing that until MS gets its head out of its collective a**. Or until Steve Ballmer gets fired; whichever comes first.
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January 7th, 2012 at 8:59 am
I always choose the windows to my computer. In my opinion, Windows is easier to use, now I have my windows update to Windows7. Not much has changed operationally, it just looks that look nicer. sell textbooks
January 8th, 2012 at 3:41 am
Microsoft Windows XP is my best operating system before Window 7 was released to the marker. I think the was two operating system before the coming of Window 7, I did not buy any of them. Before I upgrade my Window XP to Window 7, I make sure that the Window 7 is much more better than my Window XP.
January 12th, 2012 at 6:19 am
Hrmm that was weird my comment got eaten. Anyway I wanted to say that it's nice to know that someone else also mentioned this as I had trouble finding the same info elsewhere. This was the first place that told me the answer. Thanks.
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January 8th, 2012 at 11:16 pm
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January 9th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along.I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Thanks
January 10th, 2012 at 2:34 am
I still use windows XP in my other computer because its easy to use and user friendly. Great post anyway. Thanks for sharing.
January 11th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
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January 12th, 2012 at 5:31 am
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January 12th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
David. I second that. XP had some magic inside. The only system that lives longer than computers.
January 12th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
I've tried Seven with a little fear, but it convinced me fast. I've changed to a lower PC, and upgraded RAM to be nice with Seven and not fall on XP. With HTPC you have DXVA2 native support, so you install XBMC or any player and it plays everything really smooth, and dont have to deal with modified program versions or touch anything on Team building games for children
. Just enable DXVA2
I've buyed a laptop and installed Seven. It's quite slow than with XP, but i like much more. Even when i have an English copy and i'm from Argentina 🙂
XP was really good, but it's time to let it sleep
January 13th, 2012 at 10:22 am
We used xp for a long… now we upgrate to w7
January 16th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
I stopped reading after this. Many places don't roll over vacation days. Plus you're screwing yourself if you don't since they're a benefit to which you're entitled, if they're given.
January 17th, 2012 at 11:21 pm
as a general user i will like to say that of all windows….windows xp is the best …it is best for gamers as low power graphics card is enough
January 18th, 2012 at 3:35 am
They have success in creating it as the best operation system in the world. I hope they can develop it again to be better and better.
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January 18th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Maybe they are stop the upgrade for this one. But people still keep using it as their operation systems. It's more efficient for use.
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January 18th, 2012 at 11:36 pm
They have success in creating it as the best operation system in the world. I hope they can develop it again to be better…
January 19th, 2012 at 7:13 am
This is exactly what I was looking for. That is very interesting Smile I love reading
January 20th, 2012 at 7:14 am
After installing WIn-XP SP3 the seek noise from my hard drive went up noticably and that was after defragging the drive. If you have SP2 with all critical updates then you don't need the SP3 update, and for those who think that SP3 will somehow make your system faster … It won't!!!
January 20th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
I too think that the Windows XP was the best operating system from Microsoft. Compared to XP, Windows Vista was a complete let down. Many people say that Windows 7 is much better than XP. However, I still prefer XP over anything.
January 22nd, 2012 at 3:47 pm
Forget XP windows need killer phones and killer apps, like games. This was supposed to be the portable Xbox that Microsoft never made and none of their first-party efforts are all that great.
Then there’s the issue that since they dictate hardware so closely, the hardware manufacturers have no incentive to make great phones for it, instead just porting over mid-range Android designs.
Just so many things they can be doing and they aren’t!
January 27th, 2012 at 4:10 pm
Believe it or not, I'm still using Windows XP. I don't want to install 7 – I don't want to reinstall everything.
January 28th, 2012 at 12:04 am
They still have the most users in the world I think. Because most of users prefer in using it for their operation system than the newer one.
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January 29th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
That is why we at least get a little break from rush hour traffic jams the last couple of weeks of the year.
January 30th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
They are still the best one for me. I prefer in using it better than another OS for my computer.
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February 1st, 2012 at 2:06 am
Redmond released to be the 'latest & greatest'. They would then release 'updates' to fix what should never have been broken in the first place. The 'Wow' didn't Start Now…
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February 7th, 2012 at 5:09 pm
It also more easily allows for off-topic conversation without leaving the bulk of your readership feeling irked about the digression.
February 7th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Many thanks making a real cool project. I am checking your website for that Windows version, however never said regarding this. I'm sure that you are working hard and carrying it out without cost this means you shouldn't feel rushed or anything.
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February 13th, 2012 at 5:44 am
It’s my first-time visiting here. I came across so many helpful stuff within your blog particularly the on going conversation. From the tons of comments on your posts, I suppose I’m not the only one enjoying reading through your blog.
February 19th, 2012 at 11:32 pm
I do not understand the technology and applications that are commonly used. But I am very familiar with windows, I used it and found no significant difficulties in its operation.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:17 am
This seminar discusses about Windows XP. I think everyone already knows and can use a widows XP with good and what was discussed at the seminar was too general. bingo sites
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:13 am
XP SP2 worked. For most people, there was no reason to spend $ to change what was working. MS was a victim of its own success with that OS.
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