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How much life does Windows XP have left?

F

Frisco

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 24, 2002
2,475
69
Utopia
I am curious--because Microsoft is discontinuing support for it soon? It is simply a rock solid OS--the best OS I have ever used and I used OS X up until Tiger.

Windows 7 gets good reviews, but Windows Vista and 8 get horrible reviews.

I guess once MS officially abandons support for Win XP most companies will skip Vista and Win 8 and choose Win 7.

But my computer is very old and runs perfectly fine on XP--so why force me to upgrade. Yeah I know the $$$.

From every OS I have ever used XP is #1.
 
It does what it does, and it does it quickly on modern machines. I even have it in VMware for the odd time that I need to run a Windows app (even though I have a licence for 7 through work).
 
I would be VERY cautious running XP on an internet-connected PC once MS stops updating it. Any new vulnerabilities will go un-patched.

That said, XP was nice but Win 7 is SOOO much better. I support XP and 7 at work (as well as Macs), on the same hardware 7 boots LOTS faster and just performs better overall. Since we started deploying Windows 7 our support calls have dropped dramatically with no drop in seats supported. That better stability paired with the new features that were added, 7 is just a better package.
 
Windows XP is the most successfully operating system by Microsoft after Windows 98,
and soon the Windows XP supports and updates will be discontinued by Microsoft, basically you can still using Windows XP, but yes, without any update and support from Microsoft.
So, you don't need to upgrade to the newer Microsoft OS, if you feel more comfortable with Windows XP and believed no more threat to your PC with Windows XP OS, :)
 
The next Windows should just be based on Windows XP. Modernize XP, build on that.

I must say, if Microsoft would have patched up XP really good, and add the Aero style on it, it would have made one great of a Vista OS.
 
Windows XP is reliable, but it's 7 which brings modernity to it. I feel more productive on Windows 7, thanks to the Aero theme shortcuts and user interface features. Also, Windows 7 brings x64 support (XP may have it too, but I read it may not be so good) and some basic super-user action protection (UAC). Anyway, companies and institutions better upgrade their office computers from XP to 7, getting hacked and infected at such high level is not good.

For classic Windows games though, Windows 7 is worse than either XP or 8, probably because of the Aero Glass theme. I get that palette glitch on Windows 7, and maybe also sound latency (haven't verified this one though).

I know nothing about Vista, maybe it was it which brought whatever I said about 7.
 
XP was the last Windows OS I used, and from all reports, the best. We have a Windows based media server in the house which is running 7, but that is shortly going to be replaced with a MP. I have many friends who still have XP on a partition purely for running games...It was the best and most stable windows version created. I don't mess with 7, my fiancee takes care of it as she still uses Windows for gaming.
 
One of the main reasons why Win XP has lasted this long was due to Vista's blunder and I still remember the time when people got their Vista machines and tried desperately to find the XP drivers to downgrade. I agree with others that XP is a fine OS and its update mechanism is still way better than Windows 7's. Try updating Win 7 when it was first installed and you'll understand. Unfortunately when Microsoft stops XP support next year, all other software and hardware vendors will also stop supporting XP, which means you can't get any new XP compatible software and hardware in the future, just like no one is selling Win 95/98 compatible new stuff anymore.

Interestingly, Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 can only run in Windows 7 and 8. Even Microsoft wants to forget the existence of Vista. Looks like only Win 7 and 8 left for people to choose after next April.
 
xcodeSyn said:
Try updating Win 7 when it was first installed and you'll understand.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know. It asks for updates many times in a row until it settles. A bit annoying and typical of Windows, but it's only transient, and nothing painful
 
I'll keep using XP

hallux said:
I would be VERY cautious running XP on an internet-connected PC once MS stops updating it. Any new vulnerabilities will go un-patched.
Click to expand...

My XP Pro connects to the Internet (from Bootcamp) through my Snow Leopard connection. That should (continue to) be "safe."

I'm more concerned about hardware/software incompatibilities. I'll just have to keep running the old versions, I guess.
 
I went from XP to OS X and I must say that XP is a great OS. I purchased a Toshiba Satellite laptop running Win7 about a year ago and I get the feel of XP in Win7, just more modern. Ultimately, I don't think Microsoft should cut-off support to XP, but in the end is all about them making money and "forcing" people to upgrade their OS.
 
MeUnix said:
I went from XP to OS X and I must say that XP is a great OS. I purchased a Toshiba Satellite laptop running Win7 about a year ago and I get the feel of XP in Win7, just more modern. Ultimately, I don't think Microsoft should cut-off support to XP, but in the end is all about them making money and "forcing" people to upgrade their OS.
Click to expand...

XP is ancient in computing terms. It needs taking to the knackers yard for any computers that are internet facing, but sure, use it on isolated machines that need the compatibility.

Once MS stop supporting it with patches it won't be long before a patch released for Win7 or 8 fixes bugs that can still be found in XP. It'll be a field day the hackers.

Well done MS for supporting XP for so long though, you wouldn't see Apple doing that.
 
MeUnix said:
Ultimately, I don't think Microsoft should cut-off support to XP, but in the end is all about them making money and "forcing" people to upgrade their OS.
Click to expand...

Windows XP is 12 years old. How long should a company be reasonably expected to support an operating system?
 
chrfr said:
Windows XP is 12 years old. How long should a company be reasonably expected to support an operating system?
Click to expand...

By that poster's logic, Apple should still be supporting OS X 10.1, being that it was released only a month before XP.
 
saturnotaku said:
By that poster's logic, Apple should still be supporting OS X 10.1, being that it was released only a month before XP.
Click to expand...

I expect snow leopard to be supported for a long time. Almost half of the OS X users are still on snow leopard.
 
alexrmc92 said:
I expect snow leopard to be supported for a long time. Almost half of the OS X users are still on snow leopard.
Click to expand...

You can safely bet on Snow Leopard becoming fully unsupported as soon as 10.9 is released. Apple obviously isn't a company interested in maintaining old OSes.
 
marikavs said:
My XP Pro connects to the Internet (from Bootcamp) through my Snow Leopard connection. That should (continue to) be "safe."

I'm more concerned about hardware/software incompatibilities. I'll just have to keep running the old versions, I guess.
Click to expand...

How so? Will SL stop an infection from "calling home"? The VM bridges the network connection, all the same precautions of running it as the main OS should still apply. Sure, you'll be protected by the OS X firewall also but just because OS X can't be infected by Windows viruses doesn't mean that Windows running as a VM on OS X is immune to Windows viruses.
 
No one answered the original question, they just stated their opinion about XP. The answer for those who truly care is early April 2014.
 
"It has been said that Microsoft won't plane to provide Windows XP patches after April 8. 2014. However, it doesn't mean it is going to stop making those patches.

In fact, Microsoft will be creating security updates for Windows XP for months—years, even—after it halts their delivery to the general public."

I have heard this news from PC World. :)
 
XP support?

Judith123 said:
In fact, Microsoft will be creating security updates for Windows XP for months—years, even—after it halts their delivery to the general public.

I have heard this news from PC World. :)
Click to expand...

OK. I'll "buy" that. Where (link/name-of-article) please? Or, where might I avail myself of said security updates when the time comes?

I'm sure I'm not the only one interested in the answer(s) to that.
 
Last edited:
chrfr said:
Windows XP is 12 years old. How long should a company be reasonably expected to support an operating system?
Click to expand...

The only reason I say they should keep supporting XP is because of how many PC users still use XP. I do agree that 12 years is a long time to support an operating system, but with roughly 35% of Windows users on XP I don't think they should stop support unless that number drastically changes.
 
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