Windows XP will survive till 2010, but only for ULCPCs

Last year, Microsoft had outlined a deadline to retire Windows XP, but that deadline got extended upto June 30th, 2008. As the deadline was approaching, InfoWorld made some effort to stop the deadline by launching a campaign called “Save XP“. As of March 27th, 106,491 people signed their petition, pleading Microsoft to stay the execution of Windows XP. But Microsoft has made it clear that they’ll go ahead with their plans, and Windows XP won’t be available after June 30th.

However, the sales of ultra low cost PCs such as ASUS Eee PC and Everex CloudBook are booming, not only in developing countries, but also in developed countries as well. This clearly shows that students and first time PC buyers are opting for ULCPCs rather than high-end mobile computers. Manufactures of such low cost computers are unable to meet the system requirements needed to run Vista. If Microsoft retires XP, these manufactures have no option but to switch to Linux, which has been known to runs quite elegantly even with low hardware specifications.

So, Microsoft has come up with a decision that they’ll extend OEM sales of Windows XP Home Edition for ULCPCs until 2010 or one year after the availability of the next operating system from Microsoft. They want first-time PC buyers and students to get a Windows experience. Otherwise, an entire generation of new PC users will move to Linux, and most likely, they’ll stick to it in future as well. It certainly makes some business sense to promote XP on ULCPCs. What are your thoughts over this?

Source: Microsoft PressPass

This post was published by on April 4, 2008

About the Author: Thilak Rao works as a Social Media Expert. He is one of the first professional bloggers from India, and he loves to write, travel and click photos. Follow him on Twitter @thilak

  • http://www.yemektarif.info Yemek Tarifleri

    it is certain that xp will survive until 2010. Vista needs very high performanced hardware. So i still use xp for my all work

  • http://green-flamingo.com Nathaniel

    Well, Windows XP is a great kind of computer, and I started all my blogging and other Internet work with an XP. But we also need to move on in technology, so having it around till 2010 won’t be a bad idea. But if people want them now, they better go ahead and get one!

  • http://theofftopic.com/ The Off Topic

    Vista isnt really that bad. XP is old technology. I have used Vista for over a year and never had a single problem with any hardware OR software. Im not the average user either;

    Honestly the worst thing that came out around the time of Vista’s release wasnt Vista. It was the new Office Interfaces. Thats far more annoying than any problem I’ve had with Vista. Microsoft’s a really easy target though

  • http://www.carronbridge.biz John Moore

    I think it is a good idea at least XP is working.

  • http://webray.ws Phalgun

    I am in support of linux. Let windows xp die and all the people make linux as their default operating system. Using windows xp on low budget computers will make it nothing but costlier. When you can get linux for free, why go for windows xp ( unless you are a pirate). Using linux on low end PC’s will make it more cheaper.

  • http://www.tecfre.com Kanak Bhandari

    Aah, thats a really good news. Now since ULCPCs cant be avoided by microsoft, XP will be alive. But again, considering the Service packs released by MS for XP, will these low cost PC’s will be able to work that effectively with low ram and low hdd ??

    I think by executing XP , microsoft is just making users to give MAC a second thought.

  • http://www.videosharingscript.com Yujin

    Good to know XP will be available for longer. I don’t understand why Microsoft need us to use resource hungry Vista.

  • Kittu

    It’s a nice thought of Microsoft to run its Business.

  • http://prosperitywriter.com/ Prosperity Writer

    it seems that microsoft doesn’t want to lose market share to linux. its great by the way that they also take into consideration the minority of the market

  • Tech Roach

    I think Linux is a perfect choice for Low-cost PCs. But I think Linux does have a lot to do in order to call it a “Desktop OS”.

    I mean, they must cut down the complications as Apple did with its Unix-based Mac OS X.

    Windows is inefficient from the kernel itself. Weak basement. So, improvements upon it will do nothing but damage. But I heard they’re completely rewriting the code. I don’t think they’ll be able to do that very fast.

  • http://www.gadgets4nowt.co.uk Wii

    They can’t retire XP, I have loved it from day one and still do.

    After years of blue screens with 98 it was a dream come true, XP brought with it stable computing. I know you can’t stand still but Vista is not an improvement in my humble view.

    Long live XP !

  • http://solarshingles.blogspot.com/ curt

    That’s a very nice news for me! I really don’t like big changes, if the technology still works so well for all my current needs (i am not a comp.professional, though) and I’ve also heard, that Vista needs a really powerful, new machines, as well

  • http://www.seoresults.co.za SEO Man

    Let’s face it…XP kicks Vista’s ass at present, and I know very few people who are running Vista that are totally satisfied with it. It is awesome news that XP Home will be available until 2010, as Microsoft will definitely lose out to Linux at the entry level if they didn’t. Having an operating system require as much resources as Vista is just plain insane. Go open source, go linux and go XP!

  • Apurva Shukla

    i have both xp n vista home premium on my pc and strangely though i can’t use vista as well as i can use xp. XP has been Microsoft’s most successful project till date and i think Mircosoft should not set a deadline for XP just to boost its failing Vista

  • Robert Roehm

    Kanak, I NEVER install beyond SP1 – I tried SP2, and it took a considerable amount of clock speed on my setup. Vista was a train wreck. They need to have a low-resource full-functionality mode in all the versions for us gamers, 3d modelers, and software developers. A mode to disable the native “labyrinth” security (I know, huge risk, but fine if not connected to the Internet) and a switch mode from the”bells and whistles” engine to a simple GUI engine is a great start. I found myself chopping and hacking Vista to try to get it near what scripting permissions I have on my XP setup. I have it only on a 3.5 Ghz computer which is almost never used because it seems that all the security, bells and whistles eat up 2 Ghz of processing power. It’s only good for computer newbies who don’t know how to wrangle an OS – it has a lot of “Riverdeep FoolProof” type restrictions. To us programmers, it feels like moving into a cubicle farm, from an open studio.

    Oh, and I started on an Apple //, went to Mac until OS8, then been using Windows since 1999.