TECHNOLOGY TIPS – MOVE OVER VISTA MICROSOFT XP IS STILL KICKIN’

TECHNOLOGY TIPS – MOVE OVER VISTA MICROSOFT XP IS STILL KICKIN’

Microsoft XP continues to be a choice for your operating system almost two years following the release of Windows Vista. By tradition Microsoft tries to take old operating systems off the market six months after the release of a new one.

Vista was released in January 2007. Microsoft has extended the delivery date of XP’s availability beyond the official phase-out deadline of January 31 2009.

Licenses can be delivered through May 30 2009; however January 31 2009 remains the cut-off date for PC vendors to purchase licenses. This means that customers can purchase Windows XP machines through June 2009.

Ironically there is a rumor that this would coincide with the release date of Windows 7. Microsoft is not confirming the early June 2009 release and contends that Windows 7 will ship in early 2010.

"Microsoft is making accommodation through a flexible inventory program that will allow distributors to place their final orders by January 31 2009; and take delivery against those orders through May 30 2009. This is not an extension of sales" the company said in a statement.

Windows XP seems to be like the cat with the proverbial nine lives. Microsoft has changed the final release date for XP no less than four times since Vista was released. If no future extensions occur Windows XP will have been on the market 90 months by the time shipments halt in May. Its predecessors have averaged around 60 months.

The problem boils down to how poorly Windows Vista has been received. Despite numerous updates and a service pack not to mention the Project Mojave campaign to build awareness and use of Vista it’s not all that welcome. A recent survey found 46 percent of IT shops will simply tough it out and wait for Windows 7.

Which is a shame said analyst Mike Cherry of Directions on Microsoft who thinks Vista today is not the one that shipped two years ago. "I don’t think people understand how good Vista SP1 is" he said. "A lot of problems went away with Vista SP1 as long as you pay attention to their hardware limits."

Regarldess the fact is people are really negative toward Vista and no matter what Microsoft does that reputation can’t seem to be changed. "I don’t think Microsoft wants to create a situation where they force people to take something they don’t want. I’m not sure a company can ever do that" he said.

CATHY MALLERS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Adapted from Internetnews.com