XP to Stick around Until First Grandchild Arrives?
XP to Stick around Until First Grandchild Arrives?
December 24, 2008: XP is becoming the little OS that could, earning yet another reprieve from retirement for channel vendors amid whispers that it could stick around until Windows 7 is released.
After several extensions, Microsoft had set the final, final deadline for XP to January 31, 2009, or in the case of netbooks and cheap notebooks, 2010. However, due to strong customer demand the company has again revised its licensing scheme to allow the aging OS to be sold until May 30, 2009.
Considering that Windows 7, the successor to Microsoft’s poorly-received Vista, is due to hit shelves by the end of 2009, it appears that many customers may be able to skip vista altogether and go straight to the newer OS.
The extended lifespan will enable vendors to clear license stocks of Windows XP, a move that has been applauded by many, although some commentators note that Microsoft may well keep extending XP’s lifeline until the release of Windows 7 to keep customers happy and piracy at bay.
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