Text 15650, 35 rader
Skriven 2007-01-25 13:16:28 av Rich Gauszka (1:379/45)
Ärende: XP home lifecycle extended till 2014
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From: "Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@dontspamhotmail.com>

looks like security and wga updates are extended to 2014

 http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/operating_systems/consumer_windows_xp_g
ets_another_lifecycle.htmlThis morning, Microsoft extended Windows XP Home and
Windows XP Media CenterEdition to match the Pro version. It's a good move.Under
the revised life-cycle guidelines, Windows XP Home and Media Centersupport will
end on the second Tuesday in April 2009, and extended supportwill end five
years later. The latter five years is significant. Microsoftdoesn't typically
offer extended support for consumer products.Previously, Microsoft said that
Windows XP Home and Media Center mainstreamsupport would end two years after
the release of Windows Vista, which isnext Tuesday. This two-year date had
extended previous support. Microsoftlists general availability of Windows XP as
Dec. 31, 2001. Mainstreamsupport should have ended five years later, or the
last day of 2006.Microsoft's stated availability for Media Center was Oct. 28,
2002.Microsoft has extended support for other products, such as Windows NT
orWindows 98, because of product delays and Windows usage patterns.
WindowsVista was first projected for delivery in 2004 and then 2005. Release
in2007 already puts Windows XP well beyond the typical five-year
mainstreamsupport period.Support extension for the consumer versions is the
right thing for Microsoftto do. By extending support, Microsoft ensures that
consumers will continueto receive ongoing security updates, which is essential
to protecting oldercomputers from Internet marauders.The extension also tacitly
acknowledges Windows XP's worth as a product. Onereason Microsoft could take so
long releasing Windows Vista is because XPworked as a platform that developers
could extend and add value to. Sure,security isn't as robust as Vista, but
neither were the kinds of maliciousattacks in 2001 compared with today.The
point: Windows XP is going to remain a viable operating system for sometime.
Consumers will continue their pattern of buying a new PC and handingdown the
old one for use elsewhere in the home. The old PC will run WindowsXP instead of
Windows 98, 98 SE or Me.

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