Windows XP Home: obsolete sooner than you expect

Ars Technica ^ | 3 January 2006 | Ken "Caesar" Fisher

[MarkeyD]

I just had to fix our product so it would run on NT, even though we say we don't support it. I guess this customer was just too important.

[HairOfTheDog]

While I am currently happy with XP Home, I don't know why I would expect to be in 2 more years. This system is going on 7 years old, been upgraded a couple times, but will not last forever.

I happen to not expect computer hardware or software to have a long life. Computers and computing will likely always be changing. To me it only makes sense for MS to focus on development of new products, rather than being required or expected to continue to support old and outdated ones in perpetuity.

[MarkeyD]

Isn't ME closer to '95/98? Or are you just talking features?

[MarkeyD]

Do the Linux companies now provide support for humans, or is it still RTFM?

[HairOfTheDog]

Keep it, keep it updated until they stop supporting it, and then, if and when you need to, upgrade it.

[Cicero]

I've always gotten XP Pro on all my computers, because XP Home lacks some important security features.

But I would guess they will probably keep updating Home. I'm not sure how many extra man hours that would involve on their part, but I should think it would be fairly simple to do, and therefore worth the effort for the good will.

[DJ MacWoW]

ping

[brownsfan]

"Linux...Comming soon"

Linux isn't ready for prime time.
It's a decent server, but as a desktop... it's still lacking. It's pretty darn impressive for freeware, but still lacking. And each "distro", (distribution), has it's own quirks. Gnome vs. KDE as the gui, installer issues, hardware drivers.

Linux is fun, and if you have a small business network with no need to be interoperable with other businesses, it's a legitimate choice.

But, if you have it, and want to work from home over the cisco vpn... ooops. If you have issues and your office supports windows, oooops. If you want to run Civ4 to play in your spare time, oooops. You get the idea.

Microsoft is still the big dog, and will be for the next couple years, at least.

[TXBSAFH]

Thanks.

[MineralMan]

"OKAY....so we have XP Home on a laptop here at home....what should we do....our desktop has XP Pro......any suggestions out there? (And, I'm not looking for smart a** remarks/suggestions.)"

---

Don't do anything. XP Home will continue to work just fine, and the updates will go on for at least another year. By the time you need an OS update, you'll be ready for a new laptop, anyhow.

Heck, I have a Windows 98SE desktop sitting here that I use for some tasks. I keep all my customer records on it, and it's not connected to the net. That way, my customer records can't be hacked. I just move my old PCs over to the side and use 'em for something else, older software and all. Oddly, the version of Excel I have on the 98SE computer still works just fine. Isn't that amazing?

[Mannaggia l'America]

XP Home is closer to Me.

XP Pro is closer to 2000.

That's not true. Windows ME is based on the Windows 95/98 kernel.

XP Home is the same base as Windows XP Pro, except that it cannot join a domain and is crippled in a few other ways in regards to networking (no Remote Desktop, IIS, group policy) and simplified security (no file-level access control) and no multi-processor support.

Kernel-wise, it is the same as XP Pro, which is based on the NT/2000 kernel.

[ShadowAce]

To me it only makes sense for MS to focus on development of new products, rather than being required or expected to continue to support old and outdated ones in perpetuity.

I happen to agree here. I think that what this writer is saying is that MS is terminating support sooner than expected. That is what is upsetting him.

However, is MS doesn't have to support older versions, then they can concentrate on writing better bugs software in newer version.

[TXBSAFH]

Some do.

[Uri’el-2012]

XP is NOT NT5.1

Not even close. you just showed your cards.

17 posted on 01/04/2006 11:21:15 AM MST by RedBloodedAmerican

That information was given to me two years ago at a NDA seminar by a MS system sales rep.

Take it for what it is worth.

[The KG9 Kid]

Unfortunately, Microsoft is still the only viable PC desktop OS for consumers.

If some permutation of Linux would have ever entered the mainstream in a serious manner to capture the consumer market, it would have already happened.

For those who can't stand Microsoft, get a Mac. It's your only serious alternative.

[reagan_fanatic]

Do the Linux companies now provide support for humans, or is it still RTFM?

LOL

[atomicpossum]

Linux looks more likely every day...

[Mannaggia l'America]

When that day comes, XP Home users may feel left out in the cold, because they will no longer qualify for security updates, and will not be able to purchase support from Microsoft.

How many people with XP Home actually call and pay Microsoft for support? My bet is "not many".

Also expect that MS will extend availability of security updates for XP Home. They almost always extend the end of support dates.

[dennisw]

BTTTT

[Billthedrill]

I might point out that Windows 2000 server is "officially" at the end of life, meaning that no service packs and only security updates will be offered, the latter officially to paying support customers only but in practice to everyone because (1) there aren't any updates (lately) that haven't been security-related, and (2) Microsoft can't really afford to let their branded boxes become unsupported virus factories.

It turns out to be harder to withdraw technical support from an established platform than simply declaring it won't be offered anymore. That's another downside to being number one in market share.