No Change in XP Plan Despite Ballmer Comment, Microsoft Says

PC World ^ | April 24, 2008 | James Niccolai

[Anti-Bubba182]

Comments by Steve Ballmer at a press conference in Europe today have led to speculation that Microsoft is reconsidering its June 30 deadline to stop selling most new Windows XP licenses. A spokeswoman from Microsoft's public relations firm said Thursday that there is no plan for a change in deadline, however.

"Our plan for Windows XP availability is unchanged. We're confident that's the right thing to do based on the feedback we've heard from our customers and partners," the spokeswoman said, reading from a Microsoft statement.

Ballmer's comments at a press conference at Louvain-la-Neuve University in Belgium led to a flurry of reports that Microsoft may be considering an extension of its deadline.

"If customer feedback varies we can always wake up smarter, but right now we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments," Ballmer said, according to Reuters. Microsoft did not have a transcript of the event, but the spokeswoman from Waggener Edstrom said the comments seem accurate..........."

[Anti-Bubba182]

Microsoft better unscrew Vista quick or their profits will continue to slide. It will get worse without XP.

[ovrtaxt]

They’ll make a huge mistake if they stop supporting XP. If they’re bent on keeping Vista, fine whatever, but they should a> keep XP support and sales going, and b> allow Vista license holders to transfer to XP if they want- with migration support.

That wodl prove their commitment to customer service, and would probably give their stock price a boost. But what do I know, I’m just a small business buy- and they’re morons. Watch how they eviscerate themselves.

[TheWasteLand]

I think the quote from Steve Jobs on this was: “Mwahahahahahaha!”

[Post-Neolithic]

The end of XP = The end of Microsoft. Let’s see if they realize that or are hell bend on destroying the company.

[Izzy Dunne]

we can always wake up smarter

Now would be a good time, then.

[Izzy Dunne]

No folding chair is safe.

[KoRn]

They stop selling something that most everyone will still want to buy and instead replace it with a product most everyone either dislikes or downright hates.

Makes perfect sense to me! lol

[Anti-Bubba182]

I think it amounts to that. Vista is not good enough and it appears Ballmer is too arrogant to act on that and instead concentrates on trying to buy Yahoo!

[jimtorr]

My companies main customers have said no Vista, no way. If MS does cut off new XP licenses, they have said that they will quickly migrate to another platform.

Of course, they haven’t said which OS, so I take the threat with a grain of salt. However, they have taken the lead for the US Govt., and have developed a secure Linux OS, a rewrite of Red Hat code.

[Fresh Wind]

Give Jobs enough rope and he will hang himself too.

[ovrtaxt]

Is that widely available? What’s it called?

[Anti-Bubba182]

Maybe later, but Jobs is a lot smarter than Ballmer.

[AlexW]

I am in a real quandary.
I am desperate to buy a new laptop to replace my old Dell desktop, still on W98.
I have heard nothing but bad things about Vista so I look only for XP.
Most of the good deals on laptops (notebooks here in Europe)
are with Vista.
I am about to buy a laptop without OS and buy the XP separately.
I am looking at Lenova, Toshiba, and HP.
I have no interest in PC games.
I want only for chat, email, and browsing, but I often have many windows open at the same time, so I hate running out of RAM.
I welcome any suggestions.

[ovrtaxt]

Have you looked at the eee Ultra-portables? Martin has one. Neat little things, and they come loaded with Linux. You can expand the RAM too I think.

The 2nd generation eee is coming out soon too.

[Rebelbase]

There’s a “New Coke” analogy to Vista. I wonder if it’s intentional or a true screw-up?

[savedbygrace]

This isn’t really about Operating Systems so much as it is about DRM.

[Rebelbase]

Jobs never seems to find the end of the rope.

[TheWasteLand]

I think it’s gonna take a whole lotta rope.

[Grut]

I want only for chat, email, and browsing, but I often have many windows open at the same time, so I hate running out of RAM.

I'm using Ubuntu (Linux) for these purposes and it's fine and not a memory hog. Unless you have some need for applications or peripheral drivers that are only available in Windows, it'd be a good (and free) bet.

[Anti-Bubba182]

“Most of the good deals on laptops (notebooks here in Europe)
are with Vista.”

You can bet Microsoft is applying pressure to move to Vista.

[tarheelswamprat]

You can still get a Dell VOSTRO (their business brand) notebook with Win XP Pro until the end of June. Just check the Dell website and look under the Small & Medium Business section.

[doc11355]

At the risk of starting a flame war, what you really should do is upgrade to a Mac. Leave the viruses, crashes and error messages behind; you'll be happy you did.

Here's why: http://www.apple.com/getamac/whymac/

Whatever you decide, however, I hope it works out well for you.

[2111USMC]

Yep. DRM and being in cahoots with hardware manufacturers to force us all to buy new new equipment.

I'm typing on a dual processor machine that was a CAD station in it's previous life. It does everything I could possibly need it to do. I have little software that even requires full utilization of both processors. I'll be damned if I'm going to go out and buy new computers every time Gates upgrades his OS.

It doesn't make sense to me to spend big money for a new system and OS that under-performs my existing one.

[Leroy S. Mort]

I am desperate to buy a new laptop to replace my old Dell desktop, still on W98.

If you're happy running a ten year old operating system and your uses are as limited as you say, buy your laptop bare and use your Win98 install disks (or floppies).

[dangus]

MY prediction: They’ll release a new “version” of Vista that works more like XP.

[ovrtaxt]

I think that’s a pretty good prediction, assuming they smarten up!

[excalibur1701]

Our company of 600 has a total of 5 PC’s that has Vista on it. Of those 5 users, all but one hates it. We stopped buying Vista.

[Fresh Wind]

Jobs never seems to find the end of the rope.

Maybe he hired Algore to help him do just that.

[TomGuy]

Microsoft will kill off the golden goose to perpetuate the turkey.

[CarrotAndStick]

I have a Gateway convertible notebook that I have used for a year now, and absolutely love it.

Even though it's a convertible, it's got a sturdy, rigid build, and the swiveling active-matrix display is amazing for reading .pdf books/ digital magazines, etc.

I got it from here , and not directly from Gateway USA, because MPC handles Gateway's business computers division, and these were the people who would ship the product outside the US (I live in India).

They have models specifically made for small industry and government. The difference in the listed categories is the various security features built into the laptops.

The laptop is highly customisable, both in terms of hardware and software (ships with choices of all flavours of Vista or XP Professional for Tablet PCs) and is built with easy-access panels at the back, to allow you to perform hardware upgradations on your own.

PS: You can have the Vista-based, consumer model of the same for as low as 800 dollars, from Gateway, directly. If you don't want Vista, then the other link at the top is where you can get it with XP.

http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529667901.php

[Anti-Bubba182]

Ballmer is in a dream world. Microsoft is in the OS business, they screw that up they are the Austro-Hungarian Empire, big, rotten and overdue for a fall.

[reagan_fanatic]

We're confident that's the right thing to do based on the feedback we've heard from our customers and partners

Bullsh*t. Ten to one most of your customers told you Vista sucks and that they prefer XP instead. Bunch of arrogant pricks.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Makes perfect sense to me! lol

Scheduled obsolescence.

And it does make sense if your business model is based on producing a product that can theoretically function for decades without fail.

You have to force people into the next iteration of your product or you're not going to keep that cash flowing into your bottom line.

Software makers have to end support for working items and move users into the next line or be stuck with supporting products that don't make them money any longer.

[dennisw]

I use XP and Vista but lots of people are scared of getting Vista or pissed off at what they do have...Vista is Apple’s best friend. Potential Vista users are going Apple instead.

Ironic since Vista eye candy is supposed to compete with Apple and decimate it

[Anonymous Rex]

I’ll buy a MAC before I buy a computer with Vista.

[AustinBill]

Correct. Microsoft forgot who’s the customer. Vista was designed to RIAA/MPAA specs to be DRM’d to the core. Which is why my next machine will be a Mac. My legacy Windows apps will run just fine on XP running in a virtual machine under Parallels and/or VMWare Fusion.

[Comanche]

I have now completely changed to Mac. I love it. Quick start, quick shutdown. No problems with Leopard. Intel Mac 24”, Power Book Pro, I Phone. I will keep my old HP laptop just in case I need to run PC only software. So far, I have’nt needed pc software. Found that most of my pc software is for virus, spam, registry fix. Go into an Apple store and get quick help. Been throwing out old pc’s.

[KoRn]

"You have to force people into the next iteration of your product or you're not going to keep that cash flowing into your bottom line."

But the next iteration of their product sucks. lol

[TexasGunLover]

I've used Vista since day one without any problems. It's stable, fast and works well. We're deploying it to over 100,000 machines at our company, already in the tens of thousands so far over the past year, and no real Vista related issues.

At least it's more stable than the few Macs we have to support.

[ShadowAce]

[the_devils_advocate_666]

My next computer will be a Mac, my first.

[ShadowAce]

There's a small company located near St. Louis that sells laptops and desktops with XP only. They won't touch Vista.

Rivenwood Computers.

I have no affiliation with them other than I know the owner personally and know he's as honest as they come.

[Big Giant Head]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834114418

[CedarDave]

Be careful when buying a laptop made for Vista OS. You may not be able to downgrade or install XP as some of the drivers may work with Vista only and XP versions are not available.

[hunter112]

They stop selling something that most everyone will still want to buy and instead replace it with a product most everyone either dislikes or downright hates.

Makes perfect sense to me! lol

The strategy worked for Coca-Cola about twenty-five years ago. My guess is, we'll see XP Classic come out in about a year. I mean, they already use the term "Classic View" for people who don't like XP's 'Fischer-Price' interface, don't they?

[The Great RJ]

Vista is the Windows ME of the 21st century.

[VeniVidiVici]

We're deploying it to over 100,000 machines at our company, already in the tens of thousands so far over the past year, and no real Vista related issues.

Shhh! You'll upset the Force!! It's fun to watch these "Bash MS" threads. I usually try to count how many different ways they can say "Vista sucks", "MS sucks", "Bill Gates is the devil", "I wanna marry Steve Jobs", blah, blah, blah.

The company I work for has already certified Vista in response to customer needs so SOMEBODY is buying it. But reading here you'd think that's not the case.

The funny part is you can buy 2GB of RAM for a laptop for next to nothing, but that doesn't matter.

[AlexW]

Thanks to all that have given me their advice.
A. I want a name brand computer, no esoteric brands or OS
that few people have ever heard of.
I should have said that while most of my use is for chat and email, I DO have other business and word operations, and as time goes by the older products no longer support 98 and new software does not work on 98.
B. I am not interested in any Apple product.
C. I do need a new OS above 98.. I have many programs that I can not now run on 98. For example, I have new Nokia with cam. I can not download the pics with W98.. Just one of many problems.
D. I need a laptop that I can buy in Europe. The shipping and duty from US is just too high.
My main concern is not spending extra for a computer that is good for gamers.. I have zero interest in playing space cadet, but I hear that all the zoomie CPUs (core duo),and graphics are really only noticeable by serious game players

Thanks again.

[MartinStyles]

Gotta agree. I really haven’t been limited by any DRM issues at all. People like to talk about it, but it just is not a factor.

Been quite stable for me too. Most of the problems were video drivers that took about 6 months to clear up. With SP1, have no problems at all.

[webschooner]

They’ll make a huge mistake if they stop supporting XP.

M-soft has stated that XP will be supported through 2014 and that date has never been modified.

What they have stated is a date of June 30, 2008 to cut off most new sales of XP (except on small-form factor mini-laptops, which they have said they will continute selling XP for until 2010). They are obviously getting pressure to extend that June 30 date, but are resisting.

If you have XP machines now (We have 3 brand new ones), you are supported for at least 6 years.