So What Happens When XP Support Ends?

I think we may be underestimating the staying power of XP. Let's not forget that from the services angle, XP Pro is a fully modern OS with everything business looks for. All the tools are there.

In a similar way to the way that other legacy Microsoft OSes have remained, XP remain will too. However, I don't think it makes sense to compare its fate to Windows 98 or Windows 2000. This is because of the staggering amount of freeware available for XP. XP is a fun OS to work with that has all the required services. Maybe it's on a 2nd or 3rd PC for people, but I think it will be there a somewhat substantial number of times.

One other thing. It's not hard for developers to include XP for their apps. I mean, there are some strange dynamics here. In gaming circles, Microsoft abandoned DirectX after 11. There was talk of DirectX 12, but then came the announcement from Microsoft that it was abandoning the project. Well, hardware is becoming more capable with new processors coming soon. The new technology will mean new graphics cards...better RAM...better hard drives. It's coming. AND...gaming has moved forward without the ties to DirectX and its ties to Microsoft. I think this is significant, because Microsoft has lost its leverage with gamers to bury Windows XP using Direct X. OK driver support for XP is very limited for the new equipment...true, but I think the pull of XP is going to be stronger than anticipated. I think gamers are going to want to see what XP can do fully featured. In my experience, what the gamers want, the gamers get. For me, it's one of those "let's wait and see what happens" types of things.

No .Net 4.5 support, true, but the future is a big long road, and XP is a beloved platform. I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere down the road it's possible to run .Net 4.5 apps in XP. Just wouldn't be surprised. Also, I don't think the future is void of security for Windows XP.

The future doesn't play out on a pin point or when someone snaps their fingers. XP has a fairly large amount of reasons for surviving, and I believe it will survive. Actually, I think it will be always around and available...

 

"Unofficial" future Service Packs may be developed by third parties like I've seen right here at MG's for Windows '98. And I wouldn't be surprised to see XP remain on "closed" In-house systems. I think the place I go to for my doctors' office visits is going to stay with XP Pro because of the medical and imaging software they use.

But, for me, personally, I've already installed Vista Ultimate and it's not too shabby on my old 32-bit system.

 

Re:business
Actually, it lacks security of newer OSes, something businesses desperately need. That is only going to get exponentially worse some time after April. Yes. XP will live on for many years for companies that can afford it, and users who are either offline and don't care about security and data protection. When I was supporting XP (when it first came out), we had Windows 3.1 users still. However the support was very, very expensive, and XP is a lot more expensive than that was.

Re: drivers
Surely you don't think that OEMs are going to go back to a (many generations) old driver model for a few gamers? Gamers make up a minority of computer users overall. Big-time gamers are not using XP due to limited driver support. Those are the money-makers of the gaming world.

Re: app support
Unless someone reverse engineers Microsoft (which will end in a CnD and lawsuit), .NET 4.5 and .NET 4.5.1 apps will not run on XP. Most versions of XP out there are not 64 bit, and as more applications become 64 bit, that also limits the OS.

Third party apps are defenseless against 0-day attacks. Nobody else can patch Windows XP other than Microsoft because they do not have the source code.

 

You have made this statement above to me before. I will reply in the same way I replied before. There are many ways to combat malicious programs and code. I know I'm right about this. New and better are coming from the A-V community. Maybe it won't be free, but it's coming. Let's face it, Microsoft's brand of security with security updates is not perfect itself. However, that doesn't mean that perfect security for PCs cannot be achieved. I believe it will be eventually.

You seem to be ignoring the core of my argument, which is that passion for Windows XP is going to bring it through, and it will survive. I didn't say it would be the choice of a large number of businesses or for the most part...just that it will survive. Beyond that I think passion for the OS will bring further development outside of Microsoft...including some driver work down the road. Also, I think the native capabilities of Windows will be enhanced down the road, possibly through open source or on the docket of a company who wants to stay on the OS.

We aren't at the end of hardware development for PCs yet. That is getting closer though. As it draws closer and closer, I think more and more people will want to turn back to XP on a second or third or fourth PC, especially given that they will probably be able to get XP for nothing or next to nothing. And I believe developers who have achieved success and are financially set will work on XP in their spare time sometimes.

This is not a debate for me. It's something I believe fully. If anyone would like a debate on this topic, I can't, because it's not possible to persuade me otherwise.

Just saying...XP Professional is a fully featured modern operating system that will be around. I fully believe this...and much more so than Win 98 or 2000...

 

No point in discussing with someone who knows they are right. I did make this argument before, and I showed how it was possible. However, your stubbornness on the issue has blinded you at the same time, because apparently you didn't read it.

No I didn't, you just glossed over it.

Yes. XP will live on for many years for companies that can afford it, and users who are either offline and don't care about security and data protection. When I was supporting XP (when it first came out), we had Windows 3.1 users still. However the support was very, very expensive, and XP is a lot more expensive than that was.

Wow. No point in me wasting my time further then.