You must have missed the note where I told everyone I use Vista.

No, I didn't miss it...I was referring to the multitudes who will only give up XP when it is prised from their fingertips by the corporate powers that be... those corporate powers who generally agree that computing has to progress and not remain in the dark ages.



Whatwhere... you might be surprised to see just how far MS has come with its new generation OS... according to insiders/media coverage, it is possible/likely that Windows Seven will be in the public beta stage by mid to late 09 (to test in the wider community) and possibly ready for general release by late 2010 - early 2011.

Just what I've heard.

The thing is is that they will use XP for years to come. Look at all the offices that still use W2K.

Of course there will be those who will want to hang onto old OSes for grim death, but just as 95 and 98 passed their use by dates, so will W2K and XP. In fact, W2K's coffin is already prepared... it's just a matter of hammering down the final nails.

As for people using XP for years to come, I have no doubt there will be millions who will want to keep using it indefinitely, but its obsolescence has been heralded/guaranteed by MS, and many of those millions will have to move on as their old propriety/OEM hardware dies and XP no longer exists in PC stores.

I suppose another way to put it is that XP is high maintenance too resource intensive, what with all the monthly patches and fixes, and MS is looking to offload all that to focus on Vista and future OSes that are/will become more stable and secure...less resource intensive.

OK, so there will be many who won't like it, but it makes perfect business sense for MS, who really won't be losing customers/clients because... well if they want/need to use a computer, Windows is the standard and has greater hardware/software support than other OSes.

Starkers - there are people who still use and are happy with 98 and 2K.

I doubt your predictions will come true. I have people that tell me XP is a crappy OS and guess what they use? 98 and 2K.

Oh come on, that's an outright lie. No one is or was happy with Windows 98. And if you are (or where) then you have.... issues....  

Also for people wondering why Windows 7 is so close to the beta stage; Think of it as a Windows 2000 to Windows XP phase. Windows 7 is basically focusing on new features and additions to Vista. It will not be as big of a change as XP to Vista, but more like the transition from 2k to XP.

I have people saying everyone who says they are happy with Vista is lying as well. I think if you are satisfied with what you use then you are happy with it.

And by the way do not assume to know what others think about their OS...

These are NOT my predictions! Sure there are people holding on to old OSes and saying that MS will have to prise them from their dead fingers, but the wheels have already been set in motion to discontinue XP manufacture/sales... and tell me where you can still purchase a PC loaded with 95, 98 or W2K!

I had a neighbour who loved 95/98... silly old bugger bought a 2nd PC that came loaded with XP, and within 10 mins of getting it in the door the silly old fossil was replacing XP with another fossil...98 (not even SE).

Thing is, in computer/OS terms, he and others like him will go the way of the dinosaur...


... and several centuries later, one archaeologist says to another: "Oi, come look at this! You're never gonna believe it, but there's a mummified guy here still clutching a Windows 95 disc... and according to carbon dating, Windows 15 would have been around at least 20 years."

You can't get a PC built with 95, 98 or 2K that is true. You can build a PC and buy a copy of 95, 98 or 2K off Ebay or Pricewatch.

On the same token many corporations will not upgrade from wht they are using vbecause of the expense. They will just find a way to get a 1.2 GHz Dell to run for 20 years.

And by the way I doubt we will ever see Windows 15. At some point I think Linux will take over and MS will fade into the past. Might take a hundred years though.

Looks like I'm not allowed to edit...

Sorry about the spelling.

Not so for XP Pro - if I need to replace a rig in my business network after June, that's going to be a real problem. MS needs to acknowledge that many businesses simply can't migrate everything to Vista, which has all kinds of network integration issues, at least according to the IT professional who supports our network - Win2K & XPP coexist without any problems, not so XPP, Win2K & Vista.

Might be time to purchase a few more XPP licenses.

By the way Starkers I just looked it up:

Windows 95: $14.50
Windows 98 SE: $38.50
Windows 2000: $68.00
Windows XP Home: $62.50
Windows Vista Home Premium: $75.00

So those numbers are from Pricewatch. I think most people are going to want to save money and not buy Vista as they will have to upgrade hardware as well.

And if MS forces them to buy Vista they still have a choice. It's called OSX or Linux.

Xp will still be available to System Builders for a while yet. This from MS website


Windows XP Professional

Date of General Availability
December 31, 2001

Direct OEM and Retail License Availability (end date)
June 30, 2008

System Builder License Availability (end date)
January 31, 2009


While the 01/2009 date is for license only, if you've got the media, you've got time.

Also, don't have the link handy, but extended support (patches) is set to run until sometime in 2014, I believe

I was also thinking that if people are forced to buy Vista we might see more people pirating XP. Assuming of course that XP would no longer be available from any source to buy.

Xp lovers are beginning to remind me of the Amish......