[xtrslots]

This day was going to be coming soon. It is time to give up XP regardless of how much you love it.

Tuesday, April 10 marks the end of "Mainstream Support" for Windows Vista, moving it to an "Extended Support" phase that lasts through April 11, 2017, and Windows XP and Office 2003 have begun their countdowns to total extinction in two more years. From http://www.networkworld.com/communit...ort-we-know-it

When Microsoft cuts the chord on XP in two years it will effectively leave millions of existing Windows-based computers vulnerable to continued and undeterred cyberattacks, many of which hold the potential to find their way into consumer, enterprise and even industrial systems running the latest software. From http://www.networkworld.com/communit...rity-nightmare

More discussion on Slashdot

The ongoing security problems are going to be a serious issue ... When Microsoft cuts the chord on XP in two years it will effectively leave millions of existing Windows-based computers vulnerable to continued and undeterred cyberattacks, many of which hold the potential to find their way into consumer, enterprise and even industrial systems running the latest software. Although most of the subsequent security issues appear to be at the consumer level, it may not be long until they find a way into corporate networks or industrial systems, Miller says. Even scarier, Sarwate says many SCADA systems for industrial networks still run a modified version of XP, and are not in a position to upgrade. Because much of the software running on SCADA systems is not compatible with traditional Microsoft OS capabilities, an OS upgrade would entail much more work than it would for a home or corporate system.

[xtrslots]

And to add to some data noted in the Help with anti malware thread

Windows XP is a Rootkit Spawning Pool Article date 1/8/11 (or 01/08/11 - depending on convention)
Three-quarters of all rootkit infections are on Windows XP machines, and it's not because XP is so ubiquitous.......... If you're still dragging your feet on moving to Windows 7, consider this: a report from the Czech antivirus firm Avast notes that three in four PCs infected with rootkits are running Windows XP, and it's not because so many people use the aging operating system. This article is dated prior to the figures and percentages I used in this post The percentages of users of Windows 7 have significantly increased since this article was written.

[QHdy5Z3A]

Win98 was excelent in it's day, but XP was so much better- stability in particular. But it's well past it's use by date & the sooner it ceases to exist the better IMHO.

[BiseCreesia]

It is time to give up XP regardless of how much you love it.
NEVER!!!

[buchmausar]

Does this mean that you can't teach Big Dog new tricks?

[DoctorNiCYDEn]

I can't wait for my workplace to move on to Vista............................................. ...................

They're still using office 97.

[xtrslots]

Win98 was excelent in it's day, but XP was so much better- stability in particular. But it's well past it's use by date & the sooner it ceases to exist the better IMHO.

Indeed.

[Dodoerabe]

When Microsoft cuts the chord on XP Microsoft may well pluck a chord, but surely they will cut the cord on XP

[xtrslots]

I can't wait for my workplace to move on to Vista............................................. ...................

They're still using office 97.

Office 2003 has the same EOL date as Windows XP - maybe they will need to skip a version or two in Office ..........

[xtrslots]

Microsoft may well pluch a chord, but surely they will cut the cord on XP

Yeh! I noticed that - it's spelt correctly though - just completely the wrong word

[Dapnoinaacale]

They're still using office 97.

nothing wrong with that, all the goodies of a spreadsheet and word processor, WITHOUT the ribbon interface!

[Marlboro-oroblraM]

That is a shame, XP was the first Windows OS that I considered was worth the effort of upgrade. While I like Windows 7, I went back to using XP temporarily last weekend and it was like putting on an old comfortable jeans.

[QHdy5Z3A]

XP was the first Windows OS that I considered was worth the effort of upgrade

For me Win3.11, Win98SE, XP, Vista.
Each was a significant improvement on what went before it it, but Vista was the most impressive
For all the bitching, whining, moaning & carry on people made about it, it is heads & shoulders above XP for stability & apart from an initial file transfer issue is faster & more rsponsive than XP ever was.

[xtrslots]

For me Win3.11, Win98SE, XP, Vista.
Each was a significant improvement on what went before it it, but Vista was the most impressive
For all the bitching, whining, moaning & carry on people made about it, it is heads & shoulders above XP for stability & apart from an initial file transfer issue is faster & more rsponsive than XP ever was.

That was also my experience Although I should add that I thought the DOS 5.0 upgrade was pretty good at the time.

[Marlboro-oroblraM]

I was spoilt by migrating from Amigados to Wintel. Every version of Windows was a disappointment when compared to what I had been used to doing, until XP.

Yes, XP still didn't know how to handle empty directories ("If you delete this directory, you will also delete everything in it!!!") or copying files, ("There is already a filed called 'Index.ini' in the directory you are copying these hundreds of files into, so i will just stop everything until you tell me what to do with it. And the one after it, and the one after that") but it was the first of the Windows that actually started doing things 'right'.

[QHdy5Z3A]

That was also my experience Although I should add that I thought the DOS 5.0 upgrade was pretty good at the time.

Yeah, i remember spending hours playing with Autoexec.bat & Config.sys to load programmes up into high memory to free up that first 640kB. Then spending even more time mucking around with Expanded & Extended memory- depending on which one certain programmes could or couldn't use.
And smartdrv to speed disk I/O up.