Windows XP forever? The OS that just won't die

[ASRockIQ]

Microsoft has a problem on its hands. Or more precisely one problem with three seemingly contradictory components:

1. Windows XP is too good for its own good.
2. It needs to die for the company's sake.
3. It won't die because nothing else -- not even Windows 7 -- currently approaches it.

We're closing in on eight years since XP first hit the market and began the long process of making us finally forget we ever used Windows 95, 98, and Windows Me. By anyone's standards, it's been one of Microsoft's most visibly successful products. It still runs on some 60% of all PCs years after it was supposed to have been retired as a front-line offering. It's sold around 800 million copies since its initial release. And if piracy is the sincerest form of flattery, hundreds of millions more illegal copies are in use across the globe. In an age where icons are in desperately short supply, this is as iconic a product as it gets.

Dragging on the future

The problem with XP is this: The longer it sticks around and continues to tug at the heartstrings of end-users and corporate IT decision-makers alike, the bigger a drag it becomes on Microsoft's bottom line. For a company accustomed to earning triple-digit revenue from every OS it sells, Microsoft can't be pleased with the paltry $30 or so it makes from each retail sale of XP. Although Microsoft obviously recognizes that $300 netbooks and $400-to-$500 mainstream laptops mean the good old days of high margin OS sales are over, it still wants us to add Windows 7 to our wish list to continue to drive its Windows revenue stream, albeit at a reduced rate.

More Info. HERE

Heh, and everywhere i go, every store i go into... i see them using Windows Xp to this day which by all means is awesome but i prefer Vista for my Hardware and needs. If Microsoft didn't F'up on Windows Xp Professional 64-Bit or IF Company's developed Drivers for their driver i'd be happy going back to Xp Professional 64-Bit. finding Hardware for Xp 64-Bit isn't that easy. especially looking at nearby stores

I don't think Microsoft will pull Windows 7 off that easy considering Xp is STILL being used. If today's Hardware supports it then WTF?! Why not stay with Xp? hell, why'd Microsoft even Release Vista and Windows 7? If the HARDWARE can run and be supported on the System why release another OS? Yes i know for money but please.... they should realize the users are happy with Xp still. Come on Microsoft...

 

[EnergyFX]

XP is the new blankie.

Be a big boy now and let go of your blankie!

 

[Triprift]

Meh Windows 7 will get camp xp to become deserted ofcourse there will be some that stay put for whatever reason.

 

[a111087]

lol, that article is a joke!
XP still used by many people for obvious reasons - Vista didn't receive a warm welcome and now a lot of people are scared of it, so they wait for win 7. iconic? may be, but simply because right now users don't have anything good to switch to.
it's like writing about how good our air is that we even refuse to breathe more abundant farts

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Be a big boy now and let go of your blankie!

NEVER!

 

[mike047]

If not using XP home/pro, I am using Ubuntu. They work for me so I have no need to buy something else.

 

[Mussels]

that article, makes me sad.


What a fanboy - forget the blankie, he's hiding in the closet scared of the big bad monster.


XP *is* broken.

it cant handle 3GB+ of ram. it doesnt play as nice with SSD's as 7. it cant handle high speed networks and broadband properly without being tweaked - its a rotten boat with the holes patched up, but that doesnt mean its suddenly a luxury cruiser: patchwork boats are made to avoid you drowning, not to give you a smooth ride.

 

[Easo]

AND it is so far from being optimised for multi cores, which is very important now...

 

[Mussels]

i actually made a big text document of whats better in vista over XP

i wonder where it ended up....


edit: yay i found it

I originally wanted 101 things, but ran short. stopped updating it looooong ago.


1. vista search - even without indexing its so much faster than XP
2. windows update: doesnt need a browser, gets complete driver packages (software too)
3. SLeep mode / hybrid sleep. Its stable unlike XP.
4. signed drivers required in x64: stable OS for the win. screw your shitty $10 chinese webcam, this is a GOOD thing.
5. vistas backup. ultimate has a total HDD clone tool, and the others have one that backs up all files but the OS. thats rather handy.
6. 3D interface - 2D popups no longer mess with movies and games (those annoying tooltips)
7. superfetch. yeah it takes 4GB of ram+ to use it fully, but its sweet for load times.
8. networking diagnostics. they actually fix/locate the problem for you these days, unlike XP.
9. Media center (home premium/ultimate) - its so much better than XP MCE's
10. SATA/RAID drivers can be loaded from USB, instead of floppies.
11. Built in diagnostic/repair tools in the vista DVD
12. better power management. Contrary to some peoples beliefs, vista uses less power than most linux distros on laptops.
13. vista shows transfer speeds when copying/moving files
14. vista offers 'resume' options for broken file transfers
15. vista tells you if there is insufficient space for a file copy, BEFORE it starts copying.
16. Better multi-threading support for dual core and up CPU's
17. even if the ram is in use by the OS (for more responsive system) it gets dumped when needed
(so that the OS is NOT bloated, unlike what some people say)
18. readyboost. its no magic wonder, but it makes a 512MB or 1GB ram PC run a lot smoother.
19. Superior generic/included driver support. Every new OS has this, but its still valid.
20. Better multicore support. XP needed patch on patch, vista was designed from the ground up.
21. vista sucked prior to SP1. XP sucked prior to SP2.
22. Changing to a monitor with a different resolution doesnt change your icon location on your desktop. (it reverts when you reboot with the original screen)
23.safe mode doesnt ruin the location of your desktop icons either
24. ability to resize icons on desktop/folders using the mouse wheel and control
25. Improved multiple language support.



Things worse than XP
1. uses more ram. 1GB works fine, but 2GB runs smooth as butter (ram is cheap, go buy more already)
2. The built in defragger is even more useless than the XP one.
3. Classic start menu should have the theme still

 

[Ben_UK]

I think more people will migrate to Win 7 than did to Vista.

I think XP will still have a fairly large userbase, perhaps still the majority by a small amount.

50:50 between XP / and Vista - Win 7?

 

[Mussels]

I think more people will migrate to Win 7 than did to Vista.

I think XP will still have a fairly large userbase, perhaps still the majority by a small amount.

50:50 between XP / and Vista - Win 7?

the mistake people are making, is that they always quote web-based statistics "oooh, 60% of users still have XP!"

well, 80% of that 60%, are people at work using antiquated machines.

There will ALWAYS be more old machines than new machines - every generation takes time to overtake the last one. Businesses make up the largest section of that, and the slowest section.

 

[Triprift]

And a whole heap of XP users who never bothered to try Vista for themselves and just assumed it was rubbish after hearing it was.

 

[Mussels]

And a whole heap of XP users who never bothered to try Vista for themselves and just assumed it was rubbish after reading years old comments about the leaked betas.

fixed for ya.

seriously, so much crap is still around the web bashing vista now - but if you check the dates, most of its from before the damn thing came out. (and the pre-releases DID suck. it was like XP with a black theme, only laggier)

 

[eidairaman1]

Meh Windows 7 will get camp xp to become deserted ofcourse there will be some that stay put for whatever reason.

I will Keep XP around for my current Machine and Windows 7 for the new one, once everything is Patched that is.

 

[mike047]

New OS's being good/bad/indifferent, If I am happy using an OS that is paid for....why would I change.

For me it is basically financial and the fact that XP is sufficient for my uses.

 

[hat]

I'm happy with XP x64. I have no need, nor desire for a new operating system.

 

[Lordbollo]

And a whole heap of XP users who never bothered to try Vista for themselves and just assumed it was rubbish after hearing it was.

Or one vista user who never used xp and assumes it was rubbish because he never had a computer with xp on it.

 

[Odin Eidolon]

XP is a good operating system, as 95 and 98SE were. But being a MS operating system, its still crap compared to many Linux distros IMHO. They just work so much better for me, and never let me alone (no viruses and really stable)

W7 seems a good OS tho, i tried it for some hours and it seemed good. Its a nice battle between XP/W7 and OSX.

 

[allen337]

I personally will always run the latest operating system but its people like me who kill microsoft, 2 daughters, wifey ,mother-in-law, father-in-law aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters all use XP pro. Why? If your married just ask your wife if you can use her computer much less format it. Same with kids

 

[ASRockIQ]

damn when i have Kidz i'll be sure they'll have Xp on their PCs and me well when i'm old i'll install and use Xp with whatever PC i'll have by that time.

anyways back on topic, Windows 7 is great but it's just too much like Vista in the Looks. yeah, MS did a number or 2 on improving the OS but the features isn't there for me. I feel no need in using them.

 

[zithe]

I only keep an install of XP because Vista and 7 refuse to play less supported games. (Cossacks, Age of Empires 2 gets funky colors, Cossacks 2...)

 

[RadeonProVega]

I am finally using Win7 right now, really good OS, and better then Vista. But i plan to use XP on a dual core when i get it and i plan to use Vista Ulimate 64bit when i get my Quad. Xp is the fastest OS for gaming IMO, less resoruce hog, less demanding, better performance hands down.

I only keep an install of XP because Vista and 7 refuse to play less supported games. (Cossacks, Age of Empires 2 gets funky colors, Cossacks 2...)

Funny thing, there are some win9x games that work on vista and not on XP and some games work on win7, but not on Vista. lol

 

[newtekie1]

You know this argument is almost identical to the argument that was made for 98 when XP was the latest and greatest...

People and companies need to learn to let go and move on.

Windows 7 is to Vista what Windows XP was to Windows 2000 and what Windows 98 was to Window 95.

 

[btarunr]

There was no need for MS to get rid of DirectSound hardware sound mixing. To me that's almost a deal-breaker. All my sound cards (be it Creative, C-Media, ASUS, or onboard codecs) sound awful on Windows Vista/7.

 

[rampage]

people will move on when m$ eventually stop all support for it....

there is no use having 3 OS's that they have to run around and support


(that being said it will be interesting when there next OS comes out in 2012 and how many ppl just wont let go of xp)