MS extends support for XP

[shift6]

You know, I loved Windows 98. It was a single-user OS, therefore didn't have many of the security problems in XP, it had mature driver support, and as long as you didn't run some Taiwanese garage manufactured hardware, it was solid. Then I had to upgrade to XP because Eidos Fucking Sucks. But Thief 3 still turned out OK, so I guess it's a wash.

Now I'm sitting here, having run XP for maybe a year and a half, and had to hear how support for XP Home was dropping end of this year. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? I mean the next OS isn't even out yet, much less out with at least one service pack. How are you going to stop supporting those of us who don't run k-rad 37337 server OSs on our gaming desktops?

Well anyway, they've extended the support. In fact, it appers they've come up with a good "time to support" idea, where any OS gets support for at least two years following the next version. From Ars:

The good news is that Microsoft appears to be making an exception to the way it normally treats "consumer products," and has explicitly extended Windows XP Home support to "two years after the next version of this product is released," that is, two years after the release of Windows Vista. Microsoft has also extended the Mainstream Support lifespan of other products that were on borrowed time, including Media Center Editions 2002, 2004, and 2005, and XP Tablet edition. They will all also get the two year extension, which by our estimates means that they will receive support until the end of 2008. Windows XP Professional will see support well beyond 2011.

MS announcement cum clarification here.

[Case]

You know, I loved Windows 98. It was a single-user OS, therefore didn't have many of the security problems in XP, it had mature driver support, and as long as you didn't run some Taiwanese garage manufactured hardware, it was solid. Then I had to upgrade to XP because Eidos Fucking Sucks. But Thief 3 still turned out OK, so I guess it's a wash.

Bear in mind that the original announcement about ending support referred to Windows XP Home with no updates. Windows XP Home with Service Pack 2 wasn't part of that.

[XPav]

That guy on Arstechnica has an overinflated view of himself and his power in the computer industry.

[MyNameIsWill]

Well, considering that Vista was supposed to be released in 2003, the end of 2006 for support wasn't that bad. It's good to see that Microsoft finally updated it's support stance though.

[Igor Muravyev]

That guy on Arstechnica has an overinflated view of himself and his power in the computer industry.

Yeah, after reading their X41 "un"review and completely disagreeing now that I have an X41, I have to agree.

[shift6]

Bear in mind that the original announcement about ending support referred to Windows XP Home with no updates. Windows XP Home with Service Pack 2 wasn't part of that.

I couldn't find that anywhere. I read the support agreement where it said "no more security updates" as kind of part and parcel. Huh, OK.