Click here to receive your FREE subscription to Campus Technology
News
Microsoft Nixes XP Extended-Life Rumors
4/28/2008
Microsoft's Windows XP operating system, which will no longer be sold after June 30, seemed to get a reprieve of sorts when Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer made a quip at a press conference about relenting to customer feedback. However, one of Microsoft's official PR agencies denied the suggestion that XP would get a break from its scheduled end date.
"Our plan for Windows XP availability is unchanged," read a statement issued by one of Microsoft's official PR agencies, as reported by a PCWorld article. "We're confident that's the right thing to do based on the feedback we've heard from our customers and partners."
XP licenses for new PCs won't be sold after June 30, but customers can downgrade to XP from Microsoft's current state-of-the-art OS, Microsoft Windows Vista. Downgrades can be done by the PC vendor or by users themselves. Several PC vendors are offering new PCs with XP downgrade options extending to as late as mid-2009 according to a ChannelWeb article.
Ballmer made the comment, offering hope for XP fans, at a news conference in Mons, Belgium, where Microsoft is planning to open a "Microsoft Innovation Center" at the Polytech Mons University.
"XP will hit an end-of-life," Ballmer reportedly said today. "We have announced one. If customer feedback varies we can always wake up smarter but right now we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments."
Microsoft has already announced plans to extend new licenses for its Windows XP Home Edition to approximately June 30, 2010 for manufacturers of so-called ultra-low-cost PCs. Those machines typically lack the hardware resources and storage space needed to run Windows Vista.
Kurt Mackie is Web editor of RCPmag.com and ADTmag.com. He can be reached at kmackie@1105media.com.
Cite this Site
copy text (above) for proper citation
Recommended Reading
- RIAA Outsources Fingering of Students Who Share Music Illegally
The RIAA is outsourcing the hunt for music thieves. Its largest target currently is those who operate from within colleges and universities, a move that has piqued the attention of Educause.
- Microsoft Expands Education Footprint in Asia Pacific Region
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates announced new partnerships to extend accessibility and computer literacy in the Asia Pacific region during a speech in Jakarta at a government leader gathering earlier this week.
- IT Struggling Over Security, Compliance
IT pros are having a hard time balancing security, software patch management and IT auditing with a host of other duties, according to a survey released Monday by Shavlik Technologies.
- Toronto College Upgrades Network with Gigabit Ethernet Wireless Links
Toronto-based George Brown College has gone public about its deployment of six BridgeWave GE60 wireless links to upgrade its campus-wide network.
- Gates Highlights R&D at CES08, Unveils Microsoft Touch Wall
Microsoft's Chairman Bill Gates spent a lot of time Wednesday talking about "empowering the workers" at the Microsoft's 12th annual CEO Summit 2008 in Redmond, WA, where he gave a keynote speech. However, Gates wasn't talking about political revolutions or even pay raises for office workers before the CEO crowd. Instead, he was referring to new software technologies that can better enable collaboration, social networking and decision-making on the job.
- Vista Vulnerability Study Puts Microsoft on Defensive
Microsoft and some independent security researchers had the blogosphere buzzing Wednesday over a series of denunciations after one company claimed that the Vista operating system was more vulnerable to malware and other exploits than previous operating systems.
